Wiring harness

[rsk289]

Could someone give me an idea of roughly what route the wiring harness takes around the car on a CSX2000-series? Obviously there will be some differences between LHD and RHD, but I'd be interested to know where the main harness is fixed as it passes towards the back of the car on a RHD. Similarly brake lines, if anyone has that info. I presume both were fixed with simple metal clips, no rubber-lined ones.

[blue sky]

I assume your interest is towards the Lucas harness rather than the Autolite one. LHD and RHD are practically identical. It all has to do where the individual electrical units are located on the car and most locations were somewhat consistant for the early cars. Horns did move around and type of steering system was a factor. There are actually three harnesses; the engine, headlight and body harness; the engine and dash harness; and the tail lamp harness. The main harness started at the generator, wrapped around the the front nose from right to left, came down the left front wing to the firewall where it connected to the dash engine harness. The harness went down the trans tunnel along the left main tube to the trunk area where it connected to the tail lamp harness. The engine and dash harness started at the wiper motor, went along the firewall where it plugged into the main harness and then penitrated the firewall to connect into the switches and gauges. This is somewhat a general description of the layout. Hope it helps.

[KevinW]

remember to use P-clips with rubber inserts - dont use the raw metal P-clips seen on some original cars if you want to get through a UK IVA test!

[FatBoy]

I don't think that's an issue here Kev.

If you thought you were an originality anorak, Roger takes it to a whole new level.

Paul

[rsk289]

Originally Posted by FatBoy

I don't think that's an issue here Kev.

If you thought you were an originality anorak, Roger takes it to a whole new level.

Paul

Well, I have just spent several hours getting the '64-dated DR3 6-wire wiper motor to sit in the correct relationship to the LH fresh-air can. And finding a correct PRS7 switch was a struggle, I can tell you.

[KevinW]

..... noted!

I am thinking of mounting my wiper motor on top of the footbox, but i have a slight wince, as I know its not the 'correct' wiper motor!

[rsk289]

Originally Posted by blue sky

I assume your interest is towards the Lucas harness rather than the Autolite one. LHD and RHD are practically identical. It all has to do where the individual electrical units are located on the car and most locations were somewhat consistant for the early cars. Horns did move around and type of steering system was a factor. There are actually three harnesses; the engine, headlight and body harness; the engine and dash harness; and the tail lamp harness. The main harness started at the generator, wrapped around the the front nose from right to left, came down the left front wing to the firewall where it connected to the dash engine harness. The harness went down the trans tunnel along the left main tube to the trunk area where it connected to the tail lamp harness. The engine and dash harness started at the wiper motor, went along the firewall where it plugged into the main harness and then penitrated the firewall to connect into the switches and gauges. This is somewhat a general description of the layout. Hope it helps.

Helps greatly, thanks very much. For practicality of use I am switching to an ACR-type alternator, and will probably convert the ammeter to a voltmeter. Quite easy to do using the original instrument - it just looks a bit odd 'switched off', as it shows full charge. I think it's worth it as I've always hated having that fat brown cloth-covered wire carrying full charge sitting right behind the dash, with exposed terminals to the back of the ammeter. Never felt too comfortable with that!

[KevinW]

i dont see why you need to have exposed terminals - unless using heatshrink wrap or plastic boots on lucar connectors is considered a sin.

[rsk289]

It's not so much that, more that a decent ammeter will produce a lot of current for the flimsy standard wiring loom, and that an ammeter is much less use than a voltmeter when an alternator is fitted. I have swapped the internals from an original early sixties voltmeter with the casing and dial of an ammeter, so the only issue visually is where the needle sits at rest.

[mickmate]

Just run a couple of dummy wires off it, no one will know ;-)

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by rsk289

Could someone give me an idea of roughly what route the wiring harness takes around the car on a CSX2000-series? Obviously there will be some differences between LHD and RHD, but I'd be interested to know where the main harness is fixed as it passes towards the back of the car on a RHD. Similarly brake lines, if anyone has that info. I presume both were fixed with simple metal clips, no rubber-lined ones.

If you spend time on the Ford archive web site there are pictures of chassis in all states of build at AC Cars. You can see wiring layouts in some.

[rsk289]

Originally Posted by Dan Case

If you spend time on the Ford archive web site there are pictures of chassis in all states of build at AC Cars. You can see wiring layouts in some.

Thanks for the pointer, Dan - google only seems to find 'thehenryford.org' or 'bensonford', and I can't find anything about ACs or Cobras on those sites. Do you have a link for the Ford archives?

Thanks, Roger

[FatBoy]

I posted a link on T289R forum a while back Roger.

Paul

[Dan Case]

I think it has been posted on this web site more than once. I see references to it often. You can't look just once as the pictures posted change or get added to every once in a while.

Collection: Dave Friedman collection, 1946-2009

[rsk289]

I've checked through all the pictures I can find, and I can't tell how the wiring harness goes across the front of the car, by the radiator. Does it thread through the bonnet hinges on its way round to the generator, or does it dip down towards the steering rack (leafspring car)?