Walck's wire harness..

Hey guys/gals...

I'm going to need a new wire harness when I finally tear into my '55 CJ5, and I was thinking about going with an EZ Wire setup. Just found this though: http://www.walcks4wd.com/cj5/cj5_02.html
Doesn't seem too outragous for an original style harness. Anyone ever install one? Thoughts, pics?
It would be nice to buy a harness I don't have to modify for the externally regulated generator (I'm keeping it stock). I'm tempted to say I want one of the cloth wire style harnesses for originality sake, but then again this probably isn't going to be a museum piece. The more durable plastic wire might be better. I am curious what they use for a fuse block though...

 

Even if a factory harness was avialable for my 68, I still would have gone aftermarket. I eliminated a huge pile of wire just going to the one wire alternator and getting rid of that external voltage regulator.. Its real clean looking now... I did Painless but I hear that EZ wire is just the same for our Jeeps.. Painless would be a better choice if you wanted to dump a LS1 into your Jeep..R)

 

I'd think about an alternator, but I'm keeping this one stock. I really don't mind generators...alternators are definetly a better solution, but I'm not going to be running any accessories that need extra juice so I'm not too worried about it. Right now the Jeep has a fur-ball of wiring just kind of hanging there...it was redone at some point, but it's completly hashed now so I'm just going to pull it all out and start from scratch. I've heard a lot of good things about the EZ wire and Painless on this forum, but since I'd like to keep my old school generator in there I was curious about the Walcks... The others are cheaper, so I may still go that rout.
And and LS1 would be nice...right up until I hit the gas and it taco'd the entire drivetrain . Maybe on the next project R) . This one is going to be bone stock...generator and all

 

I bought one of the Walck's harnesses for my '56, but it's not installed yet. It's very high quality, but it's also an "accurate restoration" harness, meaning there's no fuse block, it only uses the original breaker on the back of the light switch. It's setup for the floor starter button, the wiring for the ignition switch is just for on/off, there's no solenoid wiring because there was no solenoid. There's no windshield wiper wiring, they had vacuum wipers. No heater power wire, had no heater. No cigar lighter wire, had no lighter. Stuff like that.

It's very well made, the cloth covered wires appear to be accurate repros of the originals, with the different colors and colored slash marks. All the terminals are soldered. The instruction sheet could be a lot better, and I found one wire that was the wrong color, according to the instructions. All the connectors, and the connector blocks between the different sections of the harness are all just like my original harness.

All in all, I like it. And I can add wiring as I need it with no problem. I'll probably add some in-line fuses too here and there.

 

Thanks Ron, that's exactly what I was looking for. I didn't know they didn't have any fuse protection at all shock: ). Interesting. The only thing I think I might want for an extra circut would be a lighter plug I could hide up under the dash...I want to build an "ammo can radio" and I'd like a cigarette plug for power. I've got a USCG 40mm ammo can that's BIG...big enough I could build a plate for the radio, and have plenty of room for mounting speakers either with the radio or into the sides of the can. Could mount a CB in there too. I want it all self contained so all I have to do is plug in the power, and just pack it up when I'm done. Hmm. I'm still on the fence on this one, although I have a feeling it's going to be a Walck's. The extra circuts and fuses of the EZ wire or Painless would be nice, but the Jeep is pretty original to start with, so I'd like to restore it stock. I also think it would be a riot to have a foot starter

 

I don't know about the foot starter being a "riot". I haven't driven this Jeep in 30 years, but I still remember what it was like when it stalled on a hillside and I had to restart it with one foot on the clutch, one on the brake, one on the starter button, and one on the gas.....I guess you could consider that a riot.

 

It'll all come back to you RonR) R) . E-brake on , clutch in ( or in neutral), hand throttle out. Right foot start, left foot out as left hand releases handle as right hand adjusts throttle as 6 ton hay wagon tries to defeat 70hp f-head w/tiny clutch as Dad watches as 12 year old son (me) has trial by fire and succeeds in not destroying said JEEP, wagon, vehicle behind, and fence post on corner. You really only need one foot at a time with a good e-brake on the t/case.