40 foot concorde

I have a 1969, 40' concorde with 454 ci. gas engines. I am trying to find any information, owners manual, wiring, etc. that may help with restoring this boat. Cosmetically - the hull is in good shape, but the wiring ac and dc is a birds nest, after 40 years of additions and changes. I am replacing the onan 4 cyl. generator with a more up to date marine generator. any help or suggestions as to where I can locate information on the boat will really be appreciated. thanks

 

i have a 1970 40' double cabin with fly that has 8v53N's it is a nightmare chasing them wires

 

Go find a marine electrician and redo the whole lot 100% from end to end . I see you have gas engine the chances of arching switchs and petrol fumes you need to incude all new switchs and a whole new up to date system !! so much has changed over the years and materials used then and now are not the same . bad wiring causes sparks and arching then fires even exsplossions and doing a half hearted job of combinding together old and new is unsafe and very unreliable as well .
Go take out a lone , sell the family !what ever but make it all new !!

 

Electrical problems I've had have been corrosion.
Switches, terminal bars, and wire ends and crimp joints.
Only had two wires go bad on me.

 

Dont forget corrosion gets into the actual wiring as well !! so if you fit something new and it uses more power than the old the wiring has deteriorated but now you asking it to do more work so it gets hot and cooks and smoke, fire, and no boats !! good aah !!

 

I'm looking at a 70s boat. Is there a date where you consider wiring and switches too old and would tear it out or do you have to look at it boat by boat? Did switches change to safer design at some year?

 

It's never the wires, but almost always a corrosion killed terminal end.

If you have enough wire to cut off three inches of wire and install a new terminal end, do that.
If not, you can install a Terminal Board somewhere close. Make new ends there and then replace that last bit of wire to the end user.

Make yourself a schematic. Then prove it out.
I'd never tear it all out and start over. Don't tear anything out till you know it needs to be done.