Ron Francis Wiring Harness - Is this the one to go with?

[Padawan]

All,
Again, no idea what I'm doing nor do I know how many circuits I need in the wiring harness.

Is there any reason not to go with the Ron Francis Wiring Harness?

302
AFR 165 heads
T5 w/ S10 Tail

I'll end up putting a radio in it...

Some say you need a 20 circuit wiring harness...I just don't understand why you need all those additional circuits.

Side note - I do have two electrical engineers, one who works on cars, that have agreed to help with the wiring.

What are you wiring Harness recommendations and why?

Thanks again for all the feedback...

I really wouldn't have ordered the Roadster without knowing this community is out there to help!!!!!

138692

[Jeff Kleiner]

I’ve used the Francis harness in a bunch of cars although it’s not 100% “plug & play” it’s as close as you’re going to get.

Jeff

[edwardb]

Agree with Jeff. Haven't done nearly as many (today's understatement) but the builds I've done were with the Ron Francis harness. No particular issues. There have been occasional reports of quality issues, e.g. wires backwards in a connector. But hasn't happened to me. Everything is clearly marked and the documentation including wiring diagram is very thorough. Your chosen engine setup and trans won't drive the number of circuits so much as other choices you make. EFI, lighting options, heat, etc. One area people seem to struggle with the most is the gauges. The latest RF harness is optimized for the Speedhut (aka Vintage) gauges but still not exactly plug and play. Other brand gauges can be used as well. Just follow the instructions and diagram. Sounds like you have some good support there.

[totem]

As others said, it really depends on choice of accessories. The Ron Francis harness as connection for wiper, heater and radio.
https://www.factoryfive.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Chassis-Harness-rev-T.pdf
You can repurpose any of those.

I recommend that you think in advance what additional wiring you need. In my case, I added the following: backup lamp, parking brake warning light, and a fuel pump controller.

It’s easier the add additionnal wiring to the harness before the build. Otherwise, If you have too add wires, use wire loom, even for a single wire, to make it nicer looking. Again, put the loom on the wire before the install.

T.

[ggunter]

As others have said here Ron Francis harness is very good. Every wire is marked as to what it goes to, big plus. The only thing I found a bit confusing is its wired for multiple applications, like donor car, or vintage gauges, EFI or carb, but I have to say when I was all done everything worked as it should.

[SDhemmings]

Another vote for Ron Francis, I was so freaked out by the electrical part of the build and once it was done it was probably the easiest part! I think the most i was concerned with was where to run the cables to meet my cars needs.

[Papa]

+1 for the Ron Francis harness. I know a couple have experienced minor glitches with them, but for the most part they really take the mystery out of wiring your car. With one exception, every electrical issue I encountered was self-inflicted. The one exception was an error in the manual on which spades to connect for the brake light switch.

[erstanl]

The Ron Francis kit isnt without its defects, but its a great starting point for a build. Its clearly laid out, and the documentation is great.

[Padawan]

Thanks for the prompt responses

[CDXXVII]

For your first build and if electrical work is not your thing, Ron Francis for the win.

If I were to do it again I would seriously think about building my own harness. The roadster does not have many requirements and what it does need is on the simple side.

Although the current Ron Francis harness is much improved, I am still not impressed with the quality of the work. The last harness I was involved with had many cold solder joints which were barely passable. Also, the quality and location of the fuse panel is less than desirable.

[Padawan]

For your first build and if electrical work is not your thing, Ron Francis for the win.

If I were to do it again I would seriously think about building my own harness. The roadster does not have many requirements and what it does need is on the simple side.

Although the current Ron Francis harness is much improved, I am still not impressed with the quality of the work. The last harness I was involved with had many cold solder joints which were barely passable. Also, the quality and location of the fuse panel is less than desirable.

Thanks for all the responses!

[Padawan]

I went with the 20 Circuit Wiring Harness from American Autowire...it has an fuse for the fuel pump in the fuse box...you do have to add the fuel pump wire...that should be pretty straight forward...its setup with a male female connector for the wire. The wires are really long....

[CraigS]

One advantage to the RF harness is that it is used in so many FFRs. It is nice to be able to post a question about the blue wire in the X connector and others will know what you are referring to.

[RBachman]

I am not a fan of the RF harness because it's not uncommon to discover a wire out of place with them on occasion. I had two mistakes and it cost me hours of trouble shooting that could have been easily avoided. But, as others have said, it's the closest you'll get. Some things to help out:

Prior to installation, lay out the harness and trace the wires. Use the schematic and verify that there are no misplaced or switched wires at the box or with any connector
Get yourself a decent multi-meter and learn to use it. You'll want volts, ohms and continuity at a minimum.
As mentioned above, lay out the various sections and run accessory wires with the harness before install. This is also the best time to do a continuity check. Use the schematic and verify that there are no misplaced or switched wires at the box and with any connector.
Buy some wire labels, Amazon has a good selection in their Automotive section.
Make sure you have a good crimper, wire and strippers. Do not cheap out on it.
You'll need some extra spade connectors. I like the ones that shrink-wrap with adhesives. They provide much more strength and take much the load off the connection and into the wire itself.
Get some double sided adhesive shrink wrap.
Wire ties! Get good ones, some of the cheap ones turn brittle and break. You'll need small as well as larger ones. A tool that is not necessary, but I found very helpful is an angled pair of wire-tie cutters.
Wire wrap/sheath/loom
Additional wire. You'll likely need additional wire for the accessories. Read the descriptions carefully and stay with all copper.
Soldering gun and solder. You'll need to learn to solder, but it's not difficult. To get better results, heat the wires first and feed solder to the wire, not the gun tip. The solder will capillary in for you.
Optional and somewhat pricey, but I found that a Delphi Connector kit is a big help with accessories.
You may also need some terminal removal tools.
If you plan to go all LED lighting, you'll also need to replace the flashers with a solid state component. The LEDS won't pull enough current to operate the older style mechanical flashers.