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The wiring in my '74 was toast (insulation cracked in half when wires are bent etc.) so I decided to replace the main harness with a Thing Shop unit- now I'm confused (by the way, the previous owner had wires all over the place with crazy splices and electrical tape everywhere). Specific points of confusion:
1. The part of the harness that attaches to the starter is different then how the original wiring looked. Original wiring: 3 thick red wires plus battery cable attached to bolt from starter with a nut and 1 thick red wire attached to the push-on connector side of the starter- vs- New Harness: two thick red wires joined together to a connector that'd fit over the bolt with nut side of starter and one thick red wire joined to a thin blue wire with a red stripe both of them connected to a slide on connector for the push-on connector side of starter. It seems as if you'd just screw down the two thick wires and the battery cable to the nut side and slide the push-on connected wires (thick red + blue with stripe) and that's be it- any thoughts? Why were there three thick red before on the nut side and now there's only two?
2. From the part of the harness that emerges from the engine area into the battery area under the seat- there are two wires (one all blue, one blue with red stripe- same as that connected to starter push-on side) that are both terminated in push-on connecters- do these hook to the battery? If so, what side?
3. In the engine compartment- there is a very thick red with white stripe wire that I'm relatively sure gets nutted on to the alternator- and then there are two all blue wires that are joined together at their termination by a push-on connector- it seems as if they should be hooked up to the push-on part of the alternator but I'm not sure since there were not two wires hooked up this way to the alternator with the original harness.

I hope this isn't ridiculously difficult to follow- I've done a search of this website for info on this but haven't been able to find any info specific to my questions- I've also got the wiring diagram from Thing Shop but the colors of the wires that it specifies does not match the main harness that they sell- and that diagram shows an alternator with an external regulator- mine is a brand new ASN type Bosch alternator- 99% sure it's internally regulated- I'm in the process of contacting Thing Shop to see if they've forgotten to send me a diagram- please help if possible!
Thanks!

Does this wiring harness have the provision for the test plug socket? It probably doesnt. The test plug socket is that white opaque plastic test plug that is screwed in the top right of your engine compartment.

The 3rd heavy red wire that is missing from the ones going to the starter went to that test socket.

Blue wire is the correct one for the slip on term. on an Alternator/gen.

My guess on the blue w/ red stripe is that its to wire in a push button starter button. I know to do that you tap into the push on starter wire.

Thing Shop should be able to tell you whats up with their harness.

Post back, Im interested to find out.

jpashley wrote:... that diagram shows an alternator with an external regulator- mine is a brand new ASN type Bosch alternator- 99% sure it's internally regulated...

I've never seen a Thing with an alternator...is this a special harness that they make for that purpose or is it a generator harness? Either way, it'd have surplus wires between the alternator/generator and its regulator which won't be needed for yours.
The internal-regulator alternator is basically the same as the external, it just has the regulator.....well, internal. Look at an external-regulator diagram like the one here and visualize that component C1 is physically inside component G. The small push-on connection for D+ to the warning light and the big stud for B+ are the only external connections.

Howdy- here's my wiring update for those interested:
1. My harness is "OEM" purchased in either Germany for their army vehicles or in Mexico- there are no instructions or diagrams that come with it from the ThingShop-
2. The harness does not look like the original harness that I removed from my vehicle and the colors of the wires do not correspond with the factory wiring diagram that I have- the harness has extra wires in some places too.
3. ThingShop has a complete harness that is an aftermarket harness that does come with instructions- they do not correspond to my main harness.
4. You guys were right on about the diagnostic red wire from the starter- the new harness does not come with the white port you spoke of- but I did find that the big red wire in the port went to the starter- Thanks!
5. The mystery remains regarding the two wires that branch off of the harness under the back seat by the battery- one blue and one blue with a red stripe both with push on connectors (blue with red is the same as the wire connecting to the push on side of the starter- all blue is same as the two joined wires that are blue and that I believe hook up to the D side of the alternator) anybody else have feedback?
6. Marc, I don't know if Things had generators only- when I bought mine it had an alternator- but it was beat so I replaced it with another one just like it.
Thanks for all the feedback- I will continue to post as I work on this- if there's interest I can probably throw some photos up.
Thanks, ash

Is this a complete harness that goes all the way up to the dash, or is it just a rear end harness?

To find out where those two blue(blue & blue/red stripe) go, you need to run some continuity tests with something that can check resistence(like a multi-meter) on the harness.

The harness is the one that connects the engine/taillights/starter to the fuse box at the front of the car- it's all the wires except for the ones that go to the headlights and up the steering column.
Thanks for the advice- my father-in-law is a real gearhead (he's got seriously like 14 vehicles) and my brother in law is a mercedes mech. so they're fired up to drive down here and check this thing out for me- I'll let you know the results.
Thanks for the help.
ash

The harness is the one that connects the engine/taillights/starter to the fuse box at the front of the car- it's all the wires except for the ones that go to the headlights and up the steering column.
Thanks for the advice- my father-in-law is a real gearhead (he's got seriously like 14 vehicles) and my brother in law is a mercedes mech. so they're fired up to drive down here and check this thing out for me- I'll let you know the results.
Thanks for the help.
ash

we have a wiring diagram we include with our new wiring harnesses. (330)
they sell for $8
very comprehensive.
thanks,

Mike do you fax the diagram to those in immediate need? Would be a nice touch with credit card purchase. Best of luck. Bob Ingman

I am guessing those two wires near the battery being one of them blue, are for the regulator under the seat of a bug. By this i am saying that it may be a NOS bug´s harness coming from carburated beetles in Mexico before 1993. You are right, all things had generators.

Okay! That's might be the case- perhaps the wires are there for connecting a regulator to what should have been a generator (or externally regulated alternator) what should I do with them now? I have to say, if I would've known that they didn't supply a wiring diagram with the thing I wouldn't have bought it- and if I hadn't had already installed it etc. I would have sent it back- I guess I shouldn't have assumed that it came with one- I should've checked first!

John
i would be happy to fax you some pages if you like,
this wiring diagram and installation guide would come in handy.
shows all the factory wiring
dont think i can fax the whole thing, besides the wiring diagram is a fold out.

Thanks for the offer Mike- I've got the factory diagram- just wondering, do you guys sell the main harness with instructions/wiring guide-?

yes, our kit comes with a guide,
we use it as part of our wiring diagram book.
thanks,
Mike