So the car that I'm doing my Subaru conversion on just had a major setback tonight. My body wiring harness is no longer installed (for the most part). I pulled the wiring from the front trunk and also from the dash area. Its going to get stripped of wiring that I don't need, and I'm going to add wiring that I do need that isn't there.

For instance:

Deleting:

> fresh air blower wiring (I'm going to weld over the fresh air inlet and not use it.

> side marker wiring (not using)

> dome light (not putting in a backpad, going to do something else for light)

> heater controls (Ripped out stock heater controls, going to do a custom variable speed control for the dual blowers that I'm going to install someday)

> Door switches (I consider this excess, useless wiring)

> Seatbelt relay and Logic relay (again, useless to me)

Probably more too...


Adding:

> OBD II wiring for Subrau engine up to dash board

> harness wiring for Subaru ECU (going to be mounted between seats at the firewall, on the floor.)

> wiring for windshield washer pump

> 12 volt distribution for engine bay, front and rear trunks and under the dash (for stuff like tools, etc.)

> DC and AC wiring for power inverter (to power a laptop, etc.)


So like I said I caught a bad case of Dirk Wright's Disease. I've taken it upon myslef to redo the wiring instead of use what was probably a 99% functional body wiring harness. Luckily most of the wiring will stay the same, but the way I do the fuses and relays in the cabin will change considerably.

I know I'm not the only one here who does this sort of thing. We need a 12 step program.



-Tony

Tony,

I'm so close to doing the same exact thing...

Trying to splice the old wiring with my new stuff is a huge pain in the @ss.

Maybe we can do this together. I know i'm going to need some help.

Switches are coming in in the next few days and already got the fuse block.

What are you going to use for fuses and switches?
Roger

I'm NOT ALONE!!!

Anyway, I figure that I will do something similar to my engine bay box that I built for the relays and fuses. I'm going to definitely use the blade type fuses, and modern relays. For switches, I will probably use rocker type switches, 2 and three position depending on the application. There are some nice smooth rocker switches out there now, that look better than the old style. I'll either pick these up at a FLAPS or from an electronics component distributor. No more 914 style pull switches for me.

I'm also thinking of using the ignition switch as just a steering column lock and having a seperate ignition button and accessory power switch, also a kill switch. Those igniton switches have a tendency to go bad after time.

I'm also going to change the wiring for the turn signals and brake lights to switch ground rather than positive voltage because I'm going to replace the flasher with an electronically controlled FET switch.

I will be drawing a lot of schematics soon. I have the factory manual so i will be taking those schamtics and using them to draw up my own. I'll try to post what I can.


-Tony

Yep, that's what I was thinking also about the blinker switches.

Here's what's coming to me soon. All in the name of "Gettin' 'er done"
Maring grade rocker switches. Illuminated. I looked around all over and came up with about a $7 to $20 bucks per switch price tag.

This is 5 marine switches and 12 circuit breakers. Prolly won't use the breakers but maybe I will depending on the Amperages. B-)

Oh yea', won the bid at $26.01.
Another one just like it is coming up, FYI.
I think i'll use the oxygenator for the fans up front and the bilge switch for heater fans.

QUOTE (TonyAKAVW @ Oct 14 2005, 04:01 AM)

I'm also thinking of using the ignition switch as just a steering column lock and having a seperate ignition button and accessory power switch, also a kill switch.

I am moving the key to the floor, near the firewall, and big red button in un-punched hole right of wheel.

Unrelated, I am thinking about shaving the door handles, and I am definately loosing the trunk lock, in favor of a handle under the license lip, or something like that.



M

What....no electically heated cup holder.

Good luck Tony. I'm glad you have the patients for all that wiring.

QUOTE (Toast @ Oct 14 2005, 08:17 AM)

Good luck Tony. I'm glad you have the patients for all that wiring.

is he a doctor?

Yea, doctor of wiring.


Damn college kids know it all don't they.

The ignition switches DO go bad, but it's the separate electrical portion that dies, and it can be replaced without replacing the lock cylinder (which tends to survive). The switch is also cheap, at under $20.

Nonetheless, I'm also doing a separate keyswitch on the dash, like the 914/6. Mine will probably be on the other side, only because the lighter hole is the only one large enough, and I don't want the lighter, anyway. Hot-rod shop keyswitches are also pretty cheap.

And yes, I'm another one with the wiring gutted from the car, and redoing the whole thing from end to end.

QUOTE (Toast @ Oct 14 2005, 08:21 AM)

Yea, doctor of wiring. Damn college kids know it all don't they.

And old pharts too!

patients ....... sick people in a hospital like Aaron (mental, not physical)

patience ...... the ability to wait out an idiotic asshole like Aaron.

Pay Chinz---- when the bill comes and everyone has "thrown in" there is still not enough money to pay the bill, let alone a tip.

John

I don't know Tony, maybe you should just stop working on the 914 for a while and concentrate on the Zimmer.


Andrew

Those circuit breakers look nice! I have used some of those for other projects in the past, but I think I'm going to stick to fuses for the car.

I may take a trip down to out local eletronics surplus palce tomorrow and see what kind of switches I can find. My dash face is going to be a sheet of 1/8 inch thick aluminum, probalby powdercoated, so it will be easy to mount siwtches, LED indicators, etc.


Toast: I guess I do have a lot of patience, or maybe just ignorance. It will be nice to have this all done, but is it really worth the effort?

-Tony

Hey Tony,

I'm not going all-out like you, but I've got some humble plans for my car. I'm sick of twisting my torpedo fuses to get the corrosion off, and looking under the floormat for the ones I kick out of the fuseholder. (Not as nimble as I used to be...) So I went to the boneyard and did some searching around. I pulled the fuse/relay box from a '93 Legacy. It has ATO blade fuses and several relays. Don't recall the count, but it was enough for the 914 circuits and a few spares.

