Getting ready to order a bunch of stuff but looking for a cheaper source

[R8rPhan]

Getting ready to order a bunch of stuff from LMC Truck, but looking for a cheaper source for all the various lamp sockets...

Planning to order an EZ Wire harness kit for my 73 C10 in a couple days, and wanted to replace most all the switches and bulb sockets while I'm at it..

Took all the window hardware out of the driver's side door, and put a regulator in it from a donor door, and need to order all the weatherstripping and what not to put it back together 'ASAP' (like now).. Wanted to get as much of the electrical stuff I might need for the rewire while I'm at it, but it's adding up fast...

Need to knock the price down some... and there's no way around the weatherstripping stuff that I can see...

So, any source for the electrical stuff that might be cheaper than LMC?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[Camar068]

Not sure if Rockauto has the sockets you need or not. Keep in mind we get 5% off as well.

 

[R8rPhan]

Not sure if Rockauto has the sockets you need or not. Keep in mind we get 5% off as well.

From who, rock auto? How?

I went ahead and placed my order without all the sockets... I'll just leave enough slack in the wires to re-splice in new ones later.....

 

[The88]

I would look for weather stripping here

http://www.gmsquarebody.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=56

Ask Tony what he can go for you.

 

[Camar068]

RockAuto discount:

http://www.gmsquarebody.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13641

 

[R8rPhan]

RockAuto discount:

http://www.gmsquarebody.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13641

COOL!

 

[Camar068]

I'm getting ready to order $425 for a bunch of stuff for an LS swap. Locally it would cost me $275 more.

Thought I'd share some figures since I've got it on a spreadsheet already.

 

[MikeB]

Is the EZ Wire harness just a generic system, or designed specifically for a square? If it's generic it won't fit in place of your existing fuse panel and, either way, you will not be happy with it. I'm installing one in a friend's 37 Chevy, and it has the worst documentation I've ever seen. I mean, it's almost comical. Throw in an arrogant tech support guy who treated me like an idiot and you'll have all kinds of fun. Had I not understood auto electrical systems as well as I do, I would have been totally screwed.

I have installed kits from American Autowire and Ron Francis and strongly recommend both of them for quality of product, documentation, and support.

 

[R8rPhan]

Is the EZ Wire harness just a generic system, or designed specifically for a square? If it's generic it won't fit in place of your existing fuse panel and, either way, you will not be happy with it. I'm installing one in a friend's 37 Chevy, and it has the worst documentation I've ever seen. I mean, it's almost comical. Throw in an arrogant tech support guy who treated me like an idiot and you'll have all kinds of fun. Had I not understood auto electrical systems as well as I do, I would have been totally screwed.

I have installed kits from American Autowire and Ron Francis and strongly recommend both of them for quality of product, documentation, and support.

It's generic, but generic GM based... The fuse box has the exact same size and screw pattern as the one that was in the truck...

I posted some pictures of it and a custom cover/adapter for the hole where the old one was.. It's in my build thread...

I'm happy with it for the most part, and yes I agree on both counts about the manual and the tech chump...

I'm almost done with it, and I do have a couple questions, but I think I'll call the guy I first talked to, who was the ebay seller and works at a speed shop in Oklahoma...

I talked to him with some questions before I bought it, and he was way friendly.. took all kinds of time to tell me all the pros and cons, what came with it and what not, and said to call back any time, even for information/advice about stuff not related to my purchase... That's one of the main reasons I bought it..

But then before I started installing it, I had a couple last minute questions and I called the number on the manual (Questions that Senor Chumpo would not have had to answer if he had a decent set of instructions)..

What a jerk! lol

 

[MikeB]

It's generic, but generic GM based... The fuse box has the exact same size and screw pattern as the one that was in the truck...

I posted some pictures of it and a custom cover/adapter for the hole where the old one was.. It's in my build thread...

That's good. I thought they only did generic harnesses. And I'm glad the seller in Oklahoma was able to help.

I'm happy with it for the most part, and yes I agree on both counts about the manual and the tech chump...

I had a couple last minute questions and I called the number on the manual (Questions that Senor Chumpo would not have had to answer if he had a decent set of instructions).

What a jerk!

And he made it sound like I was the only one who ever had a question! Maybe EZ Wiring should contract with the guy in OK to do telephone support!

