Has anyone changed out there wiring harness to a new painless harness ?
It’s a disaster in most cases. It’s a GM based harness with a totally different architecture
1 Like
Another option to consider is having an original harness restored by Midlife Restorations where the harness is checked and repaired using correct connectors. By going this route you maintain distinctive features like sequential turn signals and use of various sub harnesses.
2 Likes
I’ve heard and have witnessed the same. Don’t go that route. Get an original NOS harness, restored original harness, or some are re-popped. Purchase all the above from WCCC. They actually board test all used and restored harnesses. This is not the area to be cheap. Painless is garbage. Hope that answers all your questions.
I don’t know if anyone remembers these but, I installed an ISIS fiber optic harness in a Chevy dually diesel. It was a pain in the butt but seems to have worked just fine. I say seems because it blew a head gasket not too long after I was done.
It’s not that hard if you have reasonable understanding of automotive wiring. Easier if you get the Mustang kit which has better selection of plugs
If you have a 67/68 you need to treat the car like a 69/70 if you want to use sequentials. Plugs will need adapting and you need to re-use the loom from the windscreen wiper switch to the wiper motor to make sure that the wipers will park correctly. If it is a 67/68 you eliminate the flasher can behind the dash for the indicator lights
Easiest way to wire a 69/70 instrument panel is to use the existing instrument panel plug and wire ina crossover plug connecting the new loom to a section of the original loom from the instrument panel plug
Install relays near the battery for headlight Hi and low beam. Unwrap the loom and use the existing wiring from lights to the #87 pins on the relays
On a 69/70 keep the original wiring from the tail lights and wire the new loom into the input side of the sequential box
On a 67/68 it is easier to use a Mustang Project sequential set up from a 67/68 mustang but wired into the 67/68 tail light loom
Yes, it is a lot of fiddling but it is doable if you have patience, are methodical and have a decent understanding of automotive wiring and Cougar wiring nuances (or whatever the engineers where smoking when they did the Cougar wiring( (and 77 Wagon is way worse)
1 Like
I have a '72 xr7 droptop. There are many harness dealers out there, but I chose to install an ebay cheapie. What made me purchase it was the fact that the fuse box fit exactly where the old console clock went. Most, if not all aftermarket harnesses, these days, have the wires labeled as to where they go to, and where they come from. So, color-coding is not a deal breaker. That was eight years ago, and still doing great. My reply to you is based on the fact that you want a running car, not a concours-quality one. I bought my cat to drive, not show.