Introduction

[dogwood62]

Hi Everyone, I'm the proud owner of a 1948 CJ2a which I've been restoring for the past ten years. I'm to the point where it's almost street legal. I'm working on the wiring and of course I've no idea what I'm doing. Let me run down what I have so far. I've kept the original engine and transmission (Rebuilt) Changed to12V with a 100amp one wire alternator. The distributor has internal electronic ignition. I've got the headlights wired up to the three prong junction box. My question is, can I wire directly to the light switch or do I HAVE TO go first to the toggle switch? If I can, I would like to eliminate the toggle switch altogether. I know the running lights also go to the toggle switch. Can I just have them all on one circuit?
2859

[SteveBonny]

Hi dogwood. I just recently rewired my 47. I'm no expert but if you have the original style light switch the only light that uses the toggle is the dash light. Power comes into your light switch on the back terminal, the next terminal provides power to the toggle switch for the dash light. The other 3 terminals on the light switch go to front park lights, tail lights and headlamp dimmer switch. From the dimmer switch you go to the headlights. I found my ratty sketch in my workshop. It's not pretty but it may help!

2860

[gmwillys]

Welcome Dogwood!

Here is an example of the stock wiring harness layout, then one with the one wire alternator wired in;

https://www.thecj2apage.com/forums/12v-wiring-diagram_topic19145.html

On my '46 2A, I do not have the toggle switch to the dash light. My set up has the wire run onto the parking light bar on the headlight switch. The wiring is what appears to be mostly the original cloth covered wiring, with the only toggle switch being for the passenger heater fan.

[dogwood62]

Thank you guys, for the layouts. The fog is clearing and I can see where the circuits need to go. What confuses me is my wiring harness has more connections than what I need for the CJ2a. I'm thinking that the harness was a "good for all early models" and I just need to lay it out and figure what I can use and what is not needed. Also some of the connectors on the harness don't match up with the switches. In particular, the brake light switch. It has two prongs and the harness doesn't match up.

[SteveBonny]

Hmmm, cant help you much there, mine is a 47 and the harness was a mess. The original parts of it were rotten and falling apart and some insane person had butchered it to the point of no salvation. There were wires and circuits all over the place that went nowhere, bell wire, household wiring, even garden hose used for insulation. I just tossed it all. The wiring is pretty simple though, I made my own harness. The brake switch connectors, I used standard bullet connectors that you can buy in any car parts store or Home Depot etc. They fit well and seem to work fine. Not sure what the technical name is for them, bullet connector maybe, I just used the female half.

[dogwood62]

Hmmm, cant help you much there, mine is a 47 and the harness was a mess. The original parts of it were rotten and falling apart and some insane person had butchered it to the point of no salvation. There were wires and circuits all over the place that went nowhere, bell wire, household wiring, even garden hose used for insulation. I just tossed it all. The wiring is pretty simple though, I made my own harness. The brake switch connectors, I used standard bullet connectors that you can buy in any car parts store or Home Depot etc. They fit well and seem to work fine. Not sure what the technical name is for them, bullet connector maybe, I just used the female half.

Thanks Steve, nice to know that one is not alone in the electrical process. I'll check on the bullet connectors.

[gmwillys]

The reproduction harnesses are good, but there was several variations on any early Jeeps. Some early 2As had the coil built into the ignition switch in the dash. Willy's was natorious for using parts and bodies from the previous model year, then putting them on the next model year. This is why we tend to call them Jeep soup. You never know what was original.

[LarrBeard]

Jeep Rule # 1. What you see is what you have. Trust nothing. Never say "Willys never .... . "

Replacement harnesses from KWAS generally will have a few tag ends you may not use because someone else has a component that you don't, or something was mounted a bit differently.

For the '48 truck, I didn't use the turn signal or right side tail light options that were included in my harness.