Wiring harness

[DKz Garage]

American Auto wire or Painless for a complete "re-wire"? Is one a better choice when doing a pro touring build up....LS engine, Dakota Digital, etc....?? I have used AAW in the past, just wondering if there is a better choice.

[jwcarguy]

AAW Classic Update will give you everything that you need
I have installed quite a few of them and great results

Give Matt @ Matt's Classic Bowties a call on pricing, usually where I get mine
Great people to deal with


Jeff

[65 Drop Top]

I have an AAW in my Chevelle, it’s a nice piece. Coach Controls is another option, it has some pretty cool features built in if you’re looking for some modern features. I’m considering using them for my ‘55 Chevy build.

[Sheck44]

AAW with PSI and Dakota Digital ... you cant go wrong !
Cheers
Steve

[Schwartz Perf]

We use AAW as well.

-Dale

[DKz Garage]

Thanks for the input everyone..... just ordered my AAW update harness.

[moneypit68]

Thanks for the input everyone..... just ordered my AAW update harness.

Let us know how it goes! I’m fixing my electrical around the end of this year and had the same debate as well between the two companies!

[Andrew_at_Painless]

Let us know how it goes! I’m fixing my electrical around the end of this year and had the same debate as well between the two companies!

You might want to check out our new Pro-Series line: http://www.painlessperformance.com/proseries/

It gives you a ton of length in the wiring so you can custom route however you please, then comes with all the connectors that '68 will use.

Check the installation manual out here: http://www.painlessperformance.com/Manuals/10414.pdf?

[Rick2964]

Wow impressive directions that are extremely detailed. Im in the process of installing an AAW kit in a 69 Camaro but your directions have excellent detail and tips! Very nice Painless!

[jovande]

I agree, very good directions. still up in the air on whose system to use on my 69 Protouring camaro. Will be wiring in about 4 months.

[Andrew_at_Painless]

I agree, very good directions. still up in the air on whose system to use on my 69 Protouring camaro. Will be wiring in about 4 months.

Are you completely smoothing the firewall or keeping the bulkhead for the wiring on the driver side behind the brake booster/hydroboost?

[jovande]

Are you completely smoothing the firewall or keeping the bulkhead for the wiring on the driver side behind the brake booster/hydroboost?

Firewall is completely smoothed. How does your set work out for this?

[Andrew_at_Painless]

Firewall is completely smoothed. How does your set work out for this?

We offer our Pro-Series with a grommet firewall pass-through and there is a lot of extra length in the wiring, so you can run the wiring through the firewall down low and hidden if you choose.

Only thing we'd need to know to get your a part number is if you plan to do power windows/locks, and if you plan to keep the key in the column or go to a push-button or something different like that.

[captainofiron]

I was just about to ask about AAW classic update versus Painless kit

[79 Camaro]

I've used about a half dozen Painless kits on various cars. They were priced higher than AAW and 10 years ago they seemed a better kit. I used the universal kit for my projects.

The last one I purchased was last spring and wired my 68 C10 project.

A few things that seemed odd and very dated.

1. Directions not included in the kit. You had to down load them from their web site. All the previous kits I purchased included them in the box. They were exactly the same as ten years ago. What is Painless just trying to save paper?
2. The kit includes a plastic tray with blue crimp type terminals. Those look cheap and are cheap. I didn't use a single one. I went to Fastenal and purchased the heat shrink terminals. The only thing that is really useable are the ring terminal after you pull the blue plastic off and then heat shrink tubing to cover the crimp.
3. The instructions are same for the last 10-12 years. Not updated like the Pro series above. The look is very dated. Also the asterisks can be confusing.
4. I understand it's a universal kit but if you have to down load the instructions. Create instructions for GM, for Ford and Mopar and get rid of all the extra stuff that's not required for that brand of car.
5. Some wires were very lightly marked and hard to read. Some of the wires going to the back of the truck were marked backwards. I asked the Painless tech line why that was and they said basically "stuff happens".
6. The rebate thing always irritates me. Seems like I never buy a kit while the rebate is available. Why just not lower the kit price and be done with it?

I installed the kit. Had a few questions and the tech line was good.

Everything works as it should.

I haven't used a AAW kit but typically they are less expensive. I don't think Painless is worth the higher cost any more.

No intent to flame Painless here. I've met the owners at their plant in Fort Worth and they were very pleasant. Also at a car show they were kind enough to give me a relay when my fan relay failed.

[ilikeike]

I installed the AAW update on my Camaro,Painless didn't have that new kit available at that time.

I have to admit after looking at the newer painless kit detail, it looks pretty good.

[79 Camaro]

I haven't looked up the pricing for the Pro Series from Painless but I would challenge them to price it like the universal kit and be dollar for dollar against AAW. Extra wire length and a grommet? Wow what an upgrade!

[Andrew_at_Painless]

I haven't looked up the pricing for the Pro Series from Painless but I would challenge them to price it like the universal kit and be dollar for dollar against AAW. Extra wire length and a grommet? Wow what an upgrade!

The Pro-Series is far from just extra wire length and a grommet, and really was what our engineering team would put together for a kit when wiring the cars they wire, so they put the kit together for consumers.

Our true universal 21 circuit harnesses start at $299.99, one of which can be had for $249.99 with a rebate, and comes with the instruction booklet in the kit. There was a short while we pulled the manuals out of the kits due to some printing issues and were able to provide them at a later date. However, the true universal cheaper harness manual admittedly leaves a good bit to be desired, and we currently have our technical writer coming up with an all new full color bound manual for those kits as well.

The Pro-Series kits start at $524.99 at retail. With the Pro-Series, you're getting a 6 gauge charge wire and midi fuse that will handle any new high amperage alternator you want to run, so you don't have to upgrade from the 10 gauge of the more basic kits, and you don't have to toy with the fusible link some competitors offer. It also comes with all non-insulated connectors and terminals, then we give you the high quality heat shrink in the kit with mastic. Pretty well every GM connector that was used mid-60s through the late 80's is included as well, so you are able to custom route the wiring but then terminate using high quality components that are in the box. This way you aren't having to source your connectors from the original wiring or buy them separately.

For cars that are more stock, we also have our Direct Fit line that is completely plug-and-play, but the cost reflects that as our labor involved to put the kits together. Some of our direct fit stuff line can take over a day each harness to produce, but it installs much quicker, saving you time or a lot of money if you're paying a shop's rate to have it installed.

[79 Camaro]

Andrew,

Thanks for the response.

So if I send you a copy of the wiring harness receipt I can get a $50 rebate?

Also can I suggest you include the larger 6 gauge charging wire in the universal kits?

I supplied my own since the LS alternators are higher amperage.

I do like the maxi fuse you supply. Seems much better than a fuseable link. I carry a spare fuse but never used it.

[Andrew_at_Painless]

Andrew,

Thanks for the response.

So if I send you a copy of the wiring harness receipt I can get a $50 rebate?

Also can I suggest you include the larger 6 gauge charging wire in the universal kits?

I supplied my own since the LS alternators are higher amperage.

I do like the maxi fuse you supply. Seems much better than a fuseable link. I carry a spare fuse but never used it.

I believe the universal kits will be getting the larger charge wire as well when they are switched from the maxi to the midi fuse. This will happen when the installation manual is updated, reflecting the new fuse, but also full-color and many more diagrams.

Information on the current $50 Rebate for the p/n 10102 harness can be found here: https://www.painlessperformance.com/rebates/septoct50/