Wiring questions

[54MarkWagon]

Intro; I am using a '97 MarkVIII Base Platform for my '54 Ford Ranchwagon Resto-Mod project. The Donor Mark had major R/F damage to the body and suspension. I am using the front 'K' member/suspension from a '96 Tbird (Springs) and replacing the rear airbags with springs and jack screws, so I do not need or want the air suspension stuff. Question; can I remove all of the wiring, air pump, etc. and not effect other computer controlled elements? The wiring harness that runs from the air pump and over the R/F wheel goes through the firewall and plugs into a box that I assume is a computer control for the air leveling system. There is a plug in the harness that mounts to the R/F wheel well marked "TEST'. Is that for diagnostic purposes on the air suspension system? There are two other wires that branch off this loom just before it passes through the firewall. I think one plugs into the engine's harness and the other one may have gone to a charcoal filter/vent unit that got smashed? Down at the actual air pump unit; can I 'unplug' all the wires coming into and out of this unit and discard it? On the other side of the car (as I am following the wiring harness around) I come to the Anti Lock Brake system and 'Manifold'. My thinking is to re-plumb the brake lines to a basic Front and Rear system and incorporate a proportioning valve unit to adjust front/rear bias. Besides the obvious plumbing and manifold hardware, what electrical wiring and control units can I eliminate? And where are they located?
If anyone wants any of these parts just let me know where to send them. They are yours for the shipping cost.
Another wiring related issue: The passenger door was wadded up and ripped much of the wiring up. I have already retro fitted the guts from the Mark' s Driver's door into the '54 door and want to do the same on the passenger side. I got a passenger door from the '96 Tbird and about two feet of the harness that comes out of it and into the main interior wiring harness and am planning on splicing them together. I would have thought that there would be a factory 'Plug' module built into the harness at each door, but that is NOT the case. I would like to find an intact interior wiring harness from a MarkVIII and save a lot of splicing and possibly guess work on color codes between the Tbird and Mark looms.

 

[Markviiiedrea]

You should be fine not having the components from the air system but your doing something no one really has so I would keep all your extra parts around till you get her up and running. If you need it, I have a complete wire harness from a 97 base Mark VIII and access to Gen I & Gen II Wire diagrams if you want to just start with those as well.

Cool project, cant wait to see more pictures!!

 

[54MarkWagon]

I am rethinking the ABS bypass. Since I already have the components, a little bit of re-locating and tubing bending and it should work like any other MarkVIII. When I mounted the Tbird (Spring) front K member I kept the 'bird's spindles and hubs, which I don't think have the sensors (Non ABS), but I think the Mark hubs will transfer and if I can fab the sensor mounts...... I'll give that a try first! I wonder what a proportioning valve in the rear system ahead of the ABS would do?

 

[chris2523]

if you still have the mark's spindles and hubs, then that would be an easy swap to get the sensors and mounts.

 

[54MarkWagon]

I do still have the orig. spindles, hubs, rotors and calipers. The Mark rotors are a little bit larger too. The Right side is where the impact happened and I know that both upper and lower support arms were bent so I'm leery about using the spindle. I guess I can put it together and check alignment.