New Wiring Harness

[redwardj1]

I am a first time builder. I Just finished rebuilding a 351C engine and a C6 trans. All installed and run. Took me a very long time but finished the install. It seems the wiring harness has a few shorts in it and I have been trying to find for some time. I was told it would be better to just replace the wiring harness. My question is how hard is it to replace the entire wiring in a 1971 mustang convertible? The car has every option ford offered that year.  Any help would be appreciated 

Thanks

 

[73pony]

Welcome from Iowa. We have a great vendor member on here, midlife. He is the wiring guru!

 

[midlife]

Pulling and replacing/installing wiring inside the passenger compartment is best done when most everything is removed from the dash area, or when you first start re-assembling the car. Similarly for the engine compartment: easiest when there is no engine present.

That said, it can be done with everything in place, but lay in a stock of aspirin. I can refurbish/repair most wiring you have, but I recommend reproductions for engine gauge feed and alternator harnesses at a minimum.

 

[Pastel Blue]

Midlife, is the wire expert and I concur with his statement. All I can add to this is the fact that I am currently restoring a '71 vert. Of the two main wire harness components, I would say that the engine compartment portion of the harness would be the easier of the two to remove with the car assembled. The under dash harness is very tight to get at, maybe if your remove the top dash assembly will make it's removal easier without disassembly of the dash area. As noted, this is best done with the engine out and the dash removed... I wound up buying an aftermarket alternator harness and engine feed, they are well put together. Good luck.

 

[redwardj1]

Thanks very much for the info. On a scale of 1 to 10 how difficult is the wiring harness to remove the old and install the new?

Tahnks