TI wiring - original vs repro

[Patrick B.]

Here are some pictures I told Joe Raine I would post of the difference between original and repro resistance wires in the TI ignition harness. The coil wire at the + side and the power wire that attaches to the ignition switch harness are the 2 resistance wires in question.

The first 2 photos are smooth white resistance wires in a good quality repro that I bought some years ago. The next two photos are the same original wires on a 70 LT-1. The difference is the braided cloth covering on the original wire. The fourth photo shows the strands unraveling on the power wire.

I don't know if the repro wires have gained the cloth covering lately but I doubt it. Perhaps someone with a recent repro would comment.

More photos of 67 L-71 to follow.

[Patrick B.]

Re: TI wiring - original vs repro

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Here are photos of the same wires in an original 67 L-71 TI harness. They are identical to the wires in the LT-1 harness in the previous post, just more beat up. The last photo shows the coil wire end with all the cloth braiding worn off. However, the plastic insulation remaining on the still usable wire shows a perfect imprint of the missing cloth braid. So the original wires are obvious even if the cloth braid has worn away.

[Bill W.]

Re: TI wiring - original vs repro

Patrick My 65 TI wire is unraveling at the coil . What would be better for judging a worn original or a incorrect repro ?

[James W.]

Re: TI wiring - original vs repro

Yes, the M & H Electric Fabricators repro TI wirinig that I installed on a '65 396 Corvette has the cloth covering but it is very fragile.


Thanks,

James West

[Wayne M.]

Re: TI wiring - original vs repro

Shown is GM service replacement that I have which shows for '64-68 Corvette amplifier harness (per P&A30 catalogs '68-'70). I believe the wire lengths are correct for 1968 MY, and the rest of us had to make-do. You can see there is no fabric sheath, but as this is a later (circa 1980's) service piece, doesn't imply that original '68s (or to the end of K66 era in early '70s) had none.

Thumbnail (below big pic) is of the ends of two other original '65, '66 TI harnesses I have, showing weave.



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[Terry M.]

Re: TI wiring - original vs repro

My 1970 has the braided sheath on the wire, and I am used to seeing it on original TI equipped 1971s.

[Ken A.]

Re: TI wiring - original vs repro

When GM replaced the ballast resistor with Ronel resistor wire on all their pass cars, it was thought the extra heat generated might damage the harness, so a glass strand insulator was used to protect the harness. Note the TI harness even used a different tape to wrap the harness. However a better insulator was developed and the extra insulation was dropped to save money $$$. All service harnesses had no special insulation. Think of the millions saved over the years, could've fixed the Vega or Cobalt.

[Mike E.]

Re: TI wiring - original vs repro

I have a mid year M&H harness dated 1996, and recently bought one from Central (LL, as I recall). Both have the correct braiding.

[Ken A.]

Re: TI wiring - original vs repro

I was only referring to GM service parts, not the repros.

[Patrick B.]

Re: TI wiring - original vs repro

Bill, a 65 is a really unique TI harness because the TI box was in a different location than in 66 and 67. I would keep it because it speaks to the originality of a car I presume is a 396. Apparently some of the repros now have the braided wire and may look nicer, but I intend to use my original 67 TI harness even though I am replacing the base engine harness.

That said, I am not a judge and do not plan to have my 67 judged.

[Mike E.]

Re: TI wiring - original vs repro

The original post differentiates between original and repro. So did I. The point being, there are repros, and have been, with white braiding.

[Joe R.]

Re: TI wiring - original vs repro

Pat,

Thanks for following up with the photos!!! Now I need to compare my L72 to what you have shown. It's interesting that you mention the box moving from 65 to 66. I think I will start another thread about TI box location for 66 / 67.

Joe

[Henry J.]

Re: TI wiring - original vs repro

Wayne:

The original TI harness from my 68 has the braided sheath.