ZHadMan

The only reason I've been trying to find original style connectors is in case someone wants an 'original' harness. On older cars, like ours, most of the electrical equipment was connected using simple (and easily obtainable) PIDG FASTON terminals. They are (simply) the female end of a spade terminal. There are only a few areas on the car where a nylon 'terminal block' style connector is needed, i.e headlight/taillight pigtails. A MAJORITY of these nylon pieces were used merely to join area's of the harness together. Because the car was built on an assemply line the harnesses were sectioned to allow ease of installation at various points on said line. THESE connectors may not be available anymore, but that is by no means a show-stopper. 90% of these will be hidden by interior panels, or stuffed up under the dash... so using a non-original AMP style connector is acceptable. Even if headlight/taillight connectors are NOT available I have devised a plan to provide 'substitute' connectors pre-wired for easy installation. All the installer will have to do is cut off the old connector and crimp on the new one. Very simple to do. If an individual is leary of cutting their old connectors off then I am also working on a way to use FASTON connectors and heatshrink tubing as a substitue.

Jigs are definately the way to go when doing large wiring projects. Before you cut any wire you can run string (of similar thickness) to double check wire lengths and bundling. You could even build a 'mock' harness with the string and 'install' it in the car to ensure everything is ready and accurate. Much more cost efficient than having to re-re-wire the harness later. Measure twice (or three, four, five times!), cut once. Gema, I am making progress, but slowly. I'm going to pull my full harness this weekend and make my supplies list. I had hoped to have done that by now, but I've been busy with work and family. Mike's question is a good one. Using your resources can you find any information on connector availability and price? IF they are available I would assume they would be pricy.

#1 E30 M3 (#1 because I can actually AFFORD it!) #2 RUF Turbo #3 E46 M3 #4 WRX STI #5 350Z ...Not too many classics on my list! Oh well...

Hey! You're hijacking my thread! Just kidding... it's good information. Keith

It won't really be a guess. I have not had a chance to pull my harness out to check for sure, but if they ARE Tyco/Amp connectors then there will be a part number on the housing. The Tyco/AMP website has a search feature (by part number) that can be used to determine if they are still commercially or publicly available. If they are not available, or the price is too unreasonable, then a substitute will have to be found. You are right... it can't hurt to ask.

Wow! Thanks MikeW! Most, if not all, of those connectors will be fairly easy to replace. They may not be stock, but very close. Mike, from Oregon, is sending me his 71 engine harness and Clayton (kitkos) is providing me with the Body Electrical section from the 71 FSM. A special thanks goes out to those who are taking time to help me with this project... even from afar! I've been very busy with work and family lately and every small contribution means a great deal to me. I am convinced that it's the MEMBERS who make this club great! To those who have expressed interest: Stay tuned! It's taking some time to get all this setup but I am in it whole-heartedly and am listening to requests! Thanks all! Keith H

I agree! This is by far one of the best forums I have ever been a member of. The members are quite mature, proffessional, and helpful! For those interested... here is my goals and plan for this project. At first I am going to concentrate on studying, measuring, and duplicating the 70-73 wiring harnesses. I am going to use my wiring as an example for the 73 models. I need to get my hands on the other model year pieces as well as applicable wiring diagrams of the car. I am also going to try and source out the original style connectors from a Tyco/Amp distributor. There are going to be several different types of connectors that I must obtain and if I have to buy in bulk quantities (100 or more) for each type I will have to front up some capital. Throw in model year differences and the issue is compounded. NOT impossible... just gonna take some time. For members interested in wiring harnesses where originality is NOT an issue (Zvoiture) this will happen much quicker. Tyco/Amp (and other companies) make many different types of connectors that will work just as well if not better and are easier to obtain (in smaller quantities). I still need to access a harness and diagram for specific model years, but that is a small matter. Second, I am going to try and work with some members who are local to me and have expressed interest in stock and custom wiring. This will give me a better idea of how difficult these harnesses will be to produce and to integrate into the Z. I am aiming for a simple installation, requiring minimal work on the members part when trying to install. My GOAL is to produce a more specific and user friendly alternative to kits offered by the likes of Painless. It will take some time and doing, but it is an undertaking I am serious about. If anyone needs any type of help with thier wiring needs then I am most available and eager to lend assistance. I think, when all said and done, that this will have been a meaningful endeavor. I appreciate everyones interest and support! Member involvement makes this an easier and enjoyable effort.

