I am working on my 1st 65 restoration. I'm giving some thought to wiring before sending to paint & body. Why do people use Painless wiring kits instead of buying reproduction wiring from a mustang supply shop?

I used to think that price and performance were the key reasons. After pricing the Painless kit, it seems like the painless kits are more expensive than reproduction wiring.

Thoughts???

 

Painless is a big name that can be stood for unlike smaller companies that make the repro

 

I don't know which is better. I would think that a reproduction setlup would fit better. The painless is probaby heavier gauge wire.

 

If you're going to add alot of electrical accessories, then aftermarket wire kits like those by Painless would be the way to go. Those kits have multiple circuits, each having a modern blade fuse. They have circuits for every electrical component a modern car would have. Power windows/locks, stereo, head/tail lights, horn, etc... Another advantage would be new wires that don't have old, dryed out, cracking insulation.

Most repro under dash wiring harnesses alone run about $500 or more. I got a complete wiring kit to do the whole car for $600.

 

Painless is thicker wire and its ready for things like power windows locks etc etc.You will have to put the ends on the wires but the wired have it printed on them where they go its hard to mess it up.

 

I installed a Painless 18-circuit kit on my 66 coupe. The orginal wiring in the car I believe only has 7 circuits. That means several items are sharing the same fuse, such as your cigarette lighter, interior lights, and your radio (I can't remember if those three in particular really share a fuse, I'm just saying that there are many circuits sharing the same fuse). Point is that in that example, if your cigarette lighter were to short out, you'd also lose your radio and interior lights. You can buy a Painless kit, or similar kit from another company, and run each of your headlights, horn, electric choke, electric fuel pump, electric fan, power locks, power windows, radio, interior lights, etc., on a separate circuit and they could have their own fuse. It's just a safer, more present-day way of wiring your car. The Painless kit also includes I believe a 75 amp mega-fuse for the entire system. I loved my kit. It's the best mod I've done to date. No more wondering what kind of craziness the P.O. did. No more splices, taped up wiring, cut wires with no clue where they belong, etc. Unless I ever get into full-blown restorations, upgrading the wiring to a modern day wiring harness will be one of the first things I do.

 

IMO, Painless is the best out there and I have used just about every one of them (Painless, It's a Snap, EZ Wiring, Ron Francis, factory, etc.). They have the best instuctions:

http://static.summitracing.com/globa.../prf-multi.pdf

They don't use any fusable links, it comes with a mega fuse, all wiring is marked along the length of the wire, they use separate circuits (including the exterior lighting where others use a single circuit for running and headlights, Painless uses separate circuits). They use a higher quality of wire than the factory replacements and the wiring supplied is of sufficient length to give you more flexibility as to location for your fuse box. Others have some of these features, but none have them all.

 

Great knowing this, as I have my Painless kit waiting to be installed. Looking forward to it!

 

If you're not interested in a Painless kit, I can direct you to someone who does affordable restoration of original harnesses.

 

Ive got a Ron Francis kit waiting to go into my baby right now.. It looks like it will be easy enough to put in and it was under half the price of the Painless.. Im good with electronics though and I hear that the painless is easier for the less experienced.