BTW, my questions/comments were about their advice to run a wire directly between ALT output and the starter BAT terminal if the alternator output capability is greater than 80 amps. This is a "band aid" because either their ALT output wire is too small and/or the 12 volt buss on the back of the fuse panel can't handle the charging current.

Also, the kit doesn't use fuses or fusible links to protect wires and battery from shorts. But I didn't even get into that with him!

 

[R8rPhan]

That's good. I thought they only did generic harnesses. And I'm glad the seller in Oklahoma was able to help.


And he made it sound like I was the only one who ever had a question! Maybe EZ Wiring should contract with the guy in OK to do telephone support!

That was one of my questions.. He interrupted me about four words into my first question (angrily), and started repeating what was written in the manual (which had nothing to do with my question) as if I can't read..

Then after I gently asked him to let me finish my question, he answered it.. So on to the next question, at which time he angrily interrupted it again, and of course, once I got him to shut up and let me finish asking the question, he found I had a different question that what he thought I was gonna ask and he then answered it..

I had a list of 10-12 questions typed out to ask him, and this routine went on for probably the first eight... Eventually, he shut up and let me finish asking questions before he answered them.. and the sad thing is that most of the questions required only a simple yes/no answer... The whole conversation would have probably taken a third of the time that it did if he had just let me finish asking my questions...

It was like I offended him for daring to ask questions about his product.. Like I was dissing the quality or something...

I hung up afterwards thinking "MAN! That guy hates his job!"

But you never know what someone is going through.. he could be going through a bitter divorce, lawsuits, a bad business partnership, cancer, headaches, who knows...

I would still buy the product again, but just look elsewhere for answers...

Also, the kit doesn't use fuses or fusible links to protect wires and battery from shorts. But I didn't even get into that with him!

Actually, it comes with a fusible link wire that goes in between the battery terminal of the starter solenoid (same one the battery cable is attached to), and the wire that feeds the entire system... His instructions state in bold letters that his warranty is void if it is not installed...

Evidently, the wires are sized to handle alternators that put out up to 80 amps.. Anything over that requires the use of the included bypass wire that goes straight from a direct connection of the battery to the output of the alternator...

If you are worried about it, just cut the wire from the battery contact of the starter solenoid and connect it to the factory fusible link on the firewall.. you can then hook the bypass wire to the load side of the link.. Or better yet, I guess you could install an even bigger wire from the starter to the factory link, and a bigger wire to the load side of the link from the alternator...

Using the supplied fusible link is a good thing to do regardless of what you do with higher output alternators...

I think it's a high quality, fairly priced product, just needing a more complete set of instructions and a better attitude from the guy that makes them..

 

[MikeB]

The kit I'm using on my buddy's 37 Chev is generic. No fusible link, no existing wiring, no firewall distribution block.

But, yes, I'd like to have one 8 gauge wire running from starter to distribution block, and then connect to fuse panel and Alt to it. I have one that I'll probably bolt to the frame near the starter because he doesn't want it on the firewall!

Battery is in the trunk, so the starter is my 12 volt source. I'm also using fusible links properly sized for wire gauge.

 

[R8rPhan]

The kit I'm using on my buddy's 37 Chev is generic. No fusible link, no existing wiring, no firewall distribution block.

But, yes, I'd like to have one 8 gauge wire running from starter to distribution block, and then connect to fuse panel and Alt to it. I have one that I'll probably bolt to the frame near the starter because he doesn't want it on the firewall!

Battery is in the trunk, so the starter is my 12 volt source. I'm also using fusible links properly sized for wire gauge.

I'm thinking yours might be the 12 circuit version?

I bought the 22 circuit version..

I really can't speak to the 12 circuit version...

There's no fuse panel with it???

 

[R8rPhan]

Oh, by distribution block you mean the little fusible link block on the firewall?

If that's the case, you can buy one at a local NAPA, I'm sure... Probably only 10-15 bucks I would think..


Just run a #8 (or larger?) wire from the battery terminal on the starter (or directly from the battery) to the fusible link block, then on the load side feed your panel...

You can hook up your alternator to that if your kit didn't have anything for it, or you didn't like the way the kit does it...

 

[MikeB]

The car is not here, but I think it has 21 circuits. Looks similar to this:

http://www.ezwiring.com/store/viewitem.php?productid=4

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He bought it several years ago, so it may not be a current model.

I have a couple junction blocks like this, one with 5/16" stud, one with 3/8".

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Also have one similar to this with 5 mounting points:

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