Sub-panel installation Phase 1: Running wires

One thing I learned over the past 48 years is that no matter how much research I do, nothing teaches me better than hands on experience. These past two weeks I have been doing a lot of research on how to hook up the four gauges on the new sub-panel. Now I get hands on and put my research to the test.

Last week I had to make two small 1” square tabs and spot weld them to the sub-panel top. It took longer than expected. As we were spot welding the tabs, it melted the paint and adhesive paper (and stunk really bad). So I had to strip the wood-grained paper off, repaint it, and install new paper. It came out nice though.

 

Then I made this handy dandy schematic for myself to tell me where to connect all the wires. Cross your fingers and hope it is correct.

 

Four wires had to be poked though the firewall from the engine bay. The two whites are for the tachometer. The green is for the tachometer (positive ground lead) and voltmeter to connect to the fuse box. The white with brown stripe is from the oil pressure sender to the oil pressure gauge.

 

It looks like spaghetti right now but will not for long. All the rest of the wiring takes place inside the car.

 

The interior makes for a giant workbench.

 

There is obviously much more to do. Next step is to install the panel to the dashboard (I have to get the proper fastener hardware). Then measure, cut, crimp, and hook up the rest of the wires. Pretty soon the dials will be spinnin'!

Thanks for visiting.

Toddy

Ready for the next phase: Dashboard Part 3

Before adding any new wires for the new gauges, the last three original electrical operations had be sorted out.

I found out two reasons why the brake lights did not work. First, as with the other items in the electrical system, something else had to be turned on to make the brake light switch operate. After jumpering the wires at the brake switch so I could trace the circuit, I happened to switch the ignition key on for the fun of it. And, sure enough…brake lights came on!!! So I hooked the switch back up and stepped on the brake pedal (with the ignition switch on)…and nothing happened. Have to buy a new brake switch to replace the 48 year old original one.

 

 

 

Then, I switched out the headlight floor switch for a third time, turned the panel switch on…and this!!! Both high and low beams work now!! Notice the taillights glowing on the wall in back.

 

 

Feeling celebratory after my recent successes, I jumpered the heater fan wires to see if they worked before I hooked them up to the switch. The fan went on,  both slow and fast. Then I hooked the switch up and got only slow fan speed. I jiggled the wires and I got fast fan speed. Still have to monkey with the switch a bit. I hooked up the air vent and heat cables which both work when I move the levers so called it quits for now.

 

I got the rest of my shipment of wires and stuff from British Wiring today. Now I can finally put all my concentration into installing the sub-panel. I think I forgot to order green wire for the positive earth impulse tachometer. We will see.

 

It is going to start to get cold here. Time is not on my side right now…

Thanks for visiting.

Toddy

Chasing away those pesky electrical gremlins in the dashboard!!

A nice long weekend gave me a chance to spend some quality time with Old Biddy. I seemed to have solved most of the electrical problems…but not all of them.

My first task was to replace the new speedometer bulb sockets with the old ones. I decided to solder the wires together rather than to dry splice them since I will be connecting the other instrument bulbs to this red with white stripe wire circuit later. After I took the picture, the connection was wrapped with electrical tape to prevent shorting.

 

And after I connected the bulbs, I flicked the interior panel light switch and they still did not work. For some reason, I switched the exterior light switch on at the same time and then they turned on. Just a quirky Lucas thing, I guess. Notice the faint glow on the dark picture…it is much brighter in person!

 

Next I had to solve the non-working taillight dilemma. I found that I had two crossed wires and a backwards bulb socket set up on the driver side. When I originally installed these, I put the turn signal bulb on the bottom and the brake/taillight socket on the top.

 

I switched everything around, flicked the switch... and viola (not violin or cello)! Taillights work!!

 

But no brake lights! I tried to jumper the switch and they still did not work. I also jumpered the wire straight from the fuse box to the power wire and still nothing. Gotta chase this one down with a voltmeter or test light…not going to be a fun job.

 

Since most of the wire work is done on the dash itself , I decided to put the parcel shelf in place but not fasten it just yet. I mainly wanted to do this because it is a tight fit and the heater switch and cables connect to it. If anything else comes loose, I could still easily fix it now.

 

The fabricated instrument panel will live here. I found that I need to fabricate a couple of fastening tabs for it then weld them on. More on that in a couple weeks.

 

I also changed out the floor headlight switch with the one John gave me. The headlights went on!!! Well, there is no picture to document this because a moment later they went out. The switch went bad. I jumpered the wires together to bypass the switch and the headlights (both low and high beams) went back on again. At least I know what is wrong now.

Once the brake light gremlin is chased away, the headlights work, and the heater is connected and working, I will be happy to start the next phase of the operation…the sub-panel.

Thanks for visiting.

Toddy

Buttoning up the dashboard (fascia panel) Part 1

For the next week or two, I have to concentrate on getting the dashboard (fascia panel) all buttoned up. The first task was to finally install the lower dash pad.

The speedometer had to be taken out and a few other things had to be disconnected.

 

The dash pad was then set in place with all the holes aligned. I could have fastened it with either screws (as my original car) or pop rivets (as were installed in the pad) as both were used originally. I opted for pop rivets.

 

After two years of searching for one and many months of anticipation, and after only ten minutes of pop riveting, it is finally installed and it looks great!!

 

Next, since all the wires are exposed in back of the dash right now (and before I add any more with the new gauges), there are a few electrical gremlins that have to be sorted out. The new speedometer bulb sockets (shiny ones) are too short and too wide to fit into the back of the speedometer. I will need to replace them with the original sockets (the dull ones) as they are still in perfect working order.

 

The headlights and taillights do not turn on with the panel switch. I have to replace the floor dimmer switch as I suspect this is the culprit since both switches work together.

 

Nothing big…just tedious and fiddly stuff. After these problems are solved and my wire order from British Wiring arrives, I can finally concentrate on the sub-panel and windshield.

Thanks for visiting.

Toddy

Replacing the hand brake cable

The project I had to concentrate on this week was to replace the driver side hand brake cable.

First I had to undo all the connections to take out the old one. This nut for the cable sector (seen inside the space) was a pain to get at. Both new and old cables can be seen.

 

Over an hour later, I finally got it out and had to dissect the old cable out.

 

Once that was done, the cable replacement operation went very smoothly. The cable fits nicely in the rear at the wheel…

 

…and inside at the lever, too. It now just needs final adjustment, which can be done later.

 

Next I get to turn my attention to the dashboard project. For the accessory instrument sub-panel, I decided to go with ordering Lucas type wires so that it would look like a factory modification, and not some cheap hack job. But British Wiring (where I ordered my new wire harness from) is out of stock of the thin wires. So I will have to wait to order the wiring, although my order list is complete.

 

In our next installment, the lower dash pad will get installed and holes will be drilled to attach the sub-panel!

Thanks for visiting.

Toddy