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IF YOU HAVE ELECTRONIC OR HEI IGNITION - SKIP STEPS TEN THROUGH TWELVE
WIRING COMPONENT KIT 07/2001
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390 BEATTY LINE FERGUS ONT. N1M 3R7
Ph: 800 865 7366 Fax: 519 843 1626
WIRING COMPONENT KIT INSTRUCTIONS
I have endeavored to make the forthcoming experience as painless as possible, however this kit is
not for the mindless. I am assuming that you have assembled your vehicle to the stage that it
needs to be wired and therefore you have a good working knowledge of the automobile or you
have a friend that does, to help you.
I have been wiring specialty vehicles for twenty years. It takes me thirty hours to wire a basic
vehicle and fifty to sixty hours for a seventies Corvette. You wont finish this job in one
weekend.
THE KIT
This kit has been designed to try to anticipate all of your needs and direct you through this job as
smoothly as possible. The procedure has been laid out in numbered steps. Each step has a
numbered bag of parts. Read each step carefully before starting it. Complete each step before
proceeding to the next do not skip steps.
PARTS
The selection and acquisition of parts you will require is the first task.
Battery - select a battery that is adequate for your needs. Any reputable auto parts store can
quote you based on your application. As a rule you will be quite safe with a battery of 600-800
cold cranking amps.
Alternator - I recommend a late model GM one wire alternator. These units are small, easy to
install, cheap and easy to find when you need a replacement. If your vehicle has no other
accessories than a radio and heater you will be fine with a 40-60 amp alternator. A vehicle with
air conditioning, power windows, etc., requires an alternator of 80- 100 amps or better.
Steering column - 90% of the people building specialty vehicles today are using GM columns,
this is what we have provided instructions for. We have provided you with a diagram for Ford
columns, however we recommend staying with the GM unit. When purchasing a used column,
make sure you get the plug for the ignition switch. WIRING COMPONENT KIT 07/2001
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Tools - other than normal hand tools, you will require an electric drill capable of accepting a 1"
hole saw, a soldering iron, solder, and a good quality pair of stripping - crimping pliers.
STEP ONE
Step one does not have a bag of parts.
Select a suitable location for your battery and get it mounted. If your battery is more than
three feet from the starter I recommend using #1 or #2 gauge cable for the positive cable.
Determine how you will route the positive battery cable to the starter, measure how long
it needs to be, how many mounting clamps you will need (minimum one per foot) , and
what type of ends you require.
#4 gauge cable will be suitable for your ground cable if you keep it under sixteen inches
long. Route one ground cable directly from the negative battery post to the vehicle frame,
and a lighter ground strap from the vehicle body to the frame (steel bodied cars only). Use
a #4 cable to ground the engine block to the frame. Add up all of the ends, pieces, and
fasteners you will need as you are figuring this out.
Decide what type of brake light switch you are going to use and whether or not you will
need a relay for it. If you are using LED lights you will not need one, if you are using
more than one 1157 bulb per side or Brite Bulbs , put a relay in.
You will need 100 - 150 wire ties about 4" long and 50 ties 6 - 8" long.
Got all this written down? OK get down to your local parts store (this should be your last
trip) and get it.
Install all battery cables and ground straps as previously discussed.
Be sure to leave the negative battery cable disconnected while you are wiring the rest of the
car
STEP TWO
Select a mounting location for the fuse panel. It should be in a spot that will be fairly
accessible for fuse replacement and bear in mind that will be spending three or four hours
at this panel while wiring the car. It is a good idea to mount the panel, flashers and horn
relay on a metal plate and mount them as a unit. WIRING COMPONENT KIT 07/2001
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STEP THREE
Step three does not have a bag of parts
Select a routing path that the under hood wiring will take from the accessories to the fuse
panel. It usually works out best if the wires are routed in two bundles, one on each side of
the chassis. Route these two harnesses through the firewall or floor (remember the 1" hole
saw?) And direct them from there inside the body. Spend as much time as necessary here
because it determines how tidy the finished product will look. It usually takes me between
twenty minutes and an hour to decide how I want to do it.
It is best to keep as much of the wiring within the confines of the body because the body
offers the most opportunity to hide them.
Some things that might help out... If you are running wires along the inside of an exterior
body panel (such as the roof skin or a quarter panel where you cant drill a hole for a
mounting clip).
