Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Now I found why my battery goes dead on my 1950 Deluxe 8 Series 23 touring sedan. The wiring insulation inside the main dashboard loom is crumbling and this exposes bare wires and makes shorts. Other wires in the car have dry crumbling insulation also. The only decent fix is replacement of the wiring loom entirely, so I ordered one from Rhode Island Wiring.

While I wait for delivery I need to plan the wiring replacement. Does anyone have the experience on the 48-50 Packard? If so please let me know a few tips:

1. How best do I get to the back of the dash?
2. Are there any "tricks" in the replacement process to make the job easier?
3. What are the worst problems?
4. Is there any available literature that I can read?

Any information would be appreciated.

To do it right, you really need to remove the dash. While it may seam like a pain, it can great simplify the task of routing. Half the battle is removing the old stiff, petrified wiring. The one tip I can give is leave a piece of the original wiring running up the A-pillar. The wiring for the tail lights, trunk light etc all run up the drivers side A-pillar, across the roof and into the trunk. If you simply cut the original wiring at the bottom of the A-pillar and leave at least one wire in place, then you can tape your new wiring to it, and use the old piece of wiring to pull it through. Getting the bundles of wiring up the A-pillar without a pull wire is a nightmare.

Same goes for the ground wire to the doom light switch on the B-pillar. Also a good time to replace the firewall harness grommet.