Two questions...Wiring, and Steering Column

dolfan87

Founding Member
Dec 28, 2000
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Lake Havasu, AZ
Ok, I FINALLY pulled the dash and steering column out of my car. Once I laid the wiring harness out before my wife, she demanded that it be replaced.

It does look kinda crappy, but I was going to just check it all out and fix what needed fixing.

Since she has put up with hours upon hours, and nearly 30 grand spent on this car, I got this response from her.

"I love you honey, and I want this car running as badly as you do, but I will not set foot inside it unless you REPLACE that mess."

So here is my problem; My car is a 70 Mach, and they don't make a replacement harness for it. Is there a painless kit that will not drive me out of my mind??

Little things like dash lights and what not I can just run myself. Help, ideas, thoughts from my stangnet friends!!

Next, does Flaming River make a tilt steering column that will bolt in fairly easy?

Again anyone with experience on the 69/70's your advice is needed.

Thanks all!

Gram
 
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they make repro front and rear harnesses fro the 70 and there is a guy on ebay who sells rebuilt/restored/reconditioned under dash harnesses, i can't remember what his user id is but his stuff looks really nice. IIRC he sells underdash harnesses for around 200-250 bucks, it would definitely be easier than running a painless harness
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2488564894&category=34206

I would go with an original; the painless can be anything but. Also, aftermarket set-ups are just cheesy! The origional is also true plug and play!This example I’m giving is outrageous, but you look around, a really good 70 harness can be found.

I believe texasbob is the one on e-bay that was selling the harnesses.

metro lists one.........
http://www.metromustang.com/69parts.html

jason lists 2..........

http://www.vintage-ford-parts.com/B69.html
 
actually that's not a bad price for everything that is included. it is setup for ac and tach, plus it has the trunk light and the accessory fuse terminal and wiring harness for the fuse block and all of the other harnesses as well. you'd spend about 250.00 to 350.00 for the fronat and rear repro's alone.
 
I think I am going to stick with my stock column. I will contact one of the vendors, or see if this guy on e bay will restore mine for a decent price.

You guys have been awesome, thanks for the advice!

87
 
Pops and I reconditioned my stock harness, double checking all the wires, etc. It wasn't that bad, but the harness was in decent shape really, only being hacked at the radio and headlights.

As for the column, if you want a tilt column, original stock tilts go for good money (upwards of $500). Pops built me a tilt column using my stock fixed column and a tilt column from a '70s Lincoln Mark??? It was pretty straight forward, low fabrication (some drilling and grinding, but no welding), and was cheap ($15 for the tilt column from the u-pull-it). Just a thought if you've got the time and skill but don't want to spend a bunch.

Good luck! :nice:
 
Just wire it from scratch. Don't be a wussy :D :D :D

lunacy.JPG
 
gp001 said:
Just wire it from scratch. Don't be a wussy :D :D :D

lunacy.JPG

What in the name of all that is Holy...that's not your car...tell me that is not your car...oh geez it's probably your car. :D

I would wire it from scratch, except I have buried myself so far into so many "custom" projects, that I fear I will never drive this car!!

It's been four years, and I have yet to even sit in the drivers seat behind the wheel! :( :bang:

I want to at least hear my engine run within the next month. That is my goal, so the stock harness will have to be restored, or a nice one found.

87
 
Yes, that is my car. That is mission control 1, there are 2 others. I even made my own schematics. I called it my 'Lectrical Lunacy project. ;) ;) I'll have to work on the webpage for it and add it to my site.
 
dolfan87 said:
Since she has put up with hours upon hours, and nearly 30 grand spent on this car, I got this response from her.

"I love you honey, and I want this car running as badly as you do, but I will not set foot inside it unless you REPLACE that mess."

hey can you have your wife give my wife a call and talk some sense into her?? :D

oh yeah painless is a good way to go. if they dont have it available they can make it for not much more than a ready to go harness
 
Not trying to hijack tread, but I got a question about the wire harness... I've just bougth a tachometer dash off eBay, and I'm wondering if my old non-tach wires will do. Were there standard wires that fit both instrument panels, or did they have different harnesses?
 
Ok.. I see 8, possibly 9, bosch type relays (the 5 prong ones), two fuse boxes with 16 fuses, and alarm box, and fuel pressure box of some sort (regulator?, cuttoff?), a later model solonoid- good god GP! And that's 1!!!!

Umm, wanna come wire my car? I have beer! J/k
Hijack but sorta relavent: If one wanted to do something like you have set up, do you have any tips? Especially for us Novices, like how did ya wire the fuse boxes, where did ya get your supplies , stuff like that?

dolfan- if the basics of the harnass are ok- you might just think about pulling it out, and rewiring it, cuttoff from any connector like 6" then just splice in new wire? :shrug:

The Swede
 
Swede958 said:
Ok.. I see 8, possibly 9, bosch type relays (the 5 prong ones), two fuse boxes with 16 fuses, and alarm box, and fuel pressure box of some sort (regulator?, cuttoff?), a later model solonoid- good god GP! And that's 1!!!!

Umm, wanna come wire my car? I have beer! J/k
Hijack but sorta relavent: If one wanted to do something like you have set up, do you have any tips? Especially for us Novices, like how did ya wire the fuse boxes, where did ya get your supplies , stuff like that?

The Swede

:D Where do you see a later model solenoid in that pic? I mean, I have one, but it's not visible in that pic (unless you have x-ray eyes). I will detail all of the info when I post my webpage on it. It really was quite an act of insanity :D . Here's a pic of the un finished Mission Control 2

miscon2.JPG
 
gp001 said:
:D Where do you see a later model solenoid in that pic? I mean, I have one, but it's not visible in that pic (unless you have x-ray eyes). I will detail all of the info when I post my webpage on it. It really was quite an act of insanity :D . Here's a pic of the un finished Mission Control 2

miscon2.JPG

I gotta see this car in person. Hey GP you live anywhere near Carlsbad?