Get some velcro strips from the sewing or craft store, cut them into four-inch long pieces,
using a glue gun, glue one side of the velcro piece to the panel. You can now run your
wires over the glued on piece and secure the wires with the other half of the velcro. In an
emergency I have used duct tape instead of velcro, but it will fall off within a couple
years.
STEP FOUR
Route 10 ga yellow wire from the battery terminal of the starter solenoid to the battery
terminal of the fuse panel. See diagram 1
STEP FIVE
Route 12 ga black wire from the stud on the fuse panel ground strip to a good chassis
ground. Bear in mind that all electrical circuits require current to pass from the + battery
terminal through the desired accessory and return to the - battery terminal. In most
instances this return function is done by passing the current through the body or chassis.
That is why, if you have a fiberglass body, all accessories attached to the body must be
grounded. As a rule of thumb, if it takes a 10 ga wire to feed it, use a 10 ga wire to ground
it.
IF YOU ARE TIRED, THIS IS A GOOD PLACE TO STOP WIRING COMPONENT KIT 07/2001
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STEP SIX
You will be routing several wires to the steering column; leave these wires hanging as
you will be attaching a plug to them later on. Route 10 ga red wire from the batt stud of
the fuse panel to the batt terminal of the ignition switch. See diagram 2.
STEP SEVEN
Route 12 ga black wire from the Ign/Acc stud of the fuse panel to the Ign terminal of the
ignition switch.
STEP EIGHT
Route 12 ga brown wire from the Ign/Acc stud on the fuse panel to the Acc terminal of
the ignition switch.
STEP NINE
Route the 16 ga purple wire from the start terminal of the ignition switch to the neutral
safety switch (if applicable) then from the other side of the neutral safety switch to the
S terminal of the starter solenoid.
IF YOU HAVE ELECTRONIC OR HEI IGNITION - SKIP STEPS TEN THROUGH
TWELVE
STEP TEN
Select a good location for the ignition circuit resistor and mount it. Route 16 ga grey wire
from the ign terminal of the starter solenoid to the +terminal of the ignition coil.
STEP ELEVEN
Route 16 ga grey wire from the ign terminal of the ignition switch to one terminal of the
ignition resistor. Continue the 16 ga grey wire from the other terminal of the ignition
resistor to the + terminal of the ignition coil.
STEP TWELVE
Connect 16 ga grey wire from the - terminal of the ignition coil to the point set.
STEP THIRTEEN
If you are using electronic ignition, disregard steps ten through twelve. Route 16 ga grey
wire from the Ign terminal of the ignition switch to the + terminal of hei ignition coil. WIRING COMPONENT KIT 07/2001
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STEP FOURTEEN
Route 10 ga yellow wire from the Batt terminal of the alternator to the battery terminal
of the starter solenoid. If you are using a one wire alternator, you are finished. If you are
using the older style internal regulator with a two wire plug, connect the #2 terminal (see
diagram 3) to the Batt terminal of the alternator. Connect terminal #1 through a diode
(to let current flow in but not out of the alternator) to the IGN/ACC post of the fuse panel.
STEP FIFTEEN
If you are using an electric radiator fan you will need a switching devise. You can choose
from a manual toggle switch (not recommended) or a temperature switch fitted to the
cooling system. Either way use a relay, as fans draw a lot of current and will eventually
fry the switch.
Route the 16 ga green wire from the #1 Batt fuse (25 amp) to the chosen switching
devise, from the switching devise to the rad fan. NOTE: rad fan motors will run in either
direction depending which way the wires are hooked up. Be sure to test this before
hooking wires up permanently.
STEP SIXTEEN
Join the tan and dark green terminals of the ignition switch together (see diagram 2).from
this joint run a 16 ga black wire to the ground strip on the fuse panel.
NOTE: two white, eight terminal plugs have been provided in this parts bag. As you can
see, one side of each plug is male and the other, female. As there are more than eight
wires on the steering column use one male and one female plug body on each side of the
steering column connection. This will avoid any confusion at a later date if the column
has to be removed.
STEP SEVENTEEN
Route 16 ga white wire from the Batt fuse #2 (15 amp) to one side of the brake light
switch, continue from the other side of