Newark is a great resource... probably my main one for this project. They will sell directly to the public and many times can get thier hands on parts not listed in their catalog. We order from them all the time, too!

Mike, I sure could! Send me an E-mail or PM with your contact information and we'll work it all out. Is it possible for you to send me a picture of the harness, too? That way I can see how much of it is there and plan ahead for what may need to be replaced. -Keith

At this point that would be a difficult question to answer. It would largely depend on the cost of materials. I would have to take a hard look at a complete wiring harness (including the in-car and engine wiring), examine the various types of connectors, wire types...etc. On newer cars there are many connectors that have to be sourced directly from the manufacturer (Ford, GM, Toyota...etc) and they are very pricey! Victor mentioned that the original harnesses used AMP Faston/Fastoff connectors. Those can still be found (if slightly different than original) and we use their products here at work... so I can get those quite easily. Older cars (including ours) had simple electrical systems when compared to more modern vehicles. From my cursory examinations of my wiring harness I did not see anything that would be difficult to obtain or substitute. Later model Z cars, with fuel injection may be a bit different in this area. I do not have a digital camera, but if someone was able to take pictures of thier under-dash connectors (*hint hint* ) I would be better able to estimate a cost. More research must be done here, but I am not going to sit on this... I am very driven to see this accomplished. [edit] The Painless kit includes the fuse block and associated hardware, if I remember correctly. Many of us would not neccesarily need to replace ours... just the wiring. I could... depending on the condition of the part, re-furbish the Datsun original pieces in place of replacement. But that is a secondary matter. If I was gonna ball-park a price... hmmm... I could probably come in under or around the Painless price. My work, however, would not be for general or GM applications. It would be customized solely to the needs of the individual and thier Zed!

Mike, Well... it depends on a couple different factors. How original is your wiring? Are you running any aftermarket ignition equipment using the stock wiring (if applicable)? Are you running any other equipment that you would like, or potentially would want, wired into the harness? A quick disconnect system would be 2 seperate harnesses (in effect). One on the interior (under the dash, passenger side) running to the firewall. The second harness would be the actual engine harness, running from the firewall into the engine bay. I could re-build your spare harness and have it soldered up and ready to go. BUT... since I do not have access to the wiring under the dash I would have to provide to you detailed instructions on how to wire up the female side of the connector. I would have to assume that your wiring is un-molested and stock. Do you have the ability to solder up the in-car side of the harness? Now, if I had the wiring diagram for the car, and approximate routing distances I could wire both harnesses and ship them back to you. This would save you potential headaches when trying to re-install them into your Z. I would still supply detailed instructions, including drawings/diagrams, to help you out. I hope I wasn't confusing! I will definately help anyone with thier wiring issues/needs. I just want to ensure that any work I do is up to YOUR spec and that you are COMPLETELY satisfied when all is said and done. It would just take some communication on both parts to gaurantee this. Thanks! -Keith

Steve, I would be glad to help you re-wire your car! Just need to set aside time and figure out how far you live from me! E-mail me with your ideas/goals and we can come up with a game plan... get things rolling. -Keith

Victor, AMP still offers the Faston/Fastoff style connectors, but I would imagine that they have changed a bit over the past 30 years. Probably minor changes in design and materials, but changed none-the-less. The original connectors could always be re-used for originalities sake, but they would have to been in good condition and a source for the pins/sockets might have to be found. When I have a chance I will take a closer look at my harness and take an inventory (and pictures) of the various connectors. I can easily get my hands on AMP and other connectors.

