I get where you're coming from on replacing the harness, but honestly, I'm not totally convinced it's always worth it. Had a similar issue with my old Jeep—random electrical gremlins popping up here and there. Dash lights flickering, gauges acting possessed, you name it. I was about ready to rip the whole harness out myself, but a buddy suggested just cleaning up all the grounds first.
Figured it couldn't hurt, so I spent an afternoon sanding down every ground connection I could find and applying dielectric grease. Surprisingly, that cleared up about 90% of the issues. Sure, it wasn't perfect—still had the occasional hiccup—but it saved me a ton of cash and hassle compared to swapping out the entire harness.
Not saying replacing the harness isn't sometimes necessary, especially if insulation is visibly brittle or crumbling. But if things look decent overall, I'd probably start with simpler fixes first. Wiring harness replacements can snowball into bigger projects pretty quickly, especially if connectors break or you discover hidden corrosion halfway through.
Totally agree on hoses though... learned that lesson the hard way when my radiator hose blew out on a camping trip. Nothing like being stranded miles from nowhere with steam pouring everywhere and no cell reception. Now I replace hoses proactively every few years, even if they look fine. Cheap insurance compared to a tow bill or roadside headache.
Vintage rides definitely keep you on your toes—never a dull moment, that's for sure.
Good call on checking grounds first—seen a bunch of electrical headaches solved just by cleaning connections. Another thing worth doing, especially before long trips, is giving your ignition system a good once-over. Points, plugs, wires...they can all cause intermittent issues when they start to wear. Had an old Mustang that ran rough randomly, turned out it was just worn plug wires arcing occasionally. Simple fix and saved me from chasing ghosts in the wiring harness.
"Had an old Mustang that ran rough randomly, turned out it was just worn plug wires arcing occasionally."
Definitely agree on ignition checks—seen similar issues myself. A couple more things I'd add for vintage rides before heading out:
- Check fuel filters and lines. Old tanks can have rust or sediment that clogs filters, causing random sputtering.
- Inspect cooling system hoses and belts. Rubber deteriorates over time, and overheating on a long drive is no fun...
- Carry spare fuses and bulbs. Simple stuff, but saves headaches on the road.
Better safe than sorry, especially with older cars.
Good points, but honestly, how often do you guys actually swap out fuel filters before a long trip? I've pushed my luck plenty of times without issues...maybe I'm just lucky. Anyone ever had one clog mid-trip?
I've skipped the fuel filter swap plenty of times too, honestly. Never had one clog completely mid-trip, but did have a close call once—car started sputtering on a long uphill stretch. Thought I was toast, but luckily it smoothed out after a few tense seconds. After that scare, I keep a spare filter in the trunk just in case...cheap insurance and peace of mind. You're probably fine most of the time, but vintage rides can surprise you. If your luck's holding out, great—but a backup plan never hurts.
