running wiring harness

[dmiller]

i've put it off as long as i can, wiring is next.

how does one support the wiring in the engine compartment and between the passenger and driver side across the front of the car. i'm thinking i can "tie" it to the front hood hinge. does one use wiring clips that screw into the upper wheel wells?

i guess one can "tie" it to tie wraps that go thru the tranny tunnel into the passenger compartment and back to the tunnel since that will be under carpet. is this ok, please suggest a better way.

any thoughts on wiring before i make more mistakes, restarts, and dumb moves will be appreciated.


thanks

doug

[Brent]

I ran the wiring through the tunnel on the passenger side and used cushion clamps that I bolted through the tunnel. I used button head stainless 8-32 machine screws and nylock nuts. The insulation and carpet will easily cover the nuts. I used the cushion clamps to go across the radiator support as well. For the fenderwell area and the trunk Eliminator had a good idea to bend small pieces of aluminum in a L shape and drill two small holes in one leg of the L and glue the other leg to the inside of the body, then you can run your tie strap through the small holes. Mabye he will post some pics. His is very clean and neat.

Brent

[Brent]

I ran the wiring through the tunnel on the passenger side and used cushion clamps that I bolted through the tunnel. I used button head stainless 8-32 machine screws and nylock nuts. The insulation and carpet will easily cover the nuts. I used the cushion clamps to go across the radiator support as well. For the fenderwell area and the trunk Eliminator had a good idea to bend small pieces of aluminum in a L shape and drill two small holes in one leg of the L and glue the other leg to the inside of the body, then you can run your tie strap through the small holes. Mabye he will post some pics. His is very clean and neat.

Brent

[eliminator]

Use a good grade of silicone to secure the aluminum tabs to the body. I used DAP Auto/Marine Sealant, Clear. If you want to attach them to the fiberglass, clean the fiberglass first with acetone. It will adhere to the insulation that I used under my fenders, the high temperatures doesn't effect it. You can put the DEI or other type insulating tape over it for more protection. Your harness will run high in the area from the firewall to the inner fender (drivers side), goes through it and back through the inner fender near the front body mount bolt, and goes across the front end at your radiator mount, back through the fender area(passenger side) near the front mounting bolt. You dont run anything under the passenger side fender, except for heater connections. On the aluminum tabs you can secure the wireing harness to them with plastic tie wraps. Thats why you drill 2 holes in the aluminum tab.

Eliminator

[eliminator]

Use a good grade of silicone to secure the aluminum tabs to the body. I used DAP Auto/Marine Sealant, Clear. If you want to attach them to the fiberglass, clean the fiberglass first with acetone. It will adhere to the insulation that I used under my fenders, the high temperatures doesn't effect it. You can put the DEI or other type insulating tape over it for more protection. Your harness will run high in the area from the firewall to the inner fender (drivers side), goes through it and back through the inner fender near the front body mount bolt, and goes across the front end at your radiator mount, back through the fender area(passenger side) near the front mounting bolt. You dont run anything under the passenger side fender, except for heater connections. On the aluminum tabs you can secure the wireing harness to them with plastic tie wraps. Thats why you drill 2 holes in the aluminum tab.

Eliminator

[eliminator]

The wiring harness can be done right and it can be done wrong, and alot in between. Take you time and get alot of input and do it right,if not you will regret it. Everyone I have known who didn't do it right the first time found out you can't go back and fix it correctly with the body on the car. Patience, patience, patience. Let me know your e-mail and I can send a few pictures, unfortunately I dont have many of the harness installed.

Eliminator

[eliminator]

The wiring harness can be done right and it can be done wrong, and alot in between. Take you time and get alot of input and do it right,if not you will regret it. Everyone I have known who didn't do it right the first time found out you can't go back and fix it correctly with the body on the car. Patience, patience, patience. Let me know your e-mail and I can send a few pictures, unfortunately I dont have many of the harness installed.

Eliminator

[jhaynie]

Mine runs high in the fender well from the rear of the dash, in the fender above the master cylinders, through the top of the wheel well, and across the front of the car in front of the radiator. You can't see it unless you are standing on your head in the engine compartment (unlikely). I'll have to look and see how they attached the cushion clamps, the aluminum panels in the engine compartment cover the fasteners.

