With my AV8 project, this will be the first time wiring a car. Is there a Auto Wiring for Dummies-type" book out there or one that you would recommend? Thanks,
Best 8.00 you'll spend getting your feet wiring your hot rod https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Book-How-To-Wire-Your-Street-Rod,2824.html It's not all inclusive, but there's more than enough to get a 6th grader thru wiring a simple hot rod
I'm in the process of installing a painless wiring kit right now. I've used other products and wired vehicles from scratch. Painless is indeed painless and a pleasure to work with. Instructions are very good regardless of your level of competence. I think if you have a basic understanding of vehicle electrical systems, it would be hard to go too far wrong with painless.
can also search for old magazine articles. There was also a series put out years ago. Maybe by popular hot rodding? They published books /magazines for "How to" do different things. There were books for wiring, painting, carbs, distributors, etc... You might be able to find something and download it to your computer and print out sections as you need it. I've ruined a few useful books out in the garage because of handling them when my hands were dirty, oily.
The go -to guy on the hamb for anything related to wiring is The37Kid. Check with him. he LOVES wiring and does it as a pass time. He is the wiring guru.......
I used a kit from Rebel Wire. They are a HAMB alliance vendor, great to deal with and sell a premium product. Very easy to use. Just go one wire at a time and you'll be fine. Also, leave the wires long while you are mocking everything up. Wire stretchers don't work that well.
Try this: https://www.themotorbookstore.com/a...MIlP7Lk-3u2AIVnEsNCh0ZCgrOEAQYASABEgJaOvD_BwE I have a copy and it is very helpful.
I used the speedway book and it gives great information. I used a centech unit and cloth wire on my coupe. http://www.centechwire.com/PDP-1B-High-Tech-Fuse-Panel-PDP-1B.htm I have also installed a painless set up and a budget speedway set up. I liked both very much. I also considered using a rebelwire kit.
Rebel Wire, hands down. Im an electrical dummy and I wired my truck headlight to taillight with their kit and had zero issues. Wires all marked where they go, plenty of wire to run it nicely and hide it all. Simple instructions and easy to follow. Not to mention being an alliance member and getting the HAMB discount!
I found 'Automotive electrical Handbook' by Jim Horner very useful. It shows how to wire a car from scratch.
Thanks all. From scratch may be what I’m looking for. I don’t want to sound snobby, but I really want it to be period correct as it would be done in the ‘40’s. Doing a AV8 Roadster on a ‘32 frame. Using stock ‘32 horn rod/light switch set so you’ll be able to see a good deal of the wiring.
The RON FRANCES WIRING CATALOG helped me as much as any thing. Be sure to have all of the electrical grounds CLEAN........... This will help a lot..............
American Autowire has instructions online for all the lots they sell. They are pretty universal diagrams, I go to them a lot. The How To Wire book linked above has helped me through every wiring job I’ve ever had to do as well.
There's a lot of really great info out there on wiring. Here's a couple things that might help you. All of these learned through practical application and learning the hard way. Leave your wires long, start at the fuse box and whatever it takes leave them long until you terminate them. You rarely need more than 8 Circuits for most things we build. Sit down and plan it out. Fused Ignition, Starting Circuit, Lights, Brake Lights, Turn Signals (sometimes this is the same circuit), Heater, Wipers. Add from there but those are the basics. Ground from the Battery to the Frame Directly, then make sure both the Engine and Trans get ground straps to the frame Use good wire and the thickest gauge for the application. Cheap wire results in Gremlins later you don't want. And most of all take on one circuit at a time. It's Power to the point of use (Fused Ignition, Starting Circuit, Lights, Brake Lights, Turn Signals (sometimes this is the same circuit), Heater, Wipers) to the grounded point of use. Electricity is drawn to the grounded source of the circuit. You can do all this with a simple fuse block, but a wiring kit makes it a lot easier. It's like lightning it always runs to the path of least resistance and into the ground. Have fun! Tim
Another vote for Rebel, doing it right now. Oh yeah, I like traditional too but like drinking and religion it's best in moderation. Will it be acceptable? You tell me... Simple 8 circuit harness, lot of it will be covered, what little does show, well that's fine by me. Went 12V so I can get a rockin sound system in the mix. Good luck...
One of the best tricks - Get some 3/8 rope and build a mock harness out of that in the car. The cheap paracord works well. Tape off and mark the splits, branches, hangers, fasteners, and such. You can add in 1/8 cord for the few single wires too. Route it the best way you want Remove the rope mock harnes and lay it out on a table. Duplicate the mock rope harness out of the wire harness.
Doing it this way makes it so easy your little sister could do it It's also the way the pros do it. Build the jig around the ropes. Add everything you marked, your mount points, pins to hold the wires and your sanity. Mount the fuse box and run the wires. Tape off the branches, install coverings too if you want. Make the final cuts, connections, crimps in on the car
I went traditional, so I used a schematic off a 1947 Ford car. It had all the components(minus turn signals) that I needed. I added turn signals through parking light wiring in front and added a trailer module for rear(hidden in kick panel. Built my own fuse block, all wiring / connectors were from Rhode Island wiring. Modern wire with cloth covering. Looks correct, I did add a few more fuses. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
You could do like I did on my V8 A avatar, bought a roll of black wire and wired the whole car with it. I knew where it all went but sold the car years ago, bet someone has cussed me for that. I'm doing another flathead A and bought an EZ Wire kit for it, seems to be a good kit but has a lot of stuff I'm not going to use. It is set up for power windows, locks, ac, electric fan and a few other odds and ends. Hard to find a kit that isn't set up for all that anymore.
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