My plan (eventually) is to snip the corroded spade connectors from the 914 wiring and solder (I despise crimp connectors) the 914 wires into the leads from the Subie box, and make an adapter to bolt the box more or less in the stock position.

QUOTE

I despise crimp connectors) the 914 wires into the leads from the Subie box, and make an adapter to bolt the box more or less in the stock position.

As much as I despise crimp connectors too, they are the best way to make an electrical connection from a wire to something non-moveable in a situation like a car or airplane where there is vibration. Soldering apparently (I don't know this first hand) work hardens the copper and causes it to become a little more brittle. Because of this, its arguably not a great idea to crimp and then solder. A good crimping job makes an excellent connection. A piece of shrink tubing can help a lot to keep out gunk.

Sounds like a good find with the fuse box. I'm sure others would be interested in your solution as well.


I've actually decided to have three or four fuse boxes in my car. One in the front trunk for all the headlights, turn signals, etc., another in the cabin for cabin specific stuff, another in the engine bay, and possibly another in the rear trunk.

The reason for this is that I can run thin gauge wire around the car, aside from a single large +12 supply line.

-Tony

every professional conversion that i have seen here has minimal solder then heat shrink ,very tidy, no problems i know crimps are easy and i admit i use them myself at times but with a fuse box solder it u dont want to pull it out after you mount it

but thats just my 2 bobs worth

has any one considered just using the subaru wiring

we did a late model holden commodore v6(buick) into a 59 holden fc ute and used the whole dash and loom, the result was bewdiful

just a thought

The only reason to despise crimp connnections is if you aren't using the right connectors and the right tools. If you're trying to use the commonly available insulated "barrel" crimp connectors with the oval hole crimp tools, I don't blame you for hating crimps. Such stuff is indeed junk. However, if you use proper crimp-on connectors with no insulation and a thin-wall material, and use a proper crimp tool with the heart-shaped section, then crimping is faster to do correctly than soldering correctly, and the resulting connections are far more vibration resistant. If you can find the really good crimp-on connectors with the extra pair of fingers that grip the insulation as well as the wire, then all the better.

Soldering is not generally allowed in the aircraft industry because soldered connections are hard to visually inspect for flaws, easy to get wrong, and too much solder will make a brittle connection that will have a short life in a high vibration environment. I don't know of a single OEM manufacturer that's soldered their automotive wiring harnesses together in the last 40 years. The factory used high-quality crimped connectors that generally continue to work well for 30 years. Sure, they're corroded NOW, 30 years later after the low-quality rubber and plastic covering has vanished. With modern heat-shrink properly applied, there's little reason to believe a new harness made with such connectors wouldn't last another 30-40 years or longer.

QUOTE (lapuwali @ Oct 16 2005, 09:45 PM)

I don't know of a single OEM manufacturer that's soldered their automotive wiring harnesses together in the last 40 years.

Every little crappy bullet style connector in my 1970 MGB is soldered onto the end of the wire.


I can't tell you how many times I've tried to pull one out and had it break right where the solder ends instead of coming out. Lucas electrics: inventor of the 3 position headlight switch.. Dim, Flicker and Off.

Wow ! Is this my first thread hijack ?

I didn't realize that soldering was so out of favor. I'm just going from my own personal experience, where I know that my solder joints are good (having had plenty of practice) and I also know that my (and most DIY mechanics' ) crimp joints really suck. I agree that a good crimp is a perfectly fine connection, even better than solder for a high-vibration environment. But to make a good crimp joint, like lapuwali said, everything has to be just right - perfect (high quality) connector for that particular gauge of wire, appropriate ($$$) crimp tool for that particular connector, etc. What gets sold to the public at the FLAPS is not the same. The stuff that was used by a full-rate Porsche mechanic to "fix" my engine wiring harness is not the same.

Sorry if this sounds too pissy. I'm not trying to disagree with anybody, just vent some pent-up frustration from personal experience. I'm gonna stick w/ solder for now, but maybe some day I'll look into how the pros make crimp joints that don't suck.

Oh, and just a reminder : this thread was about Tony's cool plans for his car. Carry on.

QUOTE (bondo @ Oct 16 2005, 10:27 PM)

QUOTE (lapuwali @ Oct 16 2005, 09:45 PM) I don't know of a single OEM manufacturer that's soldered their automotive wiring harnesses together in the last 40 years. Every little crappy bullet style connector in my 1970 MGB is soldered onto the end of the wire. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to pull one out and had it break right where the solder ends instead of coming out. Lucas electrics: inventor of the 3 position headlight switch.. Dim, Flicker and Off.

Hm. I've pulled apart a half-dozen Lucas wiring harnesses and only found crimped connections. And this is on older (early 60s) BMC and "Stanard" (the marque, not the adjective) cars. I've only had one MG, though, and that was 20 years ago. Are these the "cup-style" bullets, where the wire goes into the cup? I've seen those in catalogs, but never actually on a car. I didn't think Lucas could really descend any lower than I've already seen. This is the company that used plastic inline fuse holders OEM because they added a couple of circuits beyond the four fuses they allowed for in the fusebox, on high-volume cars...

Yes, you need expensive crimp tools, and said tools are more expensive than a soldering iron. However, they won't burn you or the wire's insulation, and they don't need electric power to work. IMHO, everything needs to be perfect for soldering to work, too. The iron needs to be the right temp, the wire and whatever you're connecting to need to be clean, and you need to provide some total strain relief after the fact, as soldered connections are structurally weak as well as brittle. Soldering works fine for attaching components to a printed circuit board, but for free-standing wires and connectors, crimping is far better.