[jhaynie]

Mine runs high in the fender well from the rear of the dash, in the fender above the master cylinders, through the top of the wheel well, and across the front of the car in front of the radiator. You can't see it unless you are standing on your head in the engine compartment (unlikely). I'll have to look and see how they attached the cushion clamps, the aluminum panels in the engine compartment cover the fasteners.

[dmiller]

i've just put the harness in the correct positions to attach to "tabs". but have only made one tab and epoxyed it to the underside of the engine compartment near the master cyl's. this is just a test piece to make sure the epoxy holds. i've used 3/4 x 3/4 aluminum angle iron that i had in the scrap pile from earlier project. cut this into 1" long length, and drilled two holes in one leg ot the angle. i used a hack saw to make a tic-tac-toe on the other leg, ruffed up to hold the epoxy. this first piece is "curing" now, will test to insure that it is sound before doing anymore.

but next question is the grommets.. i was not able to thread the harness through the grommets. the harness did go thru the 1 1/8 holes drilled thru the firewall, but would never go thru the 3/4 ID x 1 1/4 OD grommets. i plan to cut the grommet so that i can put it around the harness, then silicon glue it into the firewall hole. looking for suggestions if this is not correct.

[dmiller]

i've just put the harness in the correct positions to attach to "tabs". but have only made one tab and epoxyed it to the underside of the engine compartment near the master cyl's. this is just a test piece to make sure the epoxy holds. i've used 3/4 x 3/4 aluminum angle iron that i had in the scrap pile from earlier project. cut this into 1" long length, and drilled two holes in one leg ot the angle. i used a hack saw to make a tic-tac-toe on the other leg, ruffed up to hold the epoxy. this first piece is "curing" now, will test to insure that it is sound before doing anymore.

but next question is the grommets.. i was not able to thread the harness through the grommets. the harness did go thru the 1 1/8 holes drilled thru the firewall, but would never go thru the 3/4 ID x 1 1/4 OD grommets. i plan to cut the grommet so that i can put it around the harness, then silicon glue it into the firewall hole. looking for suggestions if this is not correct.

[dmiller]

i need to clarify, the harness at the "t's" wouldn't go thru the grommets. the harness when it is only one "leg" goes thru without problem, but i couldn't stretch the gormmet enough to accept the harness where it "t's".

now i plan to cut the grommet so that i can slip over the single thickness harness, and glue it in place in the firewalls.

appreciate suggestions if this is not a good idea.

doug

[dmiller]

i need to clarify, the harness at the "t's" wouldn't go thru the grommets. the harness when it is only one "leg" goes thru without problem, but i couldn't stretch the gormmet enough to accept the harness where it "t's".

now i plan to cut the grommet so that i can slip over the single thickness harness, and glue it in place in the firewalls.

appreciate suggestions if this is not a good idea.

doug

[Okiesnake]

The coolest, cleanest, easiest thing I found to use are tie wrap mounts see http://www.sandman.com/pdf/Page58.pdf You can quickly spray-paint them and then pop rivet them into place. Also on this link are gray tie wraps that help blend into the braided steel oil cooler lines. The SWI4Q are my favorite because they are so small. But both are good. Get a bag of both and decide for your self.

[Okiesnake]

The coolest, cleanest, easiest thing I found to use are tie wrap mounts see http://www.sandman.com/pdf/Page58.pdf You can quickly spray-paint them and then pop rivet them into place. Also on this link are gray tie wraps that help blend into the braided steel oil cooler lines. The SWI4Q are my favorite because they are so small. But both are good. Get a bag of both and decide for your self.

[Okiesnake]

I would recomend pop riveting even the one's with the adheasive. Get a helper to rivet the mounts from the top side while you hold the mount in place on the underside. That way the top of the rivet is smooth and won't show a bump under the carpet.
(also see http://pages.sbcglobal.net/tdockstett/page8.html )

[Okiesnake]

I would recomend pop riveting even the one's with the adheasive. Get a helper to rivet the mounts from the top side while you hold the mount in place on the underside. That way the top of the rivet is smooth and won't show a bump under the carpet.
(also see http://pages.sbcglobal.net/tdockstett/page8.html )

[Okiesnake]

Have you tried feeding both ends first through the grommet before it gets to the T? As I recall, this seemed to work better than just trying to feed the thicker wire bundle through first and then trying to work it past the T.

[Okiesnake]

Have you tried feeding both ends first through the grommet before it gets to the T? As I recall, this seemed to work better than just trying to feed the thicker wire bundle through first and then trying to work it past the T.