Corvette Restoration Tip: Wiring Harnesses
This Corvette Restoration Tip is brought to you by Zip Corvette and can be found in Zip’s free Corvette Parts & Accessories Catalogs – request one online today. Most Corvette owners – or car owners in general – have no idea that the parts in their car have an expected service life. Did you know the service life of a Corvette’s wiring harness is only 10 years? That means the wiring in your Corvette was built to last 10 years, not the 40 or even 50 years many Corvettes have been on the road. Individual wires within a harness are made of copper strand housed in plastic.
Corvette Dash Harness
Over time, the plastic deteriorates and becomes brittle and cracked, allowing moisture to get into the wire. In turn, the copper corrodes. Ultimately, this process could end in disaster, i.e., corroded wires lead to short circuits – and short circuits have the potential to turn into electrical fires. With vintage Corvettes continuing to climb in both sentimental and monetary value, why gamble on the (usually unseen) condition of an old wiring harness? Cost-wise within the scope of a comprehensive restoration, the fractional expense of new wiring harnesses is your best money spent. Zip’s Corvette wiring harnesses are correct reproductions featuring the same connectors, wire sizes and colors as the originals. Experience new found confidence in your Corvette’s electrical system with all-new harnesses from Zip Corvette!
Purchase new, exact reproduction wiring harnesses for many Corvettes online at Zip Corvette Parts
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I am working on a 1985 Corvette Coupe, automatic with digital dash, power windows, door locks, power mirrors, the heating controls are normal controls. It is tune port injection. The car has had the Wiring Harness cut apart. I need to find a replacement engine and dash harness for this car. If anyone can help me find a complete wiring harness that was not ripped apart it would be great.
Jeff,
We can get you the dash harness for approximately $500.00. The engine harness is currently not available to order.
Hi,
I’m interested an engine and dash harness for a C4 Corvette (my corvette is an 84). More and more C4 cars get a total restoration, but none of the major corvette parts suppliers sell complete harnesses for C4 cars on their website. I think there is more and more demand for these harnesses for the older C4 Vettes.
Thanks,
Jurgen
Jurgen,
Unfortunatlly complete wiring harnesses are not available for C4 Corvettes. One day they probably will be reproduced but for now they are not available.
Thanks for the answer. It’s great to see more and more reproduction Corvette Parts become available for the C4.
Since we cant get new wiring harnesses for our C4 can we some how use a 1985 Corvette Wiring Harness.
Dan,
What year is your Corvette?
Please help! I need a dash and headlight wiring harness for my 1985 Corvette. The factory harness melted and I now have a very large paper weight in my garage without it. I bought one from a junk yard but it is not correct. The connections for the headlight motors are 2 prong and the connections in my Corvette are 3 prongs. My Corvette has 1 cooling fan and no fog lights and this harness appears to have connections for dual fans and fog lights. I’m frustrated because its seems like I can find a harness for every Corvette ever made except for a C4. Any suggestions?
Roger,
Carlisle is at the end of August, I would suggest a trip there. There will be several used Corvette Parts vendors that will have that. It is currently not available new.
I just purchased a 1984 Corvette and its engine wiring harness has every component spliced into the harness. I am not sure why anyone would do that other than to save money but does anyone know of a good site to purchase used C4 Corvette engine harnesses? Also where can I find the door, window and targa top weatherstrip seals that are not in a $600 kit?
Dustyn,
As of right now there are no vendors making the engine harness for the 84-96 Corvettes. Used engine harnesses may be available, you shoud be able to find used Corvette Parts vendors in any Corvette related magazine. As far as the weatherstrip, you really do get what you pay for. The GM Corvette weatherstrip was once $600 per door. It has come down since then but it is still expensive. There is cheaper weatherstrip available but it causes other problems such as doors not closing properly, the top not bolting down, and water leaking because it is so hard. The best weatherstrip is the latex brand that is designed just like the original.
I have a 1971 Corvette and have replaced the front wiring harness. I have installed all new components but neither the wiper motor or fuel gauge is working. It seems that something is not grounded properly. Can someone explain to me how the dash is grounded? My Corvette’s dash lights work but nothing on the instrument cluster works.
Charles,
You have ground wires in the harness that ground your gauges etc. The ground wires bolt to the chassis at several locations behind the dash. It is also important that you have your ground straps that ground the birdcage to the frame and your Corvette’s engine ground strap in place.
Does the 1968 Corvette Headlight & Forward Light Wiring Harness Package include the fiber optics for the front lights? I see that it does for the rear lamps but it’s not indicated whether the front has the fiber optics.
Harry,
Yes, the fiber optics are part of the wiring harness and are inside the harness.
I have a 1985 Corvette, the instrument cluster shows yellow squares for mph and the analog graphic is all green. Is this a sun bleach problem? I can barely make out numbers.
Ed,
That is a common issue, you will have to have your dash cluster rebuilt. There will also be a core charge included to get new lenses.
I have a 1979 Corvette, I have some groud wires that are not grounded to any part of the engine compartment and I do not know where they go. I am sure a new Corvette wiring harness would help. What would you suggest?
Jim,
You should start with looking up the ground locations in a Corvette Assembly Manual, that way you can see where they are supposed to ground. If the wiring harness is bad then we strongly recommend replacing your Corvette’s Wiring Harness.
@Jeff Trayer
I have a C4 Corvette dash wiring harness (instrument panel) for a 1985 Corvette. It has never been used and I have had it since 1985, when I bought the Corvette. It is in perfect condition. Tom Ridgway – Sold the Corvette and wish I had not.
In most of the Corvette restoration manuals, the color codes for wiring are indicated by a single letter. I am trying to find out what color “P’ is? Purple or pink? This is on a 1963 Corvette. I have not been able to find a publication where the color is spelled.
Need the ground connector for the rear tail light harness. There are four, one for each light. I am missing one where can I get one?
Usually P is pink on a Corvette. They also have a two digit if the wire is light green or light blue. This particular wire you are looking at, what does it go to? That could also determine what color it is.
You can’t they are part of the rear tail light harness.
I am restoring a 68 and would like to get the fuse panel out from under the dash and moved to the firewall where it is more accessible. I’m getting too old to get upside down many more times! Is there anything that anyone can recommend or do I just have to cope?
Anything can be done, the question is how easily. In order for the fuse box to come out you are going to be moving all of the Wiring Harnesses. The fuse box is where they all come together. It can be done, but it would take a specialty shop that is good with wiring and probably them making a custom harness. I think you would be in the ball park of 6-7 thousand dollars for this to be done right.
I am restoring a 1985 Corvette and the insturment cluster will only work sometimes. When it works it does fine and then they will just not work at all can you help me?
Yes, this is common and there could be several things going on here, but you will need several different pieces of equipment to test it that is not available anymore. Your best bet is to send it to us (Zip Products) for a rebuild. As of 12/19/2011 the rebuild starts at $389 and goes up to $689 if your C4 Corvette’s Instrument Cluster has bad lenses on it.
I bought a 1988 Corvette motor recently and do not have a wiring harness. I am looking to find out where to get a harness new or used. I was also curious if a camaro harness will work. I am putting it in a 1994 s10 and will appreciate your help.
Bravo -
There is a company by the name of Speed and Marine, I believe. They make stand alone harnesses like this. I am not sure if they are still making them for the L98 engines but if you google them, you should be able to find out. I do not know if a Camaro harness will work. Good Luck!