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I also made the harness for my 53 from scratch. It took a long time, but I was working slowly. It's amazing how flexible the new wires are compared to the hanrness you took out. I got all my terminals from RI wire. Order about 2-3 extra of each terminal type you get. I often screwed up a crimp, and had to use my "extras" I crimped and soldered all terminals. I'm sure you could replicate the harness no problem, just lots of wires. (actually very limited compared to other cars)
RI wire

I also had my radio modified to a "modern" radio with all the bells and whistles. (Wonderbar function works and uses a modern AM/FM circuit and amplifier. Also has bluetooth for hands free calling and music streaming. It was kind of spendy, but should be cool. This allows my better half to play dj while riding shotgun!
http://www.southtexasantiqueelectronics.com/home.html

Keep up the good work!

thanks for all of the insight everyone! Thanks for the link to the guy here in Texas that does radio repair and retrofit. I bookmarked him. the radio is easy to get out, so in the future I may decide I just can't stand not having tunes. I'm not even going to install the speaker unit so I don't have to fiddle with taking it out when I decide to send it for repairs.

I took a few pics of the speaker end of things. I think I found the problem. exploded capacitor, well pretty much anyways.

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From experience (a great educator) I'd replace all of the old wax type capacitors while you are in there.

thanks for the advice.

mounted the headlight and the power antennae switches. the power antennae will not go to anything and is just there for looks. I left the wires on it and tied them up.

thanks to a local friend for letting me borrow the special tool for tightening the nut on those two switches. I tried to make my own using a 1/4" allen wrench and 3/16 drill bit. I went through 4 drill bits and I wasn't even half way done drilling. if I had a drill press it would have been easier though. its totally doable.

I painted the air control panel and the glove box door using black appliance epoxy paint. its tough as nails. I handled it before I normally would after painting so that I would put some scratches, etc into the finish. this allowed it to match the rest of the dash as if it was original.

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finally stopped being lazy.....while I type that I realize all I did was put in the new speedometer. lol.

things have def slowed down, hopefully i'll correct that soon.

I'm waiting on a vender before I can put the dash in as well, so that has things on hold.

I had to put a hold on purchasing anything major for the car....financial reasons. when is it not financial reasons. which sux, cause I had the chance to come into a pile of parts I could have used and had to pass for that reason. hopefully the friend that asked me about that isn't upset with me.

I know, I know...pity party...lol!

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Hank,

Your Clipper Blog is really not the place to post this but........what's this?!!!!!
for including in the Registry.

EDIT - Says it has a 288, is that right?

"I went through 4 drill bits and I wasn't even half way done drilling. if I had a drill press it would have been easier though. its totally doable."

Heat up that tool steel & quench it first!

...or carbide tipped drill. That will drill like butter through steel that mild steel twist drills choke on.

JMHO.

Craig

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more to come in a few weeks