New complete car wiring harness.

[Mike65 475]

I have been looking at the Painless 69/70 Mustang specific complete car wiring harness & the one from American Auto Wire also for the 69 Mustang. The one from Painless is $932.99 & the one from AAW is $629.10. What makes the kit from Painless so much more expensive. I am interested because this is my next purchase. since my Mustang has no wiring in it.

[Mach1 Driver 560]

Each manufacturer has many different kits. The cost is largely based on how many circuits have fuses protecting them. Stock Mustangs from 69 on down only have 5 to 6 fuses and no fuse links. I understand that in 70 they started adding fuse links.

Some of the kits have 22 fuses. The problem with any harness that is not stock and not built to Ford specifications is that there isn't a wire diagram to match it. Sometimes they do wire diagrams, but the ones I've seen are a type called "branched highway". You can't follow the wire to a destination on the diagram. It branches from lets say the fuse panel and the line enters the highway. Somewhere on the diagram will be its destination- lets say the wiper motor. It will branch out of the highway and go to the motor. Both ends will be marked with the number of the wire or color, but until you find that identifier (somewhere on the diagram) you don't know where it is going. In my opinion a "branched highway diagram" is next to useless.

If you want to go cheap, a guy I know said to go to Ebay and buy a E-Z Wiring harness for around $179. It has 20 circuits and according to him will wire the entire car.

I will be using Alloy Metal Products which is just like the stock harness. Unless the car has had a short and destroyed some of the harnesses, only the ones under the hood need to be replaced- where it is hot and the weather degrades them. Have Randy (Midlife) freshen-up the dash harness and you'll be good to go. If you need to add circuits then add a second small auxiliary fuse panel from Painless or other manufacturer. And do yourself and the next guy a favor by making a diagram of your additions.

[fordguy69 24]

I have been looking at the Ron Francis harnesses for the car I am working on now.  They are cheaper than Painless and look like their systems are a lot more flexible.  I have used Painless before and their stuff is nice, but they have gotten extremely pricey IMO.

 

 

[Midlife 814]

I've heard (I have no personal observations) that these kits require connectors to be salvaged from your existing harnesses, so they'll mate with various pieces (e.g. wiper switch, ignition switch, heater, headlight, etc.)  If you have no wiring, please be aware of this possible shortcoming.

[3pedal 95]

I have used Ron Francis wiring kits on many cars...I like them because you can cut the wires/connections to the perfect lengths customizing every inch of the way,  keeping all wires nice and tidy...usually all the instructions consist of only 1 two sided page....and a tech phone #...Its been a while... don't remember what connectors were included... 

[Rsanter 152]

Will the car be stock? Slightly modified? Or a total hot rod?

unless you are building a complete hotrod/streetrod car I would stick to stock or stockish wiring

 

bob

[Mike65 475]

3 hours ago, Rsanter said:

Will the car be stock? Slightly modified? Or a total hot rod?

unless you are building a complete hotrod/streetrod car I would stick to stock or stockish wiring

 

bob

Bob, It will be slightly modified. I am converting to the Ford Contour dual electric cooling fans, 1 wire 100 amp alternator, & NVUSA gauges. Any other ideas?.

[Machspeed 219]

Mike, I have been researching this as well. My car will have several changes to include different gauges, electric fans, electric fuel pump, and electric steering. My brother just completed the resto of his Boss 302 which has many of the components that I will have. He chose the AAW route and was very pleased with it. I've been all over the web looking at this and I think the consensus among people is that the AAW system is the best bang for the buck.     

[Mike65 475]

2 hours ago, Machspeed said:

Mike, I have been researching this as well. My car will have several changes to include different gauges, electric fans, electric fuel pump, and electric steering. My brother just completed the resto of his Boss 302 which has many of the components that I will have. He chose the AAW route and was very pleased with it. I've been all over the web looking at this and I think the consensus among people is that the AAW system is the best bang for the buck.     

Thanks, I forgot the electric fuel pump & EFI as mods also. I think that is the way I will go with the AAW.

[69NC 21]

I have the AAW wiring kit. The diagram is fine, but I'm an electral engineer so reading wiring diagrams is second nature.   Overall It's a good kit.

I'm installing a lot of customizations so the AAW harness is good as it has plenty of extra circuits.  It came with new tail light sockets, and the correct headlight switch.  The only thing missing is the convertible top wiring, so I'll have to create that myself.