Fuse panel & wiring harness kits
 

Due to a water leak over much of its life, my 82 C10's fuse panel has lots of corroded, and even rusty fuse sockets -- not from getting wet, but from just sitting above the moisture on the floor. Seems like every few months I have to pull a fuse and use a burnishing tool to clean up the fuse panel contacts. But that's usually a temporary fix. Also, with a battery voltage of 12.6 volts, the dash lamps, headlamps, wipers, etc. see only around 11 volts, so I've got a voltage drop somewhere. And that's with two 10 gauge wires feeding the fuse panel.

Bottom line is I need to replace the fuse panel, and might as well get rid of the bulkhead connectors as a potential problem source, which means getting an entire kit including harnesses. I've installed an American Autowire Classic Update harness on a 66 truck, and really liked it, but for a square body, they cost $845.:eek: Also looking at a $465 Ron Francis XP-751 kit, but the panel is 7-1/2"wide, which makes it a really tight fit between kick panel and steering column. BTW, on another car I finished the install of a Ron Francis kit where the wires are terminated at the fuse panel, and I think that makes for a neater setup under the dash. Also, the kit uses 8 gauge wires for the panel feed and charging circuit, and virtually all the wires are larger than stock. Too bad the XP-751 Express fuse panel is so wide.

Pretty much ruled out Painless because they actually use smaller gauge wire than my factory wiring for panel feed and ignition! (Panel feed is two 10 gauge wires, but they crimp them to two 12 gauge wires 6" before the panel. Huh?)

What have you guys used, and are you happy with it?

Re: Fuse panel & wiring harness kits
 

You sure the smaller sections aren't fusible links?

Re: Fuse panel & wiring harness kits
 

Yes, the kit uses a maxi-fuse instead. And the transition is the last 6" or so before connecting the fuse panel B+ bus.