[ck 2]

I am planning on buying a new engine harness and front light harness.I have my car down to the subframe now so I want to install new harnesses now. I plan on installing console gauges in my car, it didn't come with them. But when I find a set that I want to buy I plan on installing them, hopefully soon.

Now the question. In the book I'm looking at (Ricks First Gen) for engine harness, it says 69 8 cyl with gauges takes one harness or there's one for 69 small block with warning lights. I understand this. In the front light harness section it says 8 cyl RS with gauges(my car is a 350 RS), or 8 cyl RS with warning lights. I understand this. Then they sell a console gauge conversion harness which I guess hooks into the under dash harness.

My question is, am I correct that if I don't replace the under dash harness which I hadn't planned on doing, that I will have to buy the conversion harness anyway? Regardless of which harnesses I put under the hood. Which way would you all do it. THANKS AGAIN.

I hope I haven't lost all of you trying to explain this. I need to know which way to go with the engine harness and light harness or will it even matter?

[JimM]

replacing all three with ones for a guage car will give you a "factory" solution.

The other solution would be to use harnesses made for a non guage car, and the conversion harness for the guages.

[ck 2]

Thanks Jim.
So if I don't change the harness under the dash,I would be better off using the non-gauge/warning light harnesses under the hood? And the conversion harness inside.

[Mark C]

Theres nothing under the hood of an RS that would require a different wiring harness, don't know why they list them that way. The head light washer solenoid uses a pair of jumpers from the regular washer pump but that's not part of the underhood harness, its a separate pair of wires.

The only wires that are different under the hood between a gauge car and a non gauge car is the two wires for the ammeter, and the wire for the tach. The oil pressure switch wire, just gets cut off, and the water temperature gauge uses the idiot light wire under the hood. Of course you need to pull this wire off the idiot light under the dash and rereoute it to the console gauge.

It's not a big deal to modify the under dash harness for gauges.

[ck 2]

As for the engine harness they didn't have an RS or non RS harness. But the front light harness does have a different harness for RS, and a different harness for gauge cars. Wonder what's the deal?

[JimM]

The harness for guage cars has the ammeter wires.

The RS harness has longer leads to the low mounted park/turn lights.

The rs/guage harness has both

[Mark C]

What low mounted part turn signals. On a 68 maybe, but were talking 69 in this application.

[JimM]

guess I got '68's on the brain, sorry Mark.

[Mark C]

No problem, and theres a bunch of different underhood wires on the 67's for the headlight motors to go with the relocated blinkers on an RS model.

[ck 2]

So which harnesses do you all suggest I go with?

[JimM]

Unless you're gonna replace the dash harness too, you should go with the correct (rs or non rs, NON GUAGE) harness for your car, and also purchase the guage conversion harness.

[ck 2]

Thanks.