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New wire harness

Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2013 1:45 am
by Daryl Bertram
Hi all. I'm moving along on a restoration of a '54 Cab and have just finished the floor etc. Soon it will be time to pop the transmission back in and it's time to decide: new wire harness or keep the old one. The original harness still seems pliable and no welding was done at the tunnel area. Does most everyone put a new harness in these days because of the age of our 356's? Thanks.

Re: New wire harness

Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2013 6:59 am
by Mike Grant
I plan to replace the all wiring in my 64 SC when it's restored next year. I want to do this because the wiring has been chopped and spliced some under the dash, and it just seems like a good idea to replace 50 year old wiring as long as the car will be completely disassembled anyway.

Searching this forum turns up 2 suppliers, both are recognized as having quality products that duplicate the original.

http://wiring-harness-wocheslander.com/eporsche356.html

http://www.ynzyesterdaysparts.com/

A complete harness set front to rear is about $950 - $1500, depending on the supplier. Seems like a reasonable expense to ensure to know that the wiring and connectors are as new.

Re: New wire harness

Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2013 10:53 am
by E Rutherford
Absolutely replace it. The harness is old, brittle in some key areas, you don't know its history and your 356 is worth a lot more than the cost of the harness.

I have sold and installed both vendors mentioned, hands down YnZ. Each harness built is tailored to your specific car. Tech support, if needed is only a phone call away. Instructions for the install are adequate.

I would also recommend that you get 356Electrics book when you get ready to do the final device hook ups.

We sell both the harness and the books here at Klasse356, but you can go direct to YnZ for the harness if you like.

ed
klasse356.com

Re: New wire harness

Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2013 12:34 pm
by Daryl Bertram
Thank you both; I appreciate the advice. I have the 356 Electrics book mentioned and it's very good. I'll go with the YnZ harness.

Re: New wire harness

Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2013 7:57 am
by Ned Gorski
Daryl
the harness in my 55 cab is original. all i did was clean the ends and put a little dialectic grease on them . i have had no wire issues . original switches and sockets on the other hand are a whole different story.. over the years i have eventually gone through them all repaired or replaced with nos .. The little compression cups ends on the switches that the wire with the cap press into have gotten brittle or week.
i figured i could always do the harness at a later date if i had a wire issues. may take more time but hey that's what the winters here in the northeast are for. like Ed says you don't know the history of your harness but 99 .9% of the time issues with your wiring harness cause blown fuses or operating issues like dim or no lights. you turn the key and nothing.. that's what the fuses are for to protect the wires.. i say if the harness looks good give it a try.

but i do plan on replacing my harness on my 56 as it look a little beat up.

but hey what do i know i have used starter fluid to start my car before . guess i live life on the edge.

Regards Ned
55 Continental cab
56 European coupe

Re: New wire harness

Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2013 9:14 am
by Adam Wright
Ned-
Just don't spray the starter fluid through the mesh air cleaner. I saw this done once, and noticed lots of fire. You should have seen Big John snatch that air cleaner off and hurl it flaming across this dude's lawn, it was quite a sight!

Re: New wire harness

Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2013 5:07 pm
by Daryl Bertram
Thanks Ned. Your cab in the photo looks pretty sweet. I do know the history of the '54 cab harness; it hasn't been chopped up. I bought the cab and a '53 coupe from a good friend in 1983. He purchased the cab in 1958 from a physician who was the original owner. The friend drove it one summer and put it in permanent garage storage in 1959 until I bought it and did the same. So around five years of Michigan road use back then. The '53 coupe (it's dash is my profile pic) sat behind a barn for a number of years before it was rescued. Grass grew up and around it wicking up the moisture; it's quite a bit rusty. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on wire harnesses and the switches as well. Oh and I did the spray the starter fluid through the bolt down solex wire mesh air cleaners gig on my '64 some years ago. After a backfire during turn over I heard a crackling sound kinda like a campfire and it was! My son who was four at the time really enjoyed the show. Of course all I had sitting there was an ABC extinguisher which made for a big cleanup.
Daryl

Re: New wire harness

Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2013 6:37 pm
by Frederick Adler
I bought the Wocheslander harness and it was perfect. I know they are not a sponsor of the site, but they are a bit cheaper. The on ebay is someone who does not label or support and believe me, you need a good set of instructions. Except for the German, Wocheslander was still easy to do (as easy as it can be).

Re: New wire harness

Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2013 6:38 pm
by Frederick Adler
This is a tutorial to just get you ready:

http://www.cyberwerkstatt.com/Members_Only/Tech_Articles/356_Wiring%20Harness%20Install.htm

Re: New wire harness

Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2013 7:24 pm
by Daryl Bertram
Thank you Frederick I'll watch that tutorial.
Daryl

Re: New wire harness

Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2013 7:35 pm
by Tom Coughlin
Daryl: There are a ton and a half of 356's with their original harnesses and yours could be another. If it's not cut already, try to live with it.

Good luck, Tom

Re: New wire harness

Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2013 10:27 am
by Daryl Bertram
Thank you Tom. I'm thinkin' on it...
Daryl

Re: New wire harness

Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2013 3:22 pm
by Ben Wainscott
For Mike Grant
WRT replacing your harness, I did mine when I did a total restoration of my 65 SC sunroof coupe 6 years ago. I purchased the one from Germany as it was $600 or $700 then. It was excellent quality, although there was one issue, it was missing the wire for a electric tach. I e-mailed them and got an immediate response that they didn't realize that. So they may have corrected that now. I installed a wire (from somewhere but forget) and the tach works fine. Directions are a little bit tough, but with Joe Leoni's book (which you want anyway) it all went together fine. Major recommendation: take pictures of all your wiring runs and connections prior to removing the old harness, and then take some more. Amazing how something can be just out of the camera's view.

Re: New wire harness

Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2013 5:26 pm
by Mike Grant
Thanks for the tip, Ben. I've got a mechanical tach and probably plan to stick with that. I did recently install an electric fuel pump that is switched from the ignition switch and uses a relay, I'll make sure the wiring for that set up is included in the wiring harness I buy.

Re: New wire harness

Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2013 7:59 pm
by Wm Webster
Daryl, The German wiring harness I installed in my 64' SC confused me when I found a wire labeled "Hazard Switch. Turns out that the Germans have to manufacture the harness with this provision as it is required in Germany. Ynz's does not have this wire. You can leave this "Hazard wire" unattached and everything will work just fine. Just a "heads up" and "food for thought"

Bill Webster
#1534