Wiring

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Scootermk
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2015 12:05 am

Wiring

Post by Scootermk »

Has anyone had any luck finding a complete aftermarket re-wiring kit for a 1966 Bird? Or have you had any luck with any of the custom kits?

Thanks for the advice in advance!

S
tbird
Posts: 2586
Joined: Sat May 10, 2008 11:07 pm
Location: Tyndall MB. Canada

Re: Wiring

Post by tbird »

You can purchase aftermarket harness's from the Bird Nest which are one of the supporters of the VTCI and this forum.
Jim Mills
VTCI # 8071
VTCI 1964-66 Technical Editor
2002 Thunderbird
1965 Convertible
1962 Convertible (in progress)
1959 Ford Retractable HT
Many parts cars
Scootermk
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Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2015 12:05 am

Re: Wiring

Post by Scootermk »

Thank you!
jtschug
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Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2015 1:33 pm

Re: Wiring

Post by jtschug »

Narragansett Reproductions makes *exact* reproductions of every wire harness. They are the source of new wire harnesses sold by the T-bird vendors.

You can order directly from them, but they don't keep inventory, so everything is made to order and so it takes a while. I ordered a new underhood wire harnesses made by Narragansett from a T-bird vendor and got them in less than 2 weeks. I ordered a small alternator pigtail from Narragansett and it took almost two months to get it. The quality is very good, these are indistinguishable from original factory wire harnesses. The tape, the sleeves, the colors of the connectors, everything is exactly correct. Also, if reproduction is too expensive, T-bird vendors often also have good used wire harnesses that are cheaper.

It is certainly possible to rewire a T-bird with a Painless wiring kit, or the nicer looms made by Ron Francis, but with all the different functions and accessories these cars have it will be difficult work to re-engineer the car's electrical system. This isn't like a 50's pickup truck, or a rat rod that only need 3-4 circuits to function properly.
1966 Thunderbird Convertible (Emberglo / White-Emberglo)
Modified 428 - stroked, rollercam, aluminum top end, headers
Livermore, CA
tbird
Posts: 2586
Joined: Sat May 10, 2008 11:07 pm
Location: Tyndall MB. Canada

Re: Wiring

Post by tbird »

I did not believe that what the Bird Nest is suppling is of Narragansett quality the 62 convertible trunk harness appears to be tapped from the Bird Nest while the original and Narragansett harness is loomed to my knowledge. Had them re-loom my convertible harness last fall as the squirrels must have got at it and chewed the loom off in areas but the harness itself was like new, do not believe that they do the I.D. tags on them though but was able to salvage my old tag they did not touch it.

By the way there are two wire harness companies with-in a few miles of each other, they are brothers that split form each other, both apparently do good work.
Jim Mills
VTCI # 8071
VTCI 1964-66 Technical Editor
2002 Thunderbird
1965 Convertible
1962 Convertible (in progress)
1959 Ford Retractable HT
Many parts cars
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Alan H. Tast
Posts: 4214
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2003 10:52 pm
Location: Omaha, NE

Re: Wiring

Post by Alan H. Tast »

jtschug wrote: Thu Mar 29, 2018 9:41 am Narragansett Reproductions makes *exact* reproductions of every wire harness. They are the source of new wire harnesses sold by the T-bird vendors.

You can order directly from them, but they don't keep inventory, so everything is made to order and so it takes a while. I ordered a new underhood wire harnesses made by Narragansett from a T-bird vendor and got them in less than 2 weeks. I ordered a small alternator pigtail from Narragansett and it took almost two months to get it. The quality is very good, these are indistinguishable from original factory wire harnesses. The tape, the sleeves, the colors of the connectors, everything is exactly correct. Also, if reproduction is too expensive, T-bird vendors often also have good used wire harnesses that are cheaper.

It is certainly possible to rewire a T-bird with a Painless wiring kit, or the nicer looms made by Ron Francis, but with all the different functions and accessories these cars have it will be difficult work to re-engineer the car's electrical system. This isn't like a 50's pickup truck, or a rat rod that only need 3-4 circuits to function properly.
X2 on what is noted above. For wiring up a '40 Ford street rod or '55 Fairlane, sure - the aftermarket "kit" and custom harnesses are fine (heck, I had a friend for college wire up my '55 Ford in 1984, but I still have to reloom the main feed from the battery to the ignition switch that fried on me 5 years ago as the replacement wire is exposed for all to see right now). But for maintaining a machine as complex as a vintage 'Bird, especially when thinking of having others work on it, having OEM-quality/constructed looms that can be trouble-shot with factory literature by any good electrical person would be worth the investment IMHO.
Alan H. Tast, AIA
Technical Director/Past President,
Vintage Thunderbird Club Int'l.
Author, "Thunderbird 1955-1966" & "Thunderbird 50 Years"
1963 Hardtop & 1963 Sports Roadster
Scootermk
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Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2015 12:05 am

Re: Wiring

Post by Scootermk »

Thanks everyone. This is super helpful.
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wabigoon
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Joined: Sat Jun 15, 2013 12:16 pm

Re: Wiring

Post by wabigoon »

I posted some pics of Narragansett work a while ago. You should be able to search my posts and see them.
Scootermk
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Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2015 12:05 am

Re: Wiring

Post by Scootermk »

Thanks everyone for the help. Very useful.
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