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Hiding wires in a car Neatly..Lets see yours

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by squigy, Jan 7, 2010.

  1. zzford
    Joined: May 5, 2005
    Posts: 1,823

    zzford
    Member

    I try to avoid using the white zip ties, using the black ones instead. Also use the smallest ones that work. It makes for a more professional looking job. Pick up a pair of flush cut pliers to clip off the unused tails. Your hands will thank you for it.
     
    mad mikey likes this.
  2. Large nail clippers work good too, especially if you can get ones with convex jaws like they sell at some medical supply stores.

     
    chopnchaneled likes this.
  3. OahuEli
    Joined: Dec 27, 2008
    Posts: 5,243

    OahuEli
    Member
    from Hawaii

    They're called tywrap anchors, among other things. Electrical supply places carry them, Thomas and Betts, Panduit are common sources.
    In order to make them stick, I clean the area with Simple Green, run a piece of electrical tape (offset from wire run centerline) and lay them in evenly. Remember that they should be at the beginning and end of each radius, not right in the turn. Remove the tape when done.
    Another thing to keep in mind, try to limit the amount of physical stress on them. If you use the right amount, the weight of the harness should be evenly supported. The critical points are from horizontal to vertical, and vertical to overhead.
    When making your final radius to the connection point, lay it out and snip off small pieces until you have the right length, taking your terminal (ring, fork, spade etc) length into consideration. Radius' that are too long or too short result in a sloppy looking install. On a multiple termination point, tywrap every two or three wires. This keeps the harness together and looks better that one or two tywraps for a dozen wires.
     
  4. LowA100
    Joined: May 19, 2006
    Posts: 104

    LowA100
    Member

    32 roadster:
    I ran all wires down thru each kick panel into a 1" hole that goes thru the body sub-rail and into the frame. All wires were ran thru 3/4 clear tubing and went to the front and rear of each side of the car. The clear tubing acts as a good conduit from chaffing the wires and also lets you see thru the bundle in case a need of repair.

    I would attach pictures but you cant see 'em
     

    Attached Files:

    mad mikey likes this.
  5. BTTT, any more pics?
     
  6. KrisKustomPaint
    Joined: Apr 20, 2007
    Posts: 1,107

    KrisKustomPaint
    Member

    Nice wiring. There is definitely an art to it.
     
  7. The37Kid
    Joined: Apr 30, 2004
    Posts: 30,627

    The37Kid
    Member

    I get totally confused if there are 3 wires, so won't ask about the wires, what is the story with the firewall? Fully reversed or , just sections? I full view would answer the question I think. Thanks![​IMG]
     
  8. Toner283
    Joined: Feb 13, 2008
    Posts: 1,327

    Toner283
    Member

    Here are some better pics. Reversed the whole thing & then cut the center section out & flipped it back so the reinforcing ribs faced the right way. filled the center & fabbed the bottom 1/3 to cover & reinforce the front body mounts. The whole thing can be unbolted from the car in about 1/2 an hour. more pics in my build thread. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=348159

    [​IMG]

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    brEad, olscrounger and flatheadpete like this.
  9. The37Kid
    Joined: Apr 30, 2004
    Posts: 30,627

    The37Kid
    Member

    NICE WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for posting the photos!
     
  10. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,933

    squirrel
    Member

    seven years....this thread has been sleeping a long time!

    My last car, I stuck them out in the open where everyone can see.
     
    dana barlow and mad mikey like this.
  11. trollst
    Joined: Jan 27, 2012
    Posts: 2,108

    trollst
    Member

    The way I do mine, my 27. DSC05736.JPG
     
    deadbeat likes this.
  12. gnichols
    Joined: Mar 6, 2008
    Posts: 11,345

    gnichols
    Member
    from Tampa, FL

    A buddy of mine insists on running a lot of wire thru the frame rails to completely hide the wiring - like some show car street rod. But what would happen later if anyone needed to trouble shoot things, or drill another hole in the frame, or grind / weld on the rails to add new stuff, or even make minor collision repairs? The more you hide stuff, the worse repairs and trouble-shooting become. Gary
     
    dana barlow and bobss396 like this.
  13. I do mine very neatly and I have to have access to it, just in case. I'm OCD so everything has to look just so.
     
  14. In my buddy's '50 F1, I hid the fuse panel and such in a heater box. It makes the fuse panel and relays easily accessible and hides everything in plain sight.

