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Need advice on new wiring harnesses.

1K views 7 replies 3 participants last post by  ck 2 
#1 ·
I am looking to buy a new front light harness and engine harness for my 69. I called American Autowire today, they make the factory fit harnesses. The guy told me they could make me a harness for an internal regulated alternator, but it would take 18 working days and the cost would be $165.

I can order the original harness from Rick's for $134.95. It also is a Factory Fit harness but it is for an external voltage regulator and a point type distributor. I am running a newer HEI GM.

My car has a new looking alternator on it now so I assume it has been rigged for a newer alternator with an internal regulator, even though the regulator is still on the core support and hooked up.

So would it be worth the wait and the cash to order the modified harness from the company? Or order the original harness from Rick's and modify it myself?
 
#2 ·
I have a 67 an order the factory fit complete wire harness for my car fit perfect I have HEI And a new stlye alternater but did not get the new upgrades in the harness it would have been worth the wait.But I am eletrical wise so I just brougth the conversion kits for Mad electric the HEI and alt.heavy guage wire to up grade mine my self.Its your choise but if I had to do it again I would have it allready made in to the harness.But that just me impaition!
 
#3 ·
ck 2 said:
My car has a new looking alternator on it now so I assume it has been rigged for a newer alternator with an internal regulator, even though the regulator is still on the core support and hooked up.
NEVER, EVER, assmume anything.

External regulated alternators have a 2 wire connector that looks like this: ll
Internal regulated alternators have a connector that looks like this: --

The part # and amperage are stamped into the top of the alternator. Standard will be stamped 37A on a separate line from the part #. The optional alternator will be stamped 61A. I've heard of but never seen remanufactured external reg alternators with higher ratings.

The 37 amp is basically inadeuquate for anything more than a standard electrical load.

The 61 is fine for good headlights (stock wattage halogens) and either (but not both) electric fans or high powered stereo.

It is a fairly easy mod to swap the connector on the alternator to the int.reg. style. Jumper connectors are avbailable, but ugly. Jumper plugs to eliminate the ext regulator are also available, and unseen due to location.

No way I'd pay an extra $50 for this change.
 
#4 ·
Here's what I found. My plugs on the back of my alternator look like l l .
It has an R over the left plug and an F over the right one. The tag on it says Bosch remanufactured AL 523X. So I guess it is an externally regulated alternator, right?

I called M+H and they said $80 for an engine harness plus $14 to modify it for HEI distributor. And $146 for a front light harness plus $19 to modify for an internally regulated alternator, or $29 to modify it and move it to the drivers side, which I won't do because I have A/C. They have the engine harness in stock but also said 3 weeks on the front light harness.

How much will a good internal regulator alternator for the passengers side cost me?
 
#5 ·
M&H does good stuff too, go for it.

As for the alternator, if it's adequate, why change it? I did a search for that number, it is an external regulator type rated at 55 amps. If you're not going to run electric fans or fuel pump and don't have air conditioning, it will be adequate.

3 weeks isa beech... you could get it standard, remove the plug for the alternator and replace it with one like this -- then use a regulator bypass plug. This would save you some time, and would look very clean.
 
#6 ·
Thanks for all the info Jim. How would M&H compare with Factory Fit?

I do have A/C on my car. How much is a regulator bypass plug?

Three weeks is a long time, but I have been doing a frame off so I won't rush myself if it's worth the wait. However I don't want to waste time and money if it's not worth it. That's the dilemma,I'm sure you have been there too.

Kinda off topic but you couldn't recommend a good place to buy a rebuilt Quadrajet could you.
 
#7 ·
As far as what I've read here, M&H and factory fit are the 2 biggies in this field and their products are comparable. I have talked to the tech guys at M&H once, and they were very helpful even tho I was not a customer. All the resto houses carry one or the other.

If it were me, and I was ready to wire, I'd get the standard factory fit harness, and get the adapters for the alt. and reg, if I needed the extra power. Then I'd grind a small cheap screwdriver into a tool that would release the pins from the plastic alternator connector and swap them.

On the other hand, I'm niether an electric fan guy nor an electric fuel pump guy... my 61 amp alternator has zero problem keeping up with my 660 watts stereo and halogan headlights, so I'd choose (and did choose) to keep the salternator and use a wells vr715 electoninic regulator ($12 bucks at auto zone, tx TC!)

No joy on the Q-Jet, but someone will pipe in.
 
#8 ·
To give you an update, I ordered a Factory Fit engine harness from NPD ready for an HEI distributor. They had them in stock.

They also stock the same brand front light harness and sell an adapter kit for the internal regulated alternator. I think the kit was about $14.

Now I need to decide whether to wait 3 weeks for a harness hard wired for the internal regulator or buy the adaptor. They couldn't tell me what the adapter consisted of. If it wasn't a big bulky, noticable adapter I might go that route.
 
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