Battery Cable Source???

[73Coupe]

Great information, thanks for sharing.

Evans Wiring also can supply cables and parts. I don't think they stock cables for C bodies, it's all custom with customer provided measurements. I looked into new cables, but they were very expensive. I think it was about $80 even for the negative cable.

However, they sold me just a positive terminal because that was the only bad part. It has set screws for each cable on the bottom of the terminal, so it looks like it's molded. I prefer soldered connections, but they advised me not to solder it, so I greased the hell out of the cable ends with bulb grease and it's working good so far... The copper strands inside the terminal are still completely soldered together from the original terminal, so I don't think I have a big corrosion potential here. We'll see.

 

[DeMopuar]

I did roll into M & H last week and I did find out about their battery cables. The negative side is the easy one to obtain, the trick is the positive cable end, and I will write about that. So what they have is a "blank" that they make the positive cable with. It is a premade piece that already has the positive end molded into whatever wires they call for. Well, here's the bad news. They do not have the correct size secondary wire for our C bodies. The secondary wire size is 8 gauge, and they can offer a 10 gauge. I don't know if this is a deal breaker or not? I would think it would be O.K. as there is already a fusible link in this circuit that ultimately attaches to the starter relay. They can make the positive battery cable for our fuselage C bodies, but the only difference would be that the secondary cable would be in 10 gauge, not 8 gauge as factory. Does anyone see an issue with this?

 

[commando1]

That's rediculous. They don't 8ga laying around.
Go down to your local audio components store and buy those poor fellows a couple of feet...

 

[73Coupe]

I think running a smaller gauge wire would be an "issue". The system was designed run off an 8-ga feeder, if you downsize you might have voltage drop issues at the minimum.

So yeah, do as Commando says!

 

[Big_John]

I wouldn't go with the smaller size wire. The length is the issue. Longer runs need larger wire to keep voltage drop to a minimum.

If you really need to maintain the OE look, perhaps you could buy a premade cable from them and cut the wire and then drill it out, making the hole large enough for the #8 wire. Solder new wire into place.

I have bought battery cable wire on Ebay pretty reasonably priced.

 

[Big_John]

On looking at a couple repop battery cables, I gotta say those look like they have the wire soldered in place.

This makes it even simpler.

 

[1970cat]

in the past , for hot start problems, i have used diesel ford truck cables. they come pre made with the terminal and lug already attached, you would need to match up your length.

 

[commando1]

I have yet not been able to come up with a good looking cable set by mixing and matching parts stores stuff. Sometimes you have to use a little ingenuity.

See?

 

[DeMopuar]

Today I spoke to Darrin Grove at M & H in southern California {(562) 926-9552 X 205} and he told me that they ARE able to make the exact cable that is needed for my 1973 Newport coupe. And I mean exact -- the only thing that they are not able to replicate is the part number label that is on the positive cable and the negative cable foil marking for the part number that is printed on the actual cable insulation. After much searching, he was able to find the exact gauge wire blanks needed for my car -- so no worries about getting the wrong thing. The cost for the positive cable is $150 and the cost of the negative cable is $100 -- and it will take them 6 to 8 weeks to make it. So if anyone else is interested, give M & H a ring.

 

[DeMopuar]

Just a follow up to these expensive cables for my 1973 Newport coupe -- the positive and negative cables fit like a glove and the starter cranked over like you cannot believe. Yes, they were expensive, and worth every penny. They hooked right up -- I'm very happy with how these turned out.

 

[Samplingman]

Today I spoke to Darrin Grove at M & H in southern California {(562) 926-9552 X 205} and he told me that they ARE able to make the exact cable that is needed for my 1973 Newport coupe. And I mean exact -- the only thing that they are not able to replicate is the part number label that is on the positive cable and the negative cable foil marking for the part number that is printed on the actual cable insulation. After much searching, he was able to find the exact gauge wire blanks needed for my car -- so no worries about getting the wrong thing. The cost for the positive cable is $150 and the cost of the negative cable is $100 -- and it will take them 6 to 8 weeks to make it. So if anyone else is interested, give M & H a ring.

I'm glad it worked out for you, but dang, $250 for couple of cables....

 

[Golden Banana]

Buy a set of jumper cables, cut to length, crimp on the ends! Got the black and red, got the length worked great for me!!