The Ford Barn

kimlinh · 02-01-2017, 04:10 PM

I am trying to wire my car with a new repro wiring harness and repro two lite headlamps ( the car is a 1929 fordor). I am having nothing but trouble with this. The harness does not make a good connection with the wiring in the head lamp and the headlite wiring tends to short out if I'm not very careful putting it together. Are there some tricks I'm missing or are there better quality parts available for the lite? Does anyone hard wire the sockets directly to the wiring harness?

JDupuis · 02-01-2017, 04:48 PM

They can be a pain. I've used butt connectors as they are hidden in the headlamp assembly. Only you need to know. Good luck Jeff

CarlG · 02-01-2017, 05:06 PM

As Jeff says, the best way is to hardwire thru that connector some how or another. I have my connectors in the radiator shell, just for ease of taking the headlight bar off if it becomes necessary somewhere down the line.

Even the vendor's catalogs state that the original set-up was: "Not one of Henry's better ideas".

Patrick L. · 02-01-2017, 05:27 PM

Yet, the originals are better than the repro's.

Mitch//pa · 02-01-2017, 05:32 PM

I use the brattons harness with the brattons connector plugs... i have been good to go this way on the repo lights...i have not had the need to cut out the connectors

Tom Wesenberg · 02-01-2017, 09:32 PM

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Original parts are the best fitting, but like Mitch, I've had good luck with some repro parts. Sometimes the contacts are less likely to short to each other if you use a Dremel to reduce the diameter of the contacts. Some of the repro insulator blocks have sloppy holes and allow the contacts to move to the side and short to ground or to each other.

eystein · 02-06-2017, 05:20 PM

I bought a harness with the Brattons wire end bullets, and insulators from Brattons. The insulators seem to be a pretty good fit with the bullets and with the original contacts in the headlight.

Original contacts are abundant and easy to repair. The thick cardboard ( or whatever it is) base where the contacts sit in is usually bent so that the contacts nearly short. however this can easily be fixed by shaking the base and contacts in hot water which will allow you to bend the base back to flat.

02-01-2017, 04:10 PM	#1
kimlinh Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Middlebury,Connecticut Posts: 100	Head lite wiring I am trying to wire my car with a new repro wiring harness and repro two lite headlamps ( the car is a 1929 fordor). I am having nothing but trouble with this. The harness does not make a good connection with the wiring in the head lamp and the headlite wiring tends to short out if I'm not very careful putting it together. Are there some tricks I'm missing or are there better quality parts available for the lite? Does anyone hard wire the sockets directly to the wiring harness?

02-01-2017, 04:48 PM	#2
JDupuis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Maryhill Ont Canada Posts: 834	Re: Head lite wiring They can be a pain. I've used butt connectors as they are hidden in the headlamp assembly. Only you need to know. Good luck Jeff __________________ Let's let pylons, be pylons!

02-01-2017, 05:06 PM	#3
CarlG Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 9,115	Re: Head lite wiring As Jeff says, the best way is to hardwire thru that connector some how or another. I have my connectors in the radiator shell, just for ease of taking the headlight bar off if it becomes necessary somewhere down the line. Even the vendor's catalogs state that the original set-up was: "Not one of Henry's better ideas". __________________ Alaskan A's Antique Auto Mushers of Alaska Model A Ford Club of America Model A Restorers Club Antique Automobile Club of America Mullins Owner's Club

02-01-2017, 05:27 PM	#4
Patrick L. Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Largo Florida Posts: 7,225	Re: Head lite wiring Yet, the originals are better than the repro's.

02-01-2017, 05:32 PM	#5
Mitch//pa BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 11,454	Re: Head lite wiring I use the brattons harness with the brattons connector plugs... i have been good to go this way on the repo lights...i have not had the need to cut out the connectors

02-01-2017, 09:32 PM	#6
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Head lite wiring Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Original parts are the best fitting, but like Mitch, I've had good luck with some repro parts. Sometimes the contacts are less likely to short to each other if you use a Dremel to reduce the diameter of the contacts. Some of the repro insulator blocks have sloppy holes and allow the contacts to move to the side and short to ground or to each other.

02-06-2017, 05:20 PM	#7
eystein Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Oslo, Norway Posts: 521	Re: Head lite wiring I bought a harness with the Brattons wire end bullets, and insulators from Brattons. The insulators seem to be a pretty good fit with the bullets and with the original contacts in the headlight. Original contacts are abundant and easy to repair. The thick cardboard ( or whatever it is) base where the contacts sit in is usually bent so that the contacts nearly short. however this can easily be fixed by shaking the base and contacts in hot water which will allow you to bend the base back to flat.