Replace original wire harness w/aftermarket - smart or dumb?

[jzearfoss]

I have my 1968 280 SL totally apart and I am considering replacing the original wire harness with an up to date aftermarket harness.  Has anyone out there done this?  The original harness is fried in several places and I am a bit leery of its dependability given its age. Anyone have any thoughts on this, such as how this might affect the value of the car?  I have the time and patience to solder on all the original connectors and wrap the finished product.  I would most likely keep the original fuse box mounted (for looks) but the new fuse panel would be mounted under the dash.

[mbzse]

../...I am considering replacing the original wire harness with an up to date aftermarket harness..../...

You also have the option to re-fit an original type W113 wiring harness into your car. That would mean no worry about impact on vehicle value and colours as well as type of wiring materials would match original spec etc.
There are vendors that offer such product, either complete harness or parts of it, with or w/o connectors.      /Hans in Sweden

[Benz Dr.]

I would think that if your harness is fried in places a replacement would be a good idea. RI wiring makes very high quality replacements with all of the same color coded wires. If anything, it won't reduce the value of your car and might will enhance it.

[Garry]

I have just had a complete wiring harness made for a VW. The cost was $630 Aust dollars so about $450 USD.  Not that expensive and made to look like original. I looked at his other work and discussed a Pagoda wiring with the cotton wrap and he indicated that it was simple to do and would cost about $100 more as a bit more complicated that a 60’s vw Kombi. I gave them my old one and they gave me back a new one, and would do the same for a Pagoda.

If you can find a company that remanufactures them it would be a whole lot cheaper and easier.

The company here in Melbourne Australia is Vintage Wiring Harness    http://www.vinwire.com.au

Garry

[Jack Jones]

I picked up a new harness from an abandoned project that originally came from Rhode Island Wiring. The harness is very well made including all wires with correct tracer colours and nice details like soldered eyelet connections and the cloth wrap is very well done. You have to solder all terminals and either reuse or replace the connectors but I enjoy that kind of stuff.  

[ctaylor738]

I put a Rhode Island harness in my 280SL when I restored it.  I enjoyed swapping the terminals.  I've had the car judged at several events, including the merciless examination at PUB 2015 by Jon Bernardi and Pete Lesler.  No points off for wiring.

You do need a serious soldering setup, though.  They used a lot of solder in the original harness.

[wwheeler]

You do need a serious soldering setup, though.  They used a lot of solder in the original harness.
[/quote]

By serious set up, what do you mean? Do you have any pictures of what equipment you are talking about? I have butane fired soldering iron, but curious about other companion items.

[Jonny B]

Oh my, a new sobriquet, Jon the Merciless! I will have to use that the next time I judge.....! Folks at La Jolla Concours, watch out.