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Hi; I am in the process of a full rewire of my 23rd series super eight. Unfortunately this car has had it's original wires cut and spliced 100 times all over with apparently all they had which was 16 gauge red and black wire. So am using the wiring schematic found on this site. I had it blown up so I can see it better. My question is has anyone used this schematic to a full rewire? Have they found it to be accurate? I am certainly no wiring expert, by a long shot. I am just doing it exactly the way the schematic shows. However I see some things that make no sense to me.

Like running a wire from one side of the car to the other, and back again instead of splicing it in two directions, Lord knows they didn't seam to worry about all the other splices.

Dave O

You didn't mention which specific run you are questioning but Packard did do some odd runs.

Courtesy and reading lights in particular were sometimes odd. I know of one such situation you mention that is in a 21st series Custom sedan. In that one they connected the two rear door switches together to work the seatback lights by running the wire from the left door up and across the windshield then back rather than running the right side switch directly to a courtesy light that was already connected to the other.

I suspect it might have been because some options would be used on more than one model and it was more cost effective on the simple looms to have a single loom that would fit all models. In one model it might be easier to take a long way around rather than do a splice particularly if a particular light to splice to was not present on another model. Another reason might be that even if longer, a space to place a loom might consistently be available on all models but a short run space might not be present on others and there was no easy way to make a direct run without going the long way.

As far as I know the 23rd diagram is fairly accurate. There might be a minor difference between early and late if something was a running change and while I know there were corrections in some years, don't remember seeing anything on 23rd.

Thanks Howard; And yes, it was the map lights/courtesy lights, you have an unbelievable memory sir. It seems to me I remember I guy on another Packard club site totally rebuilding a 49 and using the schematic from this site, I'll do some more searching, I think he was steelman, tinman, or something like that.

Thanks Howard, you have put my mind at ease. I'll go back to not questioning, just do it like it shows attitude.

Dave

Hi Dave. As I mentioned before on this forum, I have rewired my S23 from scratch. I did use THE wiring diagram, I think it is the only one. I did not follow it pedantically. AS you say, some wires do the scenic route for no good reason. I wired my brake light switch straight from the starter, then to the lights, with out going to the amp gauge and back out again, Same with the power supply to the horn relay. You are welcome to email me if you have questions.
Gary
gaztank61(at)gmail.com

Factory harnesses often allow for accessories that may or may not have been on your vehicle, rather than making a separate harness for each model.
They were made by Packard Electric which is no longer part of Packard at that time, but GM. Essex was the other major supplier.
This car would've had the cloth over rubber insulation, which is probably why it was "patched" up. Wasn't too available. The cloth goes and the rubber flakes off. That wire is available in a modern version. Unless you're an authenticity nut, frankly, I'd go with the SAE PVC jacket just make sure you document what you change and preserve the wire gauge. I totally rewired the engine compartment to get '49 started, as the wiring was mostly gone as mouse food/unsafe and used the 23 diagram. But I have decades of experience wiring. I see more and more questions like this cropping up, on my other brand site, etc. when the owner faces the engine rebuild and it's a good time to attack the wiring, which is the better investment. Next they ask what color paint to use which is info that's not always available. Packard painted the exterior color to the firewall. Then the usual semigloss on the inner tins.