Rear Harness and Antenna Wire

[Dan D.]

I need help figuring out how the rear harness and antenna wire get to the trunk area. I have studied the AIM and Noland's book, but I still don't get it.

I know how they come from the front, back of the kick panel and into the rocker panel. They then come up through a grommet into the lower gas tank area. But then I don't see how they come out of this area. I have the 3 clips inside the top compartment, but I don't see how the wires get to them, as the first one is just back of the drivers seat. And then how do they get into the trunk?

Does the antenna wire follow the harness also, or does it have a different routing?

I plan on installing these cables tonight, so any help would be most welcome.

-Dan-

[Edward L.]

Re: Rear Harness and Antenna Wire

Dan:

As far as installing the cables tonight, good luck! The 56' and '57 cables were installed prior to glueing the outer panels to the car. In my opinion, it is near inpossible to fish the wires between the body panel, then the rocker panel (there are baffles), and up to the grommet at the kick panel. I've read posts from those that have said they did it, but I don't know how. The one time that I did do the job, the front end was off the car and half the rocker panel was missing. Even then it was a problem. Add the fact that the antenna also takes the same routing equals mission impossible.

If you look on the left side of the trunk bulkhead, next to the exterior skin, you should be able to see a ball of resin or the remnents of resin that has been ground away. That is where the wiring passed through. If there is no evidence of this, the car probably never had a radio.

You didn't indicate whether the car is a 1956 or 1957. It is my understanding that sometime in late 1957, this routing method was changed.

Ed

[Dan D.]

Re: Rear Harness and Antenna Wire

Ed, thanks for all the encouraging info! I knew 53-55 cars had the wiring glued in place, but I thought that was changed for 56-57. My car is a late May 57.

A little background here - my car was a radio delete, but P.O. in the late 60s cobbled in a 56 pass car push button radio. In addition, the car was hit hard in the left rear in the same time frame. It was repaired which involved the whole left rear quarter panel and drivers door. The body shop that repaired the car did, in my opinion, an excellent job, considering it was done with 1960's materials and technology, and with the intention to flip it, which they did. It is quite hard see where repairs were made, even from the bottom.

In the early 60s the original 220HP base engine and Powerglide were replaced with a 327 and 4 speed. The power top also was removed (and thrown away I think). So the car is what it is. All that being said, the car is still a 1957 Corvette, and it looks nice. It has just had a very turbulent past, as many of these cars did.

All this means that it will always be a driver. So my question is, how does the harness get out of the gas tank area? I have already fished the new harness through the rocker panel, and it was not very hard. Baffles could have been removed when the quarter was replaced. I just want to re-do it because I don't think I have it routed correctly and the antenna wire has not been fished through yet. The fact that the quarter was replaced means that it probably was not re-done the way St.Louis did it.

I am rebuilding this car to the glory days it had in the early 60s. But my mission is to not add any more incorrect parts or processes, and to re-use as many of the original parts as I possibly can. So again, just how does the harness and antenna wire get out of the gas tank area? Which wires went through the clips in the top compartment area? Any pics would also be helpful.

-Dan-

[Edward L.]

Re: Rear Harness and Antenna Wire

Ed, thanks for all the encouraging info! I knew 53-55 cars had the wiring glued in place, but I thought that was changed for 56-57. My car is a late May 57.

A little background here - my car was a radio delete, but P.O. in the late 60s cobbled in a 56 pass car push button radio. In addition, the car was hit hard in the left rear in the same time frame. It was repaired which involved the whole left rear quarter panel and drivers door. The body shop that repaired the car did, in my opinion, an excellent job, considering it was done with 1960's materials and technology, and with the intention to flip it, which they did. It is quite hard see where repairs were made, even from the bottom.

In the early 60s the original 220HP base engine and Powerglide were replaced with a 327 and 4 speed. The power top also was removed (and thrown away I think). So the car is what it is. All that being said, the car is still a 1957 Corvette, and it looks nice. It has just had a very turbulent past, as many of these cars did.

All this means that it will always be a driver. So my question is, how does the harness get out of the gas tank area? I have already fished the new harness through the rocker panel, and it was not very hard. Baffles could have been removed when the quarter was replaced. I just want to re-do it because I don't think I have it routed correctly and the antenna wire has not been fished through yet. The fact that the quarter was replaced means that it probably was not re-done the way St.Louis did it.

I am rebuilding this car to the glory days it had in the early 60s. But my mission is to not add any more incorrect parts or processes, and to re-use as many of the original parts as I possibly can. So again, just how does the harness and antenna wire get out of the gas tank area? Which wires went through the clips in the top compartment area? Any pics would also be helpful.

-Dan-

Dan:

I guess my previous answer was not clear enough. Let's try it this way:

Starting at the hole behind the kick panel, the harness and antenna wire travels through the rocker panel then exits the hole in the gas tank. The wires for the tank go to the sending unit. The rear harness and the antenna wire then travel to the left hand corner (drivers side) where the trunk bulkead and wheel well meet, and then passes into the trunk. Remember, this was done prior to the installation of the left rear quarter.

The clips that you mention have nothing to do with the rear harness or antenna, they were used for the power top harness which followed the same installation procedure except is was done on the opposite side.

Ed

[Dan D.]

Re: Rear Harness and Antenna Wire

Hi Ed - Thanks again. I made out great last night. What had me so confused was the 3 clips. I thought the harness had to go through them. My pea brain finally figured out the clips were probably for the power top and not the harness or antenna wire. With that said we did just as you say and it went fine.

We pulled the tank out (new tank - so everything was already clean), took about 15 minutes. Then we attached an electricians fish string to the harness wires at the kick panel. (I already had installed the harness some time ago) and pulled the wires back into the tank area. We were able to push the antenna wire through the rear bulkhead with the existing harness wires. We did not have to enlarge the hole, although it was fairly tight. We then attached the antenna lead to the fish line, along with the harness wires and pulled everything back thru the rocker panel and to the kick panel opening. They pulled a little hard but they did pull through okay. Must be the baffles in the rocker panel are no longer there.

Anyway, the whole thing, including re-installing the tank, took a little over 2 hours. My son who helped, worked as an electrician for several years and is a pro at pulling wires. We used some soapy water to help feed them. Almost everything I have done to this car has been a nightmare, but his could not have gone better (for a change).

So thanks for the directions and for confirming my thoughts that the clips were for the long gone power top.

-Dan-