1937 Cord wiring replacement

[trimacar]

Decided to replace the wiring in my original '37 Cord, I could look at wires and see that they had problems, a short waiting to happen. Sometime in the past, someone fabricated a home-made wiring harness, left the original and installed the "new". Also, at some point, two starter switches were installed, originally the car didn't need a starter switch, starting with a Startex.

From the dash view, one can't see the horrors behind......my favorite thing was looking up and seeing a wire with question marks, the fellow must have forgot what it was supposed to attach to, just hanging....

The hardest part will be getting the new harness leads through the firewall, as I don't want to remove the original firewall pad nor radio.........

[unimogjohn]

David, since you are always giving me advice here is my advice. Cut it all out!

Doesn't RI Wiring make a pre-made harness for the car? Granted my 23 was not as advanced as your Cord, but I went wire by wire with a schematic and made mine. Of course I had a lot of wire to cut off at one end, but I managed to get everything connected. I plan to do the same with my Avanti when it finally needs it. Actually, the Avanti will be easier, and I think that I would do a modern m/f plug through the wirewall rather than string all the wire through it.

Anyway, you are the master, and I am still only the student. It will be fun following your work on that fine car. I want to see it running and driving again.

[trimacar]

John, the cutting has begun, and a new harness is in my garage......I will warn those who are buying repro harnesses, don't believe the prices on online catalogs......I ordered from a well known shop based on Internet catalog prices, and what they charged me is 50% more than prices listed.....I'm still discussing with them.....

[old car fan]

dave ,tell us more,just bought one for a 47 lincoln,and to complete it ,alot of diff harnesses?Most did come with car.

[trimacar]

There are a lot of different harnesses for the Cord, lot of wire due to the electro-pneumatic shifting mechanism. That system alone is 3 or 4 different harnesses, two of which have 10-12 wires each (from gearshift on steering column to plug, plug to transmission). Then there's the harness for the back of the dash, the body harness, then start adding headlight and tail light harnesses. All told 12 or 13 different assemblies.

On your '47, would think it was similar, with main harness behind dash, then the separate ones for head and tail lights, etc.

I don't mind spending the dollars to get it correct, but am disappointed in ordering from an online catalog and never being told the prices were different, I didn't know until order came. The harnesses are well done, very nice.