How to wire a car from scratch

Carl
By Carl Heideman
Sep 20, 2024 | DIY, Wiring, Restoration, Project car | Posted in Electronics & Electrical Systems , Features | From the Aug. 2023 issue | Never miss an article

Photography by Carl Heideman

What do you do when you have to wire a car from scratch? Panic? Not so fast. Some methodical work plus proven techniques can easily deliver success. Yes, you can do this. 

Our latest project, a vintage Formula Vee single-seater, needed a new harness, and premade replacements aren’t available. We had two choices: Buy a universal kit from companies like Ron …

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Comments
Tom1200
Tom1200 UberDork
6/14/23 5:09 p.m.

Is that the original location of the switch panel?

pmulry
pmulry New Reader
7/27/23 3:45 p.m.

That "figure 8" method of securing the harness to the chassis is intriguing, but the photo doesn't make sense, probably since the tie wraps are all black so it's hard to see where the small one intersects the large one? I just can't figure how you'd do this with only 2 tie wraps....

paddygarcia
paddygarcia GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
7/27/23 5:53 p.m.

Relevant 3rd grader joke: what did the zero say to the eight? Hey, nice belt!

Loop the large zip tie around the tube and wire, and leave kinda loose. There's the zero. Loop the small one around the large one, like a belt, between wire and tube. Draw the small one tight and voila, the zero becomes an eight.

Carl Heideman
Carl Heideman
7/27/23 6:10 p.m.
Tom1200 said:

Is that the original location of the switch panel?

I can't say for sure if it's the original location, but a number of Zinks have the switches there. 

stylngle2003
stylngle2003 GRM+ Memberand Reader
1/22/24 10:17 a.m.
pmulry said:

That "figure 8" method of securing the harness to the chassis is intriguing, but the photo doesn't make sense, probably since the tie wraps are all black so it's hard to see where the small one intersects the large one? I just can't figure how you'd do this with only 2 tie wraps....

Big one goes around the chassis and harness, but not fully tightened. Small one goes around the big one, between harness and chassis. Then I imagine there's some dance of tightening them both in steps until desired spacing/fit is achieved.

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