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Painless Wiring Harness

NoBigTing

Donation Time
I am in Stockbridge Georgia. I need someone who can Rewire my 1963 Sunbeam Alpine. Original wire harness is out and need to Rewire using Painless Harness. Really need a Good Tech guy. My Email beachbumanu @gmail.
 

65beam

Donation Time
I've never seen one of the Painless Harness. Are they color coded to match the original?
 

Paul A

Alpine Registry Curator
Platinum Level Sponsor
I have installed a few Painless harnesses. They are not in any way close to the original Lucas harness. They are often referred to as a Pain in the A--- harness..and deservedly so...just sayin...
 

PROCRAFT

Donation Time
I've used their stuff in several of the things we built ,worked for me the latest car will have Kwik Wire stuff Painless getting a little pricey as to the comment about Lucas when was that stuff ever right that's why the Brits drink warm beer Lucas Refrigators
 

sunalp

Diamond Level Sponsor
Wish you were closer as I'd be happy to re wire your car for you.
I've rewired quite a few Alpines in the last couple of years and I'd recommend
the rebel harness that is made for the Alpine. You can get it either from Paul A ( or Pete as
He's sometimes known on this forum), or directly from Rebel.

Cheers!
Steve
 

Barry

Diamond Level Sponsor
There is nothing wrong with the Painless harness, but it is definitely a case of "one size doesn't really fit anything".

If you want a wiring harness that actually fits an Alpine, contact Paul Almjeld (Paul A).
 

65beam

Donation Time
This is not a Painless or Rebel harness but is color coded as original which makes it really easy to hook up. This was bought thru Sunbeam Specialties and came from a U.K. supplier. It's specific for a right hand drive Alpine.109_0742.JPG
 

loose_electron

Donation Time
As an electrical engineer the one thing I can say about the original wiring for the car is that it was poorly designed, poorly executed and not very safe. If you absolutely must have a "restored to factory original" car, go get and original harness and install it.

If you want safe and reliable, get the Rebel harness from Paul A. Add a 350A fuse coming right off the battery and a 40-60A fuse in line with the battery feed to the fuse block and you will have a bullet proof and smoke free system that will work reliably no matter what shorts out or breaks elsewhere in the system.
 

65beam

Donation Time
As an electrical engineer the one thing I can say about the original wiring for the car is that it was poorly designed, poorly executed and not very safe. If you absolutely must have a "restored to factory original" car, go get and original harness and install it.

If you want safe and reliable, get the Rebel harness from Paul A. Add a 350A fuse coming right off the battery and a 40-60A fuse in line with the battery feed to the fuse block and you will have a bullet proof and smoke free system that will work reliably no matter what shorts out or breaks elsewhere in the system.[/
The original style harness is safe and reliable if you use common sense and use it as intended when the cars were new. If you compare an original harness to the original style harness being sold now you'll see the difference in the way the new one is put together. That includes very little use of connectors as well as the use of current style terminals and covers. Another advantage is that the new harness is made using the correct color coded wires in the proper way. Use of the proper color coding,etc. eliminates headaches for a later owner if you sell the car. That means no cussing the DPO.
 

loose_electron

Donation Time
The electrical systems gave problems in these cars back in 1970 due to corrosion, poor contacts mating and bad grounds. The original fuse system was not properly partitioned, and long path circuits were not fused at the sources.

I say "back in 1970" because I was a 14 year old kid, working for my father fixing the problems in these cars, that he sold in the 1960's. When Chrysler bought Rootes, and then a year later pulled the plug on the Ford powered Tiger, my father took on the Peugeot dealership as Rootes died off. All of that said, fixing the many problems of Sunbeam-Lucas electrical issues, and becoming a radio amateur (WA1QDI back then) ended up with me getting my degrees in electrical engineering. Automotive electronics no more. These days my money making is in medical electronics, if you end up in a hospital there's a good chance you get wired up to something I have designed.
 

65beam

Donation Time
The electrical systems gave problems in these cars back in 1970 due to corrosion, poor contacts mating and bad grounds. The original fuse system was not properly partitioned, and long path circuits were not fused at the sources.

I say "back in 1970" because I was a 14 year old kid, working for my father fixing the problems in these cars, that he sold in the 1960's. When Chrysler bought Rootes, and then a year later pulled the plug on the Ford powered Tiger, my father took on the Peugeot dealership as Rootes died off. All of that said, fixing the many problems of Sunbeam-Lucas electrical issues, and becoming a radio amateur (WA1QDI back then) ended up with me getting my degrees in electrical engineering. Automotive electronics no more. These days my money making is in medical electronics, if you end up in a hospital there's a good chance you get wired up to something I have designed.

Many that wanted an updated British car have bought a Miata.
 

Barry

Diamond Level Sponsor
Many that wanted an updated British car have bought a Miata.

And some (thankfully not many) come to the MODIFIED sub-forum which is all about improvements (i.e.; updates) and then oppose updates to the Alpine wiring system that was marginal 50 years ago and has not improved with age.

Just my opinion, YMMV.
 
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Barry

Diamond Level Sponsor
I am in Stockbridge Georgia. I need someone who can Rewire my 1963 Sunbeam Alpine. Original wire harness is out and need to Rewire using Painless Harness. Really need a Good Tech guy. My Email beachbumanu @gmail.

NoBigTing,

Loose electron hit the nail on the head in post #9; the only advice I would add would be to include dedicated ground circuits wherever possible (a LOT of Alpine electrical problems result from poor grounds).

I am about 20 miles East of Stockbridge and will be glad to help you with your wiring project.
 
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loose_electron

Donation Time
Ground wires off of components that go back to the metal body of the car with a clean shiny metal to metal connection and a star faced washer that digs into the body metal and the electrical connector is suggested.
 

bes426

Donation Time
Order my wiring from Classic Sunbeam Auto Parts in NY , and a Prosperous laminated color chart (very detailed) and I'm in Ormond
Beach Florida. So wish me luck,I'm not certain what else I'll need, so " here goes!
(
 

loose_electron

Donation Time
Order my wiring from Classic Sunbeam Auto Parts in NY , and a Prosperous laminated color chart (very detailed) and I'm in Ormond
Beach Florida. So wish me luck,I'm not certain what else I'll need, so " here goes!
(
putting in an original wiring harness? new or not that's not the best way forward unless original from the factory is how you want things.
 
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