Cloth-covered wiring sources

[70sWagoneers]

What are some good sources for vintage-style cloth-covered wire for our Buicks? Is it possible to find just the cloth covering/sheathing? And does anyone know of any links to how-tos or build threads concerning matching and restoring vintage wiring? All Im concerned with is the visual and restoration correctness; I got the electrical aspects.

 

Thanks

James C.

 

1937 Buick Special

[Terry Wiegand]

Go to the Restoration Supply website.  They should have the proper gauge of wire in the covering color that you will want to match.

 

Terry Wiegand

South Hutchinson, Kansas

[ILIKECARS53]

I would give Rhode Island Wiring  a call.  They can supply a complete harness if they have a pattern in stock  or   send them yours  and  they can duplicate it.  If you want to do yourself the can provide the proper wire  and  ends    then send it back to have it woven like the original. 

[Bob Engle]

John Brillman   www.brillman.com makes his own wire, weaving over teflon coated wire.  He can even make custom weave patterns if desired.  Prices are as good as I have found anywhere.  He has all the correct connectors and loom.  I used his materials to build my harnesses for my 32 Buick.  You will save over a $1000 by building your own.  If you can solder connectors, you can make your own with a little time and patience.

 

Some considerations to think about:  Will you use an electric fuel pump?  Consider increasing the wire size for the headlight circuit so you can use higher candlepower bulbs or halogen.  Will you add turn signals?  Add fuse panels?  

 

Toughest part of the building process is pulling the wires through the loom.  The cloth covered wire does not slide easily through the cloth loom.

 

I built a spreadsheet for the wires, cloth color, connectors, length, wiregauge, source and termination and which harness they go into.  32 Buicks have 3 harnesses.

 

Bob Engle 

[ILIKECARS53]

I believe in 1937  Buick used the woven loom process not the  ready made pull through loom you can buy.

[dibarlaw]

My 1937 Special harness came from Rode Island. They have an excellent product and very good diagrams and instructions. My only problem was with the "restoration"? shop that ordered the harness without the turn signal wires . I requested one with them. When I found out that they had already installed the harness I was furious! But the owner said they would take care of it which they did... By charging me over $300 for extra wire and labor to cobble up the extra circuits with extra loom runs. I know that my car is a driver but I wanted to at least keep things looking correct.
Most importantly, make sure all your connections are clean. I spent days going over dirty, loose and a few incorrectly placed connections that the shop ignored. After spending over $20,000 with them the electrical system failed within 3 miles of my first drive and had to be towed home. Sorry about my rant but time has not healed me.

[Marty Roth]

Rhode Island did the complete wiring harnesses for my '34 and '37 Buicks, as well as my '41 Cadillac. The Caddy had a couple of "special requests" above and beyond standard to accommodate my special needs. They will build just about anything you need, and it will appear completely "correct".