MG Sports Cars

Howdy folks,

This is my first post on the site after switching to the dark side a few months ago and I've been reading 'how it was done' articles and other posts on the site. Talk about hugely useful information!!!

I have a GM 215 that I will be rebuilding this winter for my 1979 roadster. My plan is to make the engine compartment look neat and tidy. However, I can't seem to find any good photos and explanations on how to hide the engine bay wiring (ie: where and how to route it). Can anyone provide details/photos on how to do this?

Apologies if I have missed some obvious threads on this subject already and thanks in advance for any help!
Chris

I'd take a look at Dan Master's work on his GT. [www.britishv8.org] Very clean.

Thanks David.

I have looked at Dan's beautiful GT but I am after info on how to run the wiring for each system in the engine compartment (ignition, heater, brake lights, headlights/running lights) to make it look clean as well of detailed photos.

Cheers,
Chris

Chris, first to really do the job right you'll have to be ready to make up your own wiring harness as the stock harness probably wouldn't be long enough and also to run the wires inside looms of some sort all the original connectors would have to be removed anyway. Back when I was building my street rods I usually started by laying out the wiring on the car so that I could both get a wire count at each location but also to determine a routing that suits your eye. For larger bundles common electrical conduit works well, easy to bend and braze brackets to for mounting. For smaller runs then smaller diameter steel or copper tubing works good, I've even run small bundles through 3/8" steel gas line on choppers. It's really up to you and your creative ability to make things look like the wiring "dissappeared". Where you do have to have wiring exposed then wrapping it in a tape covering as near the same color as the car helps it blend in very well. That's what I did on the Midget, but I really wasn't trying to hide anything there, just make it look somewhat neat. Another trick is to use wire with the insulation the same color as the car, but that makes troubleshooting a real pain. I did that on the car in the photo, all the wires except the battery cables were yellow on that car and I used tape on wire numbers to keep things sorted. I don't have photos of any under hood areas, there are a couple of cars in the photo section that have been done quite well, but right now I don't remember which ones, you'll just have to look through and find them.

Thanks for the information Bill! I heard about the electrical conduit but didn't think about length of wiring needed to hide it. I was considering going with the Advance Auto Wire harness. From what I know I don't think the connectors are attached to that harness. I'll have to look into it further.

I have seen a few roadsters and GTs with hidden wiring but unfortunately they don't show how it was routed.

Cheers,
Chris

Chris,

I have the Advanced Auto Wire kit.The wires are terminated on the power block only. The other ends of the wiring doesn't have any connectors on them from the power block. The rest of the wiring is open on both ends.This kit would work for what you are looking for in the end results.

Just need to figure out the routing and hiding!

Calvin

Thanks for the information Calvin. That is really helpful. I will probably go with the Advance Auto Wire kit. How did you find the installation of this kit? Does it come with fairly long wires? I could probably ask the manufacturers the same question but this is more fun!

If anyone has detailed photos showing how you hid your electrical wiring please post them!!!

Cheers,
Chris

Hi Chris

I was up in Salmon Arm about a month ago. I live on the Sunshine Coast


All the wires are hidden in my application. I drilled a hole just above the passengers feet and feed the wires to the engine up via this hole (the rear wires come in the same hole as well as the starer wires), under the intake tot he coil, alternator and temperature sending unit. All the front lights use the same run as the old wire use to run except I drilled a hole through the inner fender and ran the wires along the fender just above the wheel entering back into the engine bay where the headlight wires come through,

The fuse box and relays are now located behind the glove box.

Contact me at bcmills@gmail.com and I will send you more photos.

We have a number of cars that, well, some are hidden and some are not.

The complete listing of cars:
[picasaweb.google.com]

Have a look at the white MGB. Thats more hidden albeit the pictures do not show everything, they show quite a bit.

Curtis also list out my MGB conversion here: [www.britishv8.org]

A picture he took at Britsh V8 Meet 2008:




This is not completed, but as far as I have gone so far. Time? What time?

-BMC.






-

Bruce that is VERY helpful information. Thank you. And what a bummer to hear that you were in my neck of the woods without knowing it. It would have been fun to chat with you. I'll be sending you an email shortly for more photos.

Brian, thank you very much! I am definitely going to check out all the cars you have done.

I'm like a dry sponge dropped in a bucket of water when it comes to this stuff!!!

Cheers,
Chris

Chris,
I can't help you on your wiring project, but I will say, I love your avatar! Do you have any other photos to share with this group here on the dark side?

Ken

Chris,

I haven't installed the wiring kit yet, but I'm sure when you are ordering your wiring kit from Advanced Auto Wire, you could ask for a little more length in the wiring kit.

I did take my power block and used the needed wires, and hooked them up to start my ls1 engine which is using a fuel injection fuel pump. It was pretty easy to follow their instructions.

Calvin

If you're hiding the wiring, be sure to ask about the thinner insulation when you talk to Advance (Steve). He can offer you two thicknesses of insulation on the signal wires and that will help a great deal with wire bundle size.

Jim

Chris,

Before we go any further with your project, you must learn to fold your top correctly. That just won't do. You have much to learn, Young Skywalker!! ;)

Cheers
Simon

Calvin, thanks for the input on the Advance harness. Jim, that's a great idea. I'll definitely ask them about the thinner insulation when I order the harness.

Simon, I'm going to chase you down the street with a large stick. Ha!

By the way, I just obtained a set of 3.9 heads from the local Rover guy for $150. He also has an early 70's roadster tub (sans engine, interior, rad, etc.) that I bought for $70. I spent the afternoon at the yard with my buddy pulling parts off it. Yahoo! Now it's off to the machine shop tomorrow to get the engine bits prepped for the build.

Ken, thanks for the complements on the photo. Here's another a few more fun ones...






Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/17/2009 12:16AM by cgill.

Oh and here's the original full sized...

Chris,
Thanks for feeding us more of your deliciously tasty art work. It's great to find someone who can apply your artistic talents to the car hobby.
Ken