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Recommendation for wiring harness
- Thread starter 62SNBMR
- Start date
DanR
Diamond Level Sponsor
If you want an updated harness that has added fuse/breakers try Paul A here on this Forum. He sells a good wire kit.
He is in the process of moving at present and will not be on the Forum much for another week or so, but I will send you his phone number in a PM (private message) shortly.
DanR
He is in the process of moving at present and will not be on the Forum much for another week or so, but I will send you his phone number in a PM (private message) shortly.
DanR
loose_electron
Donation Time
http://www.petesperformancewiring.com/wiring-kits-page-2.html
Here's the web site for Pete-Paul (same guy)
This is the way you want to go.
Here's the web site for Pete-Paul (same guy)
This is the way you want to go.
It will really come down to how much you value originality. I suspect that installing a stock harness is a little easier than Pete's and new wiring will undoubtedly be safer than 50 year old wiring, but Pete's has two big advantages. First, it gives you the safety of multiple circuits and relays vs. the original two. And, second, it gives you Pete! He will answer any questions you have during the process, which is immensely helpful. But, it looks very different from stock, which is important to many.
CRBASIN
Donation Time
I installed Pete's Performance wiring over the winter after a smoking wire incident. It went smoothly, and the Sunbeam specific instructions were very helpful. I took the opportunity to add an electric fan relay and replace the main feed from the battery to the solenoid.
John
John
Jimjordan2
Donation Time
I know nothing of Pete's wiring, but I installed the one from SS and it was a great fit. I'm into the original look, and since I don't need the extra fusing for anything, this one worked perfect for me.
Jimjordan2
Donation Time
So, there ya go, sounds like either way is good, just gotta decide what you want or need for extra electrical needs.
loose_electron
Donation Time
The old style harness is a bad design with a lot of issues. New wires or old wires the design has issues.
If original from the factory is your goal, stick with it. If reliable and safe is your goal switch to a more modern harness with fused sub circuits and relays.
One thing I would recommend to anyone is to put a 350A fuse in series with the battery, right at the battery. The battery cable routes through the metal frame of the car and chafing-shorting of that line can lead to a smoke show.
If original from the factory is your goal, stick with it. If reliable and safe is your goal switch to a more modern harness with fused sub circuits and relays.
One thing I would recommend to anyone is to put a 350A fuse in series with the battery, right at the battery. The battery cable routes through the metal frame of the car and chafing-shorting of that line can lead to a smoke show.
65beam
Donation Time
harness
Now you know why the cars were sold without seat belts. You could bail out quicker when the smoke started.
Now you know why the cars were sold without seat belts. You could bail out quicker when the smoke started.
alpine_64
Donation Time
If you go with the modern harness you can spend a few hours with some black electrical tape and sleeve the visible parts of the loom inside the engine bay so that its not obvious and looks more period.
Or you can use light blue electricla tape to look more like the SV usa spec looms ... But id go black to reduce visibility of the loom.
Or you can use light blue electricla tape to look more like the SV usa spec looms ... But id go black to reduce visibility of the loom.
DanR
Diamond Level Sponsor
I kinda like the shrink wrap for the wires. You can bundle them and add a little protection too!
DanR
P.S. For what it's worth, I talked with Paul A (Pete's Performance Wiring today. As I said before He is in the process of moving and will not have Internet sevice much during this time maybe another week.
Anyone needing to get in touch with PAUL, let me know and I will get you his phone number.
DanR
P.S. For what it's worth, I talked with Paul A (Pete's Performance Wiring today. As I said before He is in the process of moving and will not have Internet sevice much during this time maybe another week.
Anyone needing to get in touch with PAUL, let me know and I will get you his phone number.
loose_electron
Donation Time
Full well understood. My history here goes back to 1967 when my dad sold Hillmans and Sunbeams in Massachusetts. When I was 12 (1968) I was already fixing electrical problems in these cars. After a 35 year hiatus, I have come full circle and own an Alpine again. I think working on these electrical systems back then made me become a radio amateur and then eventually an electrical engineer. Gone back to my rootes...
