Engine compartment wiring tuck examples?

Paint, body preparation and modification, interior work and electrical
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VelvetHammer
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Engine compartment wiring tuck examples?

Post by VelvetHammer »

Wondering if anyone has some good photos of hidden/ "tucked" wiring in the engine bay. I've read that some go back through the frame rail, but it's unclear where the wires would enter the passenger compartment (at the feet? doesn't seem ideal). Other seem to go under the fender?

I'm finally deleting my OEM fuse box and looking for a clean way to get wiring for the headlights, side markers, electric fan, and horns back under the passenger side dashboard.

The rest of my system is EFI and will likely use one or two Autosport connectors on the firewall for that and the wiper motor.

Thanks,
Cory
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Byron510
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Re: Engine compartment wiring tuck examples?

Post by Byron510 »

On the Bronze build I completed back in 2004, I relocated the factory fuse box to the inside of the passenger kick panel, up under the dash. I then ran the harness sideways through two electrical gland type connectors exiting into the wheel well behind the wheel. From here the harness went over the top of the inner fender top rail and down just behind the RH headlight. During this part of the run, I "T"ed off the engine harness, which runs down the inner side of the strut tower, and wraps under the front X member mount and comes up to the bottom of the engine to hook up the alt, starter and oil pressure gauge with the two wires for the distributor running under the front cover and up the LH side of the block to the distributor. From the T at the RH inner gender, the rest of the harness then went back into the engine bay just behind the RH headlight bucket and then immediately through to the front side of the rad support above the RH headlights and across to the LH headlight with the last wires for the coil going back through the LH inner fender and up under the coil.
The wiper motor wires were rerouted from the fuse box area under the dash and went up through into the cowl vent area the top of the cowl (as to not let water inside the car) and then through the sheet metal right under the wiper motor.
All of this work meant stripping every conector off the harness, and modifying the length of every wire. But it didn't take as long as you think, and it was certainly worth while as the engine bay was so clean afterwards. When the Bronze was carbureted, the engine bay was so clean. Once the EFI went on, hiding all wiring was not possible, but it still makes for a neat and tidy instalation overall.

Byron
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TheHeretic
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Re: Engine compartment wiring tuck examples?

Post by TheHeretic »

Byron,

Sounds like you put a lot of work into this. Planning on doing something similar to my car this coming winter. Would be great to have some good pics of the key areas that need attention i.ee, wheel well and engine compartment. Any chance of that? :)
Carpe Diem!
Ryan
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VelvetHammer
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Re: Engine compartment wiring tuck examples?

Post by VelvetHammer »

TheHeretic wrote:Byron,

Sounds like you put a lot of work into this. Planning on doing something similar to my car this coming winter. Would be great to have some good pics of the key areas that need attention i.ee, wheel well and engine compartment. Any chance of that? :)
Yeah Byron, any pics? btw, I had to look up what the heck a "gland nut" was! Would love some simple shots of harness entry and exit points if you have them.

Thanks!
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Byron510
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Re: Engine compartment wiring tuck examples?

Post by Byron510 »

I'll re post the photos directly on the Bronze build thread, but under one post - wiring tuck. Most of these photos are already in the build, but I do agree they'll take some sorting as the build thread is 60+ pages long :-)

Here's the link;

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=530&start=990#p261274

Byron
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VelvetHammer
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Re: Engine compartment wiring tuck examples?

Post by VelvetHammer »

Byron510 wrote:I'll re post the photos directly on the Bronze build thread, but under one post - wiring tuck. Most of these photos are already in the build, but I do agree they'll take some sorting as the build thread is 60+ pages long :-)
Follow up question to ponder: It looks as though you used your relocated brake line as the surface to zip tie the harness to in most places. In other spots it's looks like you may have used a some sort of fastener with a pop rivet? In those areas, did the back side of the rivet show in the engine compartment?

I won't have the brake line as a structure to fasten the harness to. Wondering what I could use that wouldn't be too obvious on the engine compartment side.

Pop rivets have a hole in the the middle of them, which I guess could be sealed with something then painted over?
Adel clamps would leave a series of screw heads showing on the engine side.
Or a low-profile carriage-head style bolt.

I guess the cleanest solution would be to weld a threaded post in the wheel well that an Adel clamp could fix to? My engine compartment paint needs to get reshot, so I wouldn't worry about discoloration due to welding.

I'm guessing a fastener every 4-6 inches (depending on curved surfaces) would do it?
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Byron510
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Re: Engine compartment wiring tuck examples?

Post by Byron510 »

You are correct that I did use the brake line to secure the wiring harness in the RH wheel well, it was available. Actually, the wiring was the last step in assembly of the car, which made the wiring attached to just a pout anything as I went. I do wish I had pre-wired the car - prior to painting - as I had to drill a number of holes that required touch up. Of course this is never as good as following the whole process. But I did manage to make it work well. I tried to use these gland fittings whereever the harness passed through a bulkhead of any kind - especially those entering/exiting the passenger compartment , otherwise I made use of standard Pico grommets as they are readily available. It's nice that today the old connectors can be replaced with new. At the time of this build, this option wasn't available to me.
Later on when the EFI setup went in, I chose the weatherpak GM style connector system for the entire EFI harness, just to keep a standard in play. They are pretty good connectors that have survived well, but they look seem to be unnecessarily bulky at times.

Regarding your question, yes there are spots where indeed both sides see visible. I did make liberal use of rivets on this build. I came to realize during this build that a rivet is indeed a serviceable connector and fastening method. In doing so, placing the head of the rivet on the visible side and using proper rivet washers to pull what you need fastened on back side suddenly became an option, and it is effective. Additionally a well placed rivet head becomes nearly invisible.

And as you noticed, I made liberal use of the adel clamps - nearly everywhere. Affixed by bolts, studs and rivers.

I do however like your stud idea. I've seen the spot weldors that place them, and it's one of those tools on the "someday wish list".

Hope that helps.

Byron
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