VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 Wire harness 1926 "K"

I would like to purchase a replacement wire harness for my 1926 Superior model "K". I have three questions. Should I order a harness for a 1925, because it is a model "K" with the gear drive generator? And will I have problems with the headlight wiring? Head lights are mounted on a cross bar , not on the fenders. Also I've seen wire harnesses for sale by Rhode Island Wire Services Inc.,Gary Wallace,and The Filling Station.Does anyone know the quality of their products? Their prices are about the same. I went to this chat room for info on my over heating problem and got excellent advice on purchasing a new radiator. I hope to do the same with the wiring. Thanks for any help you can provide.

Hi SSG26K,

The first thing to do is decide if you are going to put directional signals on your car.

After that decision, call Gene at Y n Z's, 909 798-1498. Tell him what you want and inform him of the differences in the 1925-26. The waiting time is somewhat extended, but you will get a custom harness for your car. Each wire is clearly labeled and a diagram of the system is furnished that makes the installation very easy.

The quality of the merchandise is exceptional.

The harness will provide sufficient length for the headlights if mounted on the fender or crossbar. If you have the correct tail-light it will also include the extra wire for the stop light.

Hello Ray:
Thanks very much. I appriciate the help. I'll give Gene a call in the morning.

Steve-

As per AntiqueMechanic, I did my '25 with a YnZ harness, and was very pleased. I have also used harnesses on other cars, from other suppliers. I had good luck with a Rhode Island with a '33 - but if I was building another car right now, I would go with YnZ again.

I would only suggest that Ray, with his great amount of experience, might say something like "that makes the installation very easy" and you might possibly end up with a slightly different opinion on that point! But it's not bad.

You will have to find the firwall clips and the clips running back the frame, etc, somewhere else, they do not come with the Harness.

I would say yes, start off calling your car a 1925, and you will get less confusion.

Hi CG,
We could start a whole new new discussion on this but I would call it a Superior K, a 25 Superior K,
a 25-26 Superior K or perhaps just a K, but a 1925 just doesn't say enough.
On my 28 National I bought EGGE's and then added the turn lights anyway. I would allow for the turn lights ( and electric fuel pump ) to begin with.
Herb

Agree, a 1925 Superior "K" is the right label for the car.

If I remember right, there was a discussion some time ago about this car(?) or someone else's, about whether it was a 25 or a 26.

But I strongly disagree that an electric fuel pump is a good idea! When the vacuum tnk and other components are properly rebuilt and in good working order, they are perfectly fine. An electric fuel pump opens up several other cans of worms, that are best left un-opened!

No argument there Chevy Guru, but I either need to make a very strange manifold for my Carter W1 Carburetor or strap the vacuum tank to the windshield. Besides, old hot rodders can never leave well enough alone.
Herb

I like the vacuum tank on the windshield idea.

-R

How about putting the vacuum tank on top of the carburetor then the gasoline wouldn't have so far to go? he he!

I'd like to thank everyone for their input. I talked to Gene at YnZ yesterday. He's going to make a custom harness for me useing the basic '25 harness and incorperate the '26 headlight system into it. And his price is about $40.00 less than if I had bought one off the shelf which would need to be altered. I just need to know if there is anything else that might be different on a '26 than the '25 harness. We're not really sure if the horn goes on the exhaust or the drivers side frame rail. We're going with the side rail for now.
And yes ChevyGuru this is the car you mentioned. As best I can discribe this car is, it's '26 "V" body with a '25 "K" engine set up. It gets very confusing when ordering parts. I guess this particular set up was only made for about two or three months. Very unique.
Thanks again for all your help.

Hi Steve,
It is curious that in Doug Bell's book "Early Chevrolet History" he states that "K and V were almost identical", but then goes on to discus an Early K, a Late K, and Early V and a Late V which in two years spawned probably more dramatic mechanical changes than Chevrolet has made between 1955 and 2004 !!

I was suspicious that my "1924 Superior F " ( Registered as a 1925 for at least the last 25 years ) had been assembled from someone's bone pile but after studying the books for several years I eventually concluded that it was about the way they built it.
Herb

Hi Herb,
I have the same book and came up with the same questions. Now I'm not sure I've got the correct tail lamp. Both "K" & "V" instruction books show just one tail lamp wire. My Sept. '25 Instructions Book does show some changes, but no horn location in the center fold out lube chart. My '26 parts book dated April 1st, 1926 only shows "V" series parts. I'll need to find a parts book with a starting date of August or September of '25 to be sure of correct parts and location. That is if one exist.

I have a Feb '25 "Superior Models Series "K"" and a July '25 "Four Ninety and Superior Models" parts books if they will help. I can look up any part numbers. The later book is illustrated.

Hi ChevyChip,
Maybe you can help with a tail lamp part number. My April'26 "V" parts book shows p/n 345950 for the tail lamp. The "Early Chevrolet History" book that Herb mentioned states that the stop/tail lamp was standard on late "V" models up to 1930. Prior to that a round tail lamp was used w/o the stop light. I've never seen this light, however when I purchased this car the previous owner gave me a new celluoid(Filmolens)lens that is round and has the Chevrolet bowtie in black and white with white lettering. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks!!!

My Combined Parts List - Four Ninety and Superior Models - Feb 1, 1924 lists
H425 Tail Lamp - On license bracket
H846 Tail Lamp - On tire carrier
41428 Tail Lamp - Four Ninety and Superior
337381 Tail Lamp - Superior
( These are all round single wire lamps )

My Combined Genuine Chevrolet Parts for Four Cylinder Models - Jul 1, 1940 lists
910400 Tail Lamp Models F, FA, FB, D, T, G, 490, Sup, U ( This is a round light )
358674 Tail and Stoplight Models Sup, U, C, N, V, X ( This is the vertical racetrack shape )
The Jul 40 issue was not intended as a historical summary of correctness but was simply all the parts remaining in Chevrolet Warehouse stock and the models they would fit on.
The tail light that came on my Superior F appears to be a generic "PeP Boys" version with snap ring lens retainer but appears quite similar to the illustration of 337381 shown in the parts book.

Herb

Steve,
That is odd. My April 1, 1926 "Superior Models Series "V"" lists the tail lamp part number 337381 and illustrates it as a round light. The connector P/N 332550 appears to have a single contact.

The April 1st 1926 Repair Manual shows a wiring diagram with a tail light with single green wire. The October 1st, 1926 Repair Manual shows a wiring diagram with two wires green and black to combined taillight and stoplight.

May 1927 "Parts List Capital Models Series AA" eff. on and after May 1st, 1927 lists the Stop and Tail Lamp as P/N 819269. Yes it is a Canadian book.

July, 1927 "Master Parts Price List" lists P/N 345950 for Sup., U Tail Lamp and P/N 819269 for Series V, X Tail and Stoplight.

Hope the above helps.

Well ChevyChip I guess this is a little bit of information to keep in mind. My parts book is General Motors Products of Canada. They must have been still using the round lamp in Canadian productions. Their tail lamp is P/N 345950 and the connector P/N is 335250. So I guess it all depended upon where the car was built. I'll have to look around for a round lamp because mine was built in Terrytown N.Y. Thanks for the help.