Vintage Wiring?

I am going to rewire a M135. Vintage wiring can use the original connectors (Douglas?) or Packard type as on the M35.

My inclination is to go with the Packard type connectors. How much trouble will I be in trying to hook up the instruments, starter, brake light switch, etc?

They can wire in a turn signal circuit and I am going to use amber colored lights from a jeep that duplicates the original clear lens marker lights and two red rear lights of the same vintage as the original left rear light.

Wiring Connections

I have some mixed wiring connections on my M37 where I've replaced an instrument designed for newer Packard style hooked to my Douglas harness connection. I'm trying to remember my harness and any points where you may have other problems such as where a female Packard terminal would have to go to a Douglas male, like on a brake switch or circuit breaker. You may have a problem there if the (non-removable) female Packard insulator won't fit down into the terminal. But I don't know about the deuces.

A couple of thoughts though:

Keep the barrel connectors from inside the Douglas connectors, you will need them to make male Douglas to male Packard connections. Of course, you can take the rubber insulator off the male Packard connectors, slip on the matching Douglas shell (from your old harness), and make a connection just as good as the original.

If the wire terminates with a female Packard connector, you can easily make the connection but the Packard vs Douglas shell will not be able to make a good watertight connection. Here you can take those extra Packard insulators you took off the male connections and swap the metal shells out making a sound Packard connection.

I wouldn't enter it in any shows where the wiring would be judged but with a little parts interchanging, it should be functionally OK.

Joe Hall(vintage wiring of Maine) is a super guy, I have visited his shop a few times and its an impressive operation. It would be no problem for him to make up some adapter cables from packard to douglas.

I spent a bit of time looking over the 'mother ship' last evening. I think I may have some Douglas to Packard connectors made up. Funny how the same solution presented itself.

I will want to put on turn signals, however.

The object of this project is to have a fun vehicle, close to original but safer.

I have one running wreck and the 'mother ship' to transfer the drive train into. After that I start poking around wrecking yards.

I just this week got a NOS cab harness and the cab to rear end NOS harness for the M135. Now all I need is the cab to headlights harness and the headlight harness to complete the wiring. I have contacted Vintage Wiring about the Douglas to Packard adapters.

Back to painting.

Talked to Joe Hall today. He is building a series of harnesses, which will have built into them turn signals, and for a very reasonable price.

I now have one cab to tail light harness extra. If you want it $99 and shipping gets it.

Seems to be a really nice guy. I look forward to getting the goods and doing the wiring. Oh, and if there is a problem he has a 'road map' on the installation and if that does not solve all the problems, he said call and we will find someone who can walk me through the problem.

Thats cool.... I`m doing the same with my M211 rebuild ... Having new wireing makes life a lot easier.Were are you planing your blinker / brake light location....

I will use the marker lights on the front, replaced with amber lens, and two of the regular brake lights.

The flasher is the standard M series with the standard M series turn signal.

I think it will work out swell.

Ya I think thats my plan too.....