    DSCF8021.JPG DSCF8025.JPG DSCF8242.JPG DSCF8694.JPG DSCF8699.JPG
     
    charleyw, brEad, neilswheels and 7 others like this.
  15. Gearhead Graphics
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 3,890

    Gearhead Graphics
    Member
    from Denver Co

    I moved my bulkhead to come out of the floor, not the firewall. I then ran all the wires in loom, and in the frame rails as much as possible. Go slow and think about where each one goes, not hard to hide them if you have a plan
     
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  17. gnichols
    Joined: Mar 6, 2008
    Posts: 11,345

    gnichols
    Member
    from Tampa, FL

    dana barlow likes this.
  18. dana barlow
    Joined: May 30, 2006
    Posts: 5,115

    dana barlow
    Member
    from Miami Fla.
    1. Y-blocks

    Some nice work shown. I do like hiding it mostly,a few just need to be out,yet can be clean done. Over time {40years+}what started out fairly clean hinding under my dash,has become a mess an a good thing no one looks under there but me now. I had to replace the hiding wires onecs inside the frame,things just got old an finely vibs took a toll on one going out to headlights. I did just put new an back inside again. I don't have alum headlight stands with a tunnel to hide wires,they were around in the late 50s when I built my rod the first time. But that would of cost$ ,so I just made them from "A" fender braces by cutting an bending them a little. The headlight wires are actully black flat/twin house cord hiding behide standbrace then go inside frame. 035.JPG
     
  19. Daniel Morales
    Joined: Apr 7, 2020
    Posts: 5

    Daniel Morales

    Hi, you can easily collect your wires in the car by the help of this cord clips
     
  20. Kevin Ardinger
    Joined: Aug 31, 2019
    Posts: 778

    Kevin Ardinger
    Member

    I was going to try to post a picture of my wires but I can’t find them!


    Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
    5window, firstinsteele and mgtstumpy like this.
  21. neilswheels
    Joined: Aug 26, 2006
    Posts: 1,213

    neilswheels
    Member
    from England

    What’s the coil lead ‘plug’ on the firewall? I ask as I’ve been thinking about putting my coil inside the car. Thanks
     
  22. Daniel Morales
    Joined: Apr 7, 2020
    Posts: 5

    Daniel Morales

    To get rid of messy wires in your car, there is also this solution: cable sleeves.
     
  23. Last car I hired out to wire. They were hiding it in the tube core support and stuff. No way to ever repair it if need be. I quit and walked. I know it was a chicken thing to do but I had withthat car. I like the harness wrap as stated before. You can still buy it. Most people at car shows these days don't even know the car has wire. The neat work on the roadster above is PLENTY nice!
     
  24. Daniel Morales
    Joined: Apr 7, 2020
    Posts: 5

    Daniel Morales

    These cable sleeves are perfect for areas with a lot of cords! I used one in my car. After reading other reviews, I think putting two together will make it look even better! They really fit several cords. I even had to double a few of the wires to make them shorter and it doesn't even look bulky!
     
  25. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Boy howdy, this poor old thread had a good three year nap before Danial dug it out again.

    I think Gary nailed it right on the head three years ago.
    The more hidden the wiring is the more problems you have troubleshooting it an troubleshooting always seems to come on the side of the road, in a rest area on the way to or from a rod trot or in a parts house parking lot and seldom in the home garage.

    Second completely hidden wiring is a tell tale sign of a street rod rather than a traditional hot rod.
    I do go for the neat and orderly and easy to identify wiring though. Even if you put out the extra cash for the cloth wrapped wire to have "the look" do a proper color code.

    A rodder who had a shop in this area got a great deal on several rolls of different size red wire back 40 something years ago and wired several cars with it including my buddy's 29 A roadster. You haven't seen a pain in the ass until you are laying under the back of a roadster with every wire being red in a gravel parking lot on a Friday night on the way to a rod run.
     
  26. I like to hide them in plain sight......cover or wrap them (not with split loom).
     
  27. flatheadpete
    Joined: Oct 29, 2003
    Posts: 10,478

    flatheadpete
    Member
    from Burton, MI

    Those are ugly as hell....Who wants big ass zippers in the engine compartment?
     
  28. I appreciate neat more than hidden. My biggest mistake twenty five years ago was to use all black wires in a black car with all black powder coated chassis. The wires were labeled, but the markings rubbed off with unintentional effort. It was well hidden but useless trying to trace a wire when needed. ...and I almost went blind when wiring the car as you could not put enough light onto the wires to see clearly.
    Ever since, I just use GM color coding and try to do it neatly using a lot of ties and keeping wire groups running straight, not tangled.
     
    flatheadpete likes this.
  29. BTDT.... While I was still working, I went on a service call on a piece of industrial equipment. There was a break in sequence, it'd run about halfway then stop. The control cabinet was the size of a large side-by-side refrigerator, had around a 100 relays in it. I open the door, and everything is effin' purple wire...

    The wires had been tagged, but most had dried out and fell off. Took two days to trace it...
     

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