A New Milestone for Midlife Harness Restorations

[midlife]

Two days ago, I refurbished my 1000th underdash harness! I started the business on March 22, 2008, so it has taken some time to get to this point! Most of the work has been on harnesses, but there have been 53 Cougars, a smattering of Torinos, Montegos, and Falcons, but no trucks. My first truck was yesterday, # 1001! I would have reached this point earlier, but I've had 2 back surgeries, one hip replacement, and a Cat5 hurricane that interrupted work.

Based upon the number of Mustangs produced, I was expecting more 65/66's than later years, but that's not the case. Clearly, 69 and 70's are the most popular, with 68 close behind, with all three accounting for 50% of my work. Part of this may be due to the costs and availability of reproductions (there are no 71-73 repros).

 

[MAD IRISHMAN]

Two days ago, I refurbished my 1000th underdash harness! I started the business on March 22, 2008, so it has taken some time to get to this point! Most of the work has been on harnesses, but there have been 53 Cougars, a smattering of Torinos, Montegos, and Falcons, but no trucks. My first truck was yesterday, # 1001! I would have reached this point earlier, but I've had 2 back surgeries, one hip replacement, and a Cat5 hurricane that interrupted work.

Based upon the number of Mustangs produced, I was expecting more 65/66's than later years, but that's not the case. Clearly, 69 and 70's are the most popular, with 68 close behind, with all three accounting for 50% of my work. Part of this may be due to the costs and availability of reproductions (there are no 71-73 repros).

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Congrats on the milestone!

 

[Sheriff41]

Thanks for availing your talents to the community! What would you say are the most common reasons why people need their harnesses refurbished? I've seen quite a few butchered harnesses over the years; mostly from stereo installations.

 

[tony-muscle]

Congratulations and thank you for sharing the graph. Interesting to say the least!

 

[midlife]

Thanks for availing your talents to the community! What would you say are the most common reasons why people need their harnesses refurbished? I've seen quite a few butchered harnesses over the years; mostly from stereo installations.

That's a great question! I'd say about 20% are due to a short of some sort or another; cut wires for radio seems to be common; broken brake light switch wires; corroded fuse boxes, the 69 and particular the 70 models have their own issues related to clock harnesses and alternator plugs; but general butchering is probably the biggest reason. I'd like to say I've seen just about every problem there is, but I keep running into new ones that I haven't seen before.

Most harnesses come in for general checkups without particular major problems, as their owners simply want peace of mind that things will work correctly. Rarely do I see a harness that doesn't need pins that need re-crimping or tugging on wires going into a molded connector to get proper low resistance. Probably 15% of the work relates to converting standard underdash to tach-configured versions. Where people are finding that many tach dash clusters is a head-scratcher...

 

[Sheriff41]

Hmm, I'm looking at a base '70 fastback that needs a tach and a clock. May be sending some work your way toward the next 1,000 jobs!

 

[rcadd1ct]

Congrats!

Glad you are making history and personal bests.

 

[ponypastor]

Two days ago, I refurbished my 1000th underdash harness! I started the business on March 22, 2008, so it has taken some time to get to this point! Most of the work has been on harnesses, but there have been 53 Cougars, a smattering of Torinos, Montegos, and Falcons, but no trucks. My first truck was yesterday, # 1001! I would have reached this point earlier, but I've had 2 back surgeries, one hip replacement, and a Cat5 hurricane that interrupted work.

Based upon the number of Mustangs produced, I was expecting more 65/66's than later years, but that's not the case. Clearly, 69 and 70's are the most popular, with 68 close behind, with all three accounting for 50% of my work. Part of this may be due to the costs and availability of reproductions (there are no 71-73 repros).

View attachment 91543

You

Two days ago, I refurbished my 1000th underdash harness! I started the business on March 22, 2008, so it has taken some time to get to this point! Most of the work has been on harnesses, but there have been 53 Cougars, a smattering of Torinos, Montegos, and Falcons, but no trucks. My first truck was yesterday, # 1001! I would have reached this point earlier, but I've had 2 back surgeries, one hip replacement, and a Cat5 hurricane that interrupted work.

Based upon the number of Mustangs produced, I was expecting more 65/66's than later years, but that's not the case. Clearly, 69 and 70's are the most popular, with 68 close behind, with all three accounting for 50% of my work. Part of this may be due to the costs and availability of reproductions (there are no 71-73 repros).

View attachment 91543

You certainly helped me get the wiring issues straightened out on my every nut and bolt restoration for my 1971 Mach 1 J Code. Thanks for what you have done!

 

[Hemikiller]

Congrats Randy! Here's to the next thousand harnesses....

 

[RacerX]

Congrats Randy! Well done! On that note, what's the rate for a '73 harness adding the tach and 3 guage connections?

 

[bkdunha]

Congratulations! A well deserved milestone. Thank you for being our connection to the electric side of the hobby. You really amp things up!

 

[midlife]

Congrats Randy! Well done! On that note, what's the rate for a '73 harness adding the tach and 3 guage connections?

$250 for refurbishment and conversion of the underdash; $50 for the 3 gauge dash cluster. Note: the ammeter will not work with a standard headlight harness. My recommendation is to get the ammeter converted to a voltmeter and then you can use the standard headlight harness.

 

[mach71351c]

Congrats!

 

[Steve McMahan]

Congratulations; we don’t truly honor or recognize enough those who provide years of unfunded help with our car problems. May I say thank you for all that you’ve done for the hobby.

 

[rackerm]

Two days ago, I refurbished my 1000th underdash harness! I started the business on March 22, 2008, so it has taken some time to get to this point! Most of the work has been on harnesses, but there have been 53 Cougars, a smattering of Torinos, Montegos, and Falcons, but no trucks. My first truck was yesterday, # 1001! I would have reached this point earlier, but I've had 2 back surgeries, one hip replacement, and a Cat5 hurricane that interrupted work.

Based upon the number of Mustangs produced, I was expecting more 65/66's than later years, but that's not the case. Clearly, 69 and 70's are the most popular, with 68 close behind, with all three accounting for 50% of my work. Part of this may be due to the costs and availability of reproductions (there are no 71-73 repros).

View attachment 91543

Congratulations Randy!

 

[Fabrice]

Congrats Randy! I wonder how you know/kept track it’s been 1k. You add a dot on your car each new harness and count every time you wash it?

 

[Cleveland Crush]

Congrats Randy! I wonder how you know/kept track it’s been 1k. You add a dot on your car each new harness and count every time you wash it?

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Don't give Randy any ideas with putting dots on his car Fabrice!!!

 

[tony-muscle]

Do you mark/label the harnesses you work on in a specific way so it can be recognized later? I ask because someone could purchase a Mustang that you had already worked on the harness, so out of curiosity, how can we know?

 

[Mister 4x4]

Congrats, Randy! Here's to the next thousand!

 

[CJ miller]

Congrats Randy! Well done! On that note, what's the rate for a '73 harness adding the tach and 3 guage connections?

CJ Miller would be interested in this ballpark question too. and what the deal with the Tach, I have factory and my build guy couldn't hook??