Which harness on cab swap?

[mlheppl]

Most all of my 71 highboy's body panels have rust. I've got a donor 69 ranger body that will get swapped on as soon as I get done painting the chasis. The 69 also has factory ac, so I'm leaning towards using the 69 wiring harness. Will there be any hang-ups by utilizing the 69 harness? I'm wondering about the running lights as I'll be keeping the 71 grille. It seems to make more sense to use the 69 harness as I'll be using the 69 cab and contents from the cab.

[fordman]

about the only real difference in the two harnesses will be the instrument cluster harness plug. which ever harness you use you will want to use the same cluster for that harness.

[mlheppl]

I knew about the gauge panel wiring being different, wasn't sure if there was other differences. I'll be switching over to the 69's ranger's gauge cluster. Both clusters were gauges, not idiot lights. Looks like I'll be using the 69's wire harness then.

[70_F100]

If you plan to keep the AC, you'll need the harness that goes with it.

[mk]

I'd adapt the a/c wiring to the '71 harness and use that. You get benefits with the '71 harness like park lights staying on with headlights, the fusible link protected alternator harness, dome light door switch wiring built in etc. The rear chassis harness is the same.


mike

[fordman]

im pretty sure the a/c wiring is mostly on the a/c unit and will plug into most every harness in these trucks. http://www.fordification.com/tech/wirin ... g_69ac.jpg

[mlheppl]

Sounds like there's some benefit to keeping the 71 harness then. If I keep the 71 harness, I could wire the cargo light in with the dome light? That seems like it would be pretty simple to do. I could then just put the 69's ranger gauge panel over my 71's regular gauge cluster. Like I said both are full gauges, no idiot lights. Then adapt the a/c into the harness and be good to go. Are these correct assumptions?

[fordman]

yea you can do that. the door switches are a addon in some harnesses. so if you have the wiring it just plugs into the main harness. the gauge bezel will swap over no problem. and as i said before i am alomost sure the a/c is aplug and play thing too.

[mlheppl]

I was just thinking about the gauge clusters. The 69 is the ranger wood grain. The 71's is the plain black. Isn't the wood grain part of the cluster integral to the gauge panel? I want the ranger style wood grain. Won't I need to find a 71 or 72 ranger gauge cluster? If so maybe I can trade my 69 gauge panel for a 71/72 version.

[fordman]

the bezel unscrews from the cluster.

[mk]

You can install that '69 woodgrain bezel on any cluster from '67-'72. The cargo light has nothing to do with the dome light on pre-'73 trucks. The feed wire for the switch is plugged into one of the always live female multi connectors and then from the switch it goes straight to the cargo light. I think the way they wired them through the dome light after '72 was stupid.

mike