65beam
Donation Time
harness
I go back to driving Alpines in the 60's. I still have my car from then. I never had electrical problems with the series 4 until I did the restoration and replaced the original harness. I found my problem to be the new ignition switch. I pulled it and threw it in the trash and replaced it with an original. Everything works OK now. My cars have never had mutilation of the harness and if I ever have a problem either mechanical or other wise I fix or replace the problem part in the proper manner and go down the road. The driving lights on my series 4 are not wired thru the fuse block. When I unboxed the original harness for the RHD car I found a really mutilated piece of trash that literally stunk from the rotten cloth insulation. Time to replace which is what I did. My 69GT does have a second fuse block added due to having some additional items added. It has a three fuse block as original equipment. Take care of the car and use it in the manner intended when built and you'll have no problems. Many know I was driving this car as a teenager in the 60's.
Full well understood. My history here goes back to 1967 when my dad sold Hillmans and Sunbeams in Massachusetts. When I was 12 (1968) I was already fixing electrical problems in these cars. After a 35 year hiatus, I have come full circle and own an Alpine again. I think working on these electrical systems back then made me become a radio amateur and then eventually an electrical engineer. Gone back to my rootes...
I go back to driving Alpines in the 60's. I still have my car from then. I never had electrical problems with the series 4 until I did the restoration and replaced the original harness. I found my problem to be the new ignition switch. I pulled it and threw it in the trash and replaced it with an original. Everything works OK now. My cars have never had mutilation of the harness and if I ever have a problem either mechanical or other wise I fix or replace the problem part in the proper manner and go down the road. The driving lights on my series 4 are not wired thru the fuse block. When I unboxed the original harness for the RHD car I found a really mutilated piece of trash that literally stunk from the rotten cloth insulation. Time to replace which is what I did. My 69GT does have a second fuse block added due to having some additional items added. It has a three fuse block as original equipment. Take care of the car and use it in the manner intended when built and you'll have no problems. Many know I was driving this car as a teenager in the 60's.
Attachments
Barry
Diamond Level Sponsor
The two-fuse Alpine wiring harness was inadequate (major understatement) when new and 50+ years makes it a disaster looking for a place to happen.
If originality is critical, get a "new original" harness from SS. If not, get a modern direct fit 9+3 fuse harness from Paul A (the easy way) or an aftermarket harness such as Painless (the hard way).
In any case, adding ground wires (instead of depending on mounting screws for grounds) will prevent a lot of problems.
Just my opinion, YMMV.
If originality is critical, get a "new original" harness from SS. If not, get a modern direct fit 9+3 fuse harness from Paul A (the easy way) or an aftermarket harness such as Painless (the hard way).
In any case, adding ground wires (instead of depending on mounting screws for grounds) will prevent a lot of problems.
Just my opinion, YMMV.
Last edited:
65beam
Donation Time
harness
I guess if you're looking for problems and worry about what could happen then you better install all the safeguards you can find or buy a current vehicle. With the stock of parts I have I could rebuild or replace anything that could happen to the car. If it breaks I'll fix it. If I'm no where near home or the trailer then I'll rely on my cell phone and either Hagerty or AAA to rescue the car. I've seen a lot since I started driving. My first car was a 105E Anglia and my second was a Fiat 1500 roadster. Then I graduated to an Alpine and some other odd imports and muscle cars. Life has been good ever since and the Beam keeps on going. I don't have enough on the cars to over load the fuses.
I guess if you're looking for problems and worry about what could happen then you better install all the safeguards you can find or buy a current vehicle. With the stock of parts I have I could rebuild or replace anything that could happen to the car. If it breaks I'll fix it. If I'm no where near home or the trailer then I'll rely on my cell phone and either Hagerty or AAA to rescue the car. I've seen a lot since I started driving. My first car was a 105E Anglia and my second was a Fiat 1500 roadster. Then I graduated to an Alpine and some other odd imports and muscle cars. Life has been good ever since and the Beam keeps on going. I don't have enough on the cars to over load the fuses.