Author Topic: where can I get the cloth material that cover the wiring in a Mustang  (Read 1581 times)

Offline Bossman963

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Im looking for that cloth type material as need to re-cloth all my wiring of my 70 B302 tresto
where can I find it or what is everyone using
2-69 B302 -twins, 1-1970 Cougar Eliminator B302- matching numbers, 70 B302 in progress, 68 Charger, 74 Pantera GTS, 2 fox body Mustangs 1 conv

Offline Bob Gaines

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Re: where can I get the cloth material that cover the wiring in a Mustang
« Reply #1 on: November 06, 2017, 10:39:17 PM »
Im looking for that cloth type material as need to re-cloth all my wiring of my 70 B302 tresto
where can I find it or what is everyone using
I believe you have three choices. You use NOS , Use the reproduction , or send it off to one of the companies that re weaves the material on the old harness. The ones that I have seen that have had the weave re applied look different then the original and also the reproduction. There is not something a individual restorer can use to re-cloth all of the wiring. I do not have the experience with the people that re weave over the old harness other then examining a few that have been done. Maybe someone else here has. If there is another alternative that gives that original look I would like to hear about it.
Bob Gaines,Shelby enthusiast, Shelby collector , Shelby concours judge SAAC,MCA,Mid America Shelby

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: where can I get the cloth material that cover the wiring in a Mustang
« Reply #2 on: November 06, 2017, 10:42:36 PM »
Not easy but the outer woven jackets can be swapped from one loom to another if you can find one from the same period.  Example large thinker looms for power tops or windows on T Birds from inside doors or interiors where they were protected from the elements provide ones that look almost new.   But you'll need access to a yard or a donor car for this to work
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

Offline Bob Gaines

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Re: where can I get the cloth material that cover the wiring in a Mustang
« Reply #3 on: November 06, 2017, 11:21:46 PM »
Not easy but the outer woven jackets can be swapped from one loom to another if you can find one from the same period.  Example large thinker looms for power tops or windows on T Birds from inside doors or interiors where they were protected from the elements provide ones that look almost new.   But you'll need access to a yard or a donor car for this to work
I have tried that before but besides difficulty in finding a suitable intact donor harness ,it gives a incomplete look IMO when I have done it. It is better then nothing but looks unfinished at the ends. Maybe I did not know how to terminate the ends like a factory harness would look properly . Maybe you have solved that problem with a technique I am not aware of.  Another shortcoming I have found was how to overcome the problem where another set of wires would branch off a main trunk wire loom. I wasn't satisfied with the look I ended up with but like I said there may be techniques that I am not aware of and my expectations were too high.
Bob Gaines,Shelby enthusiast, Shelby collector , Shelby concours judge SAAC,MCA,Mid America Shelby

Offline Bossman963

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Re: where can I get the cloth material that cover the wiring in a Mustang
« Reply #4 on: November 07, 2017, 11:07:34 AM »
Thanks Jeff & Bob for info as it doesn't look good or even spend all that time trying.

So my other question is what tape can be used for warping the wiring with ?
2-69 B302 -twins, 1-1970 Cougar Eliminator B302- matching numbers, 70 B302 in progress, 68 Charger, 74 Pantera GTS, 2 fox body Mustangs 1 conv

Offline J_Speegle

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Re: where can I get the cloth material that cover the wiring in a Mustang
« Reply #5 on: November 07, 2017, 01:58:30 PM »
Thanks Jeff & Bob for info as it doesn't look good or even spend all that time trying.

So my other question is what tape can be used for warping the wiring with ?

It was't a tape but a plastic wrap. The end of the wrap was finished (to keep it from unraveling) with electrical tape, cloth tape or adhesive depending on the supplier. On some looms at that end the identification label or assembler label was placed. Guess it help with keeping it from unraveling also
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

Offline Bob Gaines

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Re: where can I get the cloth material that cover the wiring in a Mustang
« Reply #6 on: November 07, 2017, 04:01:15 PM »
Thanks Jeff & Bob for info as it doesn't look good or even spend all that time trying.

So my other question is what tape can be used for warping the wiring with ?
So if your asking the question of wrapping the wire with a tape as a alternative to the weave material then I would use a good grade of electrical tape in this instance. Not a shiny type but a satin type. It needs to be stretchy too . 3M makes good tapes. The factory wrapping material used on the headlight harness and others is as Jeff describes . You can decide which wrapping material makes the best sense for you to use. Ether isn't going to be factory correct but ether will make the wiring look organized and tidy . If you choose to wrap with whatever it is best to stretch the harness being wrapped between two points . You wrap while keeping tension on the tape and harness . That is hard to do if the harness is not stretched . Overlap approximately half of the width of the tape. Keep the tape at a angle that allows the edges to lay flat as you wrap. There are other technique this is just the one I use when harness wrapping regardless of material used. I am sure others have their own way.   
Bob Gaines,Shelby enthusiast, Shelby collector , Shelby concours judge SAAC,MCA,Mid America Shelby