C-1 Wire Harness Replacment Through Body Panels

[Michael H.]

Does anyone have any experience in replacing the portion of the wiring harness in an early C-1 that extends through the body below the rocker panel and up over the rear wheelhouse into the trunk? I have a new harness that I'd like to install, but am unsure how to replace this portion. My restorer's initial idea was to tie a wire to the front of the old harness (in the under-dash area) and then pull the old harness out through the trunk area, dragging the wire with it; then attach the new harness to the back of the wire at the dash and pull through the new harness in the same manner. However, the old harness does not appear moveable (without the risk of damaging it).

Another idea has been to cut a couple of small holes in the interior fiberglass panels to gain access to the wire and help pull it through, and then patch these holes up later with fiberglass. Is there an easier way that we're simply missing?

Thanks very much in advance for any input.

[John M.]

Re: C-1 Wire Harness Replacment Through Body Panel

Mike,

Replacing the harness through this area is a no-brainer. The wiring goes under a metal protection plate that is screwed in and then into the interior of the rocker for a foot or two. It only goes through this area for a short run, and fishing a new harness through there is very easy. It leaves the rocker at the rear door pillar and turns upward to the folding top compartment.

There ia absolutely no reason to cut any access holes, and pulling the new har ness in with the old one is not necessary. The area where it passes inside the body is short and is a large opening. A coat hanger can be pusshed through the hole to pull the new harness in.

Regards, John McGraw

[David B.]

Re: C-1 Wire Harness Replacment Through Body Panel

Mike,

The installation is not as easy as the AIM illustration looks. Your restorer's idea is probably the best approach. The problem is that there is sealing material near the wheel well cavity area that makes the wiring hard to fish through.

Dave

[Jim D.]

Re: C-1 Wire Harness Replacment Through Body Panel

I agree with John. It's been awhile since I did mine but I remember it was a very simple procedure with no special tools or hacking away fiberglass needed.

[John O.]

Re: C-1 Wire Harness Replacment Through Body Panel

Hi Mike

I did mine a few years ago on my 62..I had the old harness out already. As John says is how I did mine and it was easy.Took me 10 minutes tops to get the wire from the fuse block through the rocker area and the gas tank area and to the trunk..

Good Luck...John

[Dennis C.]

Mike, What year is the Corvette...

...It makes a difference.

[David B.]

Re: C-1 Wire Harness Replacment Through Body Panel

Jim, John,

I have to respectfully disagree. Although, getting from to the convertible top compartment is easy enough, on early '57s (and maybe others) there is a sealant above the wheel well that is troublesome. I have been through this issue on mine. Maybe you guys were working on cars that didn't have that sealer, in which case you were fortunate. I do agree that cutting holes in the body is not necessary.
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Referring to an archive post from Mike M. that helped with this process some time ago ...

"after the st louis guys pulled the rear harness thru the rear quarter/inner skirt interface, they smeared a glob of resin/filler at the interface. you'll have to chisel away the resin/filler glob off the fibrglass panels. be certain to attach a piece of wire or nylon rope to the original rear harness before removing the original so as to use yer rope as a guide to pull the repo rear harness back into place. its a pita proceedure but can be done."

David

[David B.]

Re: Mike, What year is the Corvette...

It sure does.
-------------------
from the archives....

"after the st louis guys pulled the rear harness thru the rear quarter/inner skirt interface, they smeared a glob of resin/filler at the interface. you'll have to chisel away the resin/filler glob off the fibrglass panels. be certain to attach a piece of wire or nylon rope to the original rear harness before removing the original so as to use yer rope as a guide to pull the repo rear harness back into place. its a pita proceedure but can be done."

David

[Edward L.]

Re: C-1 Wire Harness Replacment Through Body Panel

Mike:

While this chore is quite easily accomplished on the '58-62 models, I suspect that your question relates to the '56-'57 cars where the harness and antenna wire pass through the lower rocker panel, unlike the later models where the wiring passed through the cockpit under a removeable metal plate that was used to protect that wiring.

I replaced the rear harness and antenna wire while I was restoring my '57. In my case, because of some damage, a portion of the rocker panel was exposed and I was able to "fish" the wires from the trunk compartment to the area of the kick panel. Even so, it was not an easy project due to the many twists,turns, and other obstacles in the way.

As your restorer suggested, you could try and use the existing wires as your "fish" to install the new harness. You may get lucky. If that doesn't work, you may very well have to open a couple of small access holes to help the harness along the way. Better yet, others may provide their experience related to this procedure.

Good luck,
Ed

[Michael H.]

Re: C-1 Wire Harness Replacment Through Body Panel

Thanks very much, guys. I think I'm hearing that there is a difference between how the wire was installed in early, versus late, C-1's, with the demarcation occurring between about 1957 and 1958. My car is a 1955 (Roy's not the only one here!), so I suspect I fall within the "difficult to install" camp. We'll try the wire route, and hopefully stay away from cutting holes in the inner body panels. (I suppose I should anticipate a similar scenario on installing a new antenna cable on the opposite side.) Thanks again.

Mike H.

[Michael L.]

Re: C-1 Wire Harness Replacment Through Body Panel

Mike, I face the same challenge on my '55. Just got my harness kit and was looking at the challenge threading it throught the body to the trunk... I'm going to try using the old wires to pull the new first, then maybe an electricians fish tape if that fails.

Mike L
Sparks, NV

[Don Y.]

Re: C-1 Wire Harness Replacment Through Body Panel

I pulled the tail lamp harness from my '57 (VIN 5899) by removing the wiring from the connector in the L/F kick panel area and then fishing the harness back through the rocker using aircraft safety wire. It came right through without a hitch. It will also pass over the wheelhouse that way and through the wad of harnened sealer at that interface. I tied it off fore and aft and had the paint and body work done. My weekend project is to fish it back through the rocker. I'll let you know how it goes!

[Mike M.]

Re: C-1 Wire Harness Replacment Through Body Panel

the co-ax antenna cable on your 55 is a bear to replace. did it on my 54 20 something years ago and hated the job. have to replace the one on our 55 soon. will need Beast for the job's conclusion. mike

[Roy B.]

Re: C-1 Wire Harness Replacment "mike"

Remember this is the fun part . Like installing the grill shell, adjusting the hood //all so easy and fun!

[Gary C.]

Re: C-1 Wire Harness Replacment on 57

Did my '57 couple of months back. Had lots of resin at trunk hole that had to be ground out. Pulled the old wire back with safety wire taped on to act as a pull wire for the new harness. Tried pulling the coax and new wires at same time. No joy. Tried coax by itself and still no joy. Couldn't get the coax plug past a seam. Cut radio coax plug off and retaped the new wiring harness wires with ends intact. Taped this all together in the following order: coax 1st, then each individual wire where one wire followed the other one, in other words not all bundled at same point (hope this makes sense). Lubricated the electrical tape with a soapy water solution. Was a tight fit, but it pulled through okay. Took two people; one pulling and the other pushing. Good luck, Gary....