Hello all! I have been going through my project car, attempting to document and plan all the work ahead of me. I have examined the body, interior, engine and last weekend finally took a good look at my Zed's wiring. It's in decent shape, but has been hacked a bit and painted over (possibly several times). I've done a few searches here and at Hybrid Z and have noticed that there are not many wiring/re-wiring options available to us (Painless aside). I work as an electronics technician and do wiring repairs and replacements quite frequently and, as such, have been considering re-doing the wiring on my car. I know many people swap engines, add fuel injection, aftermarket ignition...etc. Has anyone on this site re-wired thier car on thier own (or know of someone who has)? A post in the 'Wanted' section added fuel to the fire, so to speak, and really has me thinking. How many people would be interested in a replacement (for stock) or modified wiring harness? Possibly with a firewall disconnect so the wiring harness can be removed WITH the engine. I created a setup like this for my RX-7 Turbo II (gone now to fund my Z!) and could easily (with my harness as an example and a wiring diagram) produce something similar for Z owners. PLEASE understand that I am merely trying to gauge interest. I don't own a business and am not looking to profit greatly from this endeavor. I am going to do this for my car regardless and was just wondering if anyone else would be interested. Wiring/re-wiring is a skill I posses and it may be my chance to help out the Z-community, which has helped me a TON! Thanks for reading my long post! -Keith

My idea is to use a MIL-C sealed connector (used heavily in the aerospace industry). The female part of the connector will mount directly to the firewall (in the engine bay). All wiring from the interior of the car, running to the engine bay, will be soldered to the backside. The wiring harness will be soldered onto the male end. With this setup you would merely have to disconnect the connector at the fire-wall and the harness would come right out. No need to cut wires or, for example, remove the wiring harness when pulling the engine. This type of application would primarily benefit a fuel injected car because they have much more intensive wiring than does a carbuerated engine. The good thing about these connectors is that they are sealed when connected, can withstand heat and elements, and are lightweight. They also come in various sizes and some can accomodate 50+ wires. Sorry for going off-topic! -Keith

How hard would it be to make a wiring harness? I'm an electronics tech and I do wiring all day long. I was inspecting the harness on my car ( a 73 also) and It seems like it would be fairly simple. Our cars, being much older, do not have all the 'hard to find' or 'one-off' style connectors that newer cars have. I plan on re-doing all the wiring in my car myself using new (but not original) connectors. Newark Electronics sells a variety of connectors that would work. Sorry... kinda off the topic a bit, but has been on my mind alot lately. Thanks -Keith

Here is another shot of that car (from CZCar's gallery) ... it is a 180SX. He has a couple pictures of that car in there as well as another of a blue one. 180SXZ

What kind of car are you looking to put this kit on? The car in the picture is (I believe) not a 240, 260 or 280z. I think it is a 180sx with a body kit made to resemble the classic Z front end. Kinda reminds me of the Sil80 (right?). I could be wrong here, but it has S13 written all over it. -K

You, sir, are not mistaken. I think it's more of a european thing to use Alcantara on the interior. I haven't seen it on seats, just dashes. I'll see if I can't find that article with the RUF in it and scan some pics. Keith

I have seriously been considering covering my old interior pieces (Including the cracked dash) in Alcantra. Has anyone ever tried to do anything similar? I like the clean, smooth, look and it would definately help eliminate glare off the dash. The Porsche RUF Turbo has interior pieces in Alcantra (if I remember correctly) and I love it!

... I don't have a digital camera, so I have to do things the old fashioned way... scan them! Unfortunately... the car you are referring to isn't the one I brought home yesterday. My car does, however, have much potential and I will be documenting it's restoration. I was very amazed,though, at the attention that my 1k car garnered on it's trip home. Everyone wanted to stop and talk to me about it. Even 2 drivers in new 350Z's honked and waved as they sped by!

The car is Rootbeer/Butterscotch, but I'm not sure it's the same car. What was the condition of the car you're referring to?

This has moved far off topic, but Hitachi still does quite a bit of business with Nissan. Perhaps not as much as in the past, but they still do supply alot of parts to them. Nissan is the Automotive Parts Division's (of Hitachi) largest customer.