EZ Wiring Harness - Lightin' The Fire

If you're going to tackle wiring, you'll need some tools. The basics to get you by should include crimpers, cutters, wire strippers (nice but not essential), a test light, and a multi-meter.

A selection of terminals will also be required. You can purchase kits, such as how this started as, though you'll soon know which items you need more of and customize your kit to suit your needs.

While it's possible to strip the insulation from wires using a craft knife or similar, you'll be thankful for investing in wire strippers such as these. Pulling the trigger first clamps the wire in the jaws, then the blades pull back, removing the insulation, in one fell swoop.

While you may solder each joint should you so wish (and we'll cover that in a later article), I elected to crimp each connection. Though not a fancy spring loaded crimp tool that ensures the correct pressure is applied to each joint, these crimpers have served me faithfully for years.

Note how the crimpers "squash" the metal part of the terminal against the bare end of the wire, inside the terminal's insulation. Ensure you have a tight connection with no movement of the wire in the terminal.

Available in hardware stores, I prefer to use heat shrink wrap on all crimped connections that are exposed to the elements, such as those to the rear lights, fuel pump, and even those under the hood, such as the electric fan. Shrink wrap is more effective than insulation tape, and won't unravel over time. While a heat gun should be used to shrink the wrap, a lighter can be used if you're not near an electrical outlet.

With the wiring to the front of the truck completed, I moved on to wiring the engine, again routing the wires before feeding them into the plastic shrouding. Always use rubber grommets when routing wires through a firewall or similar.

Another helpful inclusion in the EZ-Wiring kit is this alternator plug, simplifying the wiring to this component.

Should you be running an electric choke, you can ground it to itself, though you may need star wrenches to do so.

With the engine compartment completed, I tackled the interior. Even though I opted for the 12-circuit kit, there were still a number of circuits I didn't require, such as the third brake light, power antenna or the oil pressure sender wire (I have a mechanical oil pressure gauge). I also didn't require the alternator exciter wire as I used a one-wire alternator. Rather than cut them short or remove them, I coiled them up and zip-tied them up under the dash. You never know whether I'll need them in the future.

You'll need some additional components if you're wiring from scratch, such as a headlight dimmer switch, water temperature sender, ignition switch, brake light switch, and gauges, plus you can never have enough zip-ties. Most of these were sourced from my local auto parts store.

Likewise you'll need switches. On the right is a SO-CAL Speed Shop switch, while on the left is a Chevy headlight switch that I bought years ago for my '49 Chevy. As the terminals on the Chevy switch matched the EZ Wiring instructions, I opted to make use of it on the pickup.