Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

petermeachem · Joined: 23 Sep 2013 Posts: 358 Location: Chichester Sussex

This seems to afflict Austin 7's or maybe I just notice them. For instance in http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1936-AUSTIN-SEVEN-RUBY-Saloon-ARR-/222128347197 look at this http://aceclassiccars.com/ebay/austin51/image65.JPG
Just awful. Even Austins that don't have random extras tacked on always seem to have really messy wiring

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7215 Location: Edinburgh

Hi Peter,

I think quite a few owners are blind to modern detritis. Like you, I'm not and hate it.

Peter Twisted Evil

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https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

kevin2306 · Posted: Wed May 25, 2016 3:42 pm Post subject:

My Singer's last (and first) owner was an auto-electrician, but even then I spent many hours going through the car changing the blue crimped connectors for original style ones.
it was only on things like Radio, Spotlights and the original Lucas electronic ignition conversion but still took ages! looks so much better though (and probably more reliable as I soldered the connectors after they were crimped)

Kevin

Riley Blue · Joined: 18 Jun 2008 Posts: 1751 Location: Derbyshire

You'd hate looking under the dashboard on my Riley! A previous owner added a hazard flasher switch to enable all four indicators to flash at once. Unfortunately the switch is in a box with a tangle of wires into and out of it. It looks awful and one day I'll pluck up courage to try to fathom it out. I've no idea why he did it, the car hasn't been a 'breakdown queen' while I've been driving it.
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David

1963 Riley 1.5
1965 Riley 1.5

kevin2306 · Posted: Wed May 25, 2016 8:14 pm Post subject:

Just do it one wire at a time, soon gets done

Kev

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22786 Location: UK

Note to self - never post an under-bonnet photo Smile

RJ
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baconsdozen · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 1119 Location: Under the car.

Dipster · Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 8:46 am Post subject:

One of my pet hates in life in general is when I have to work on something already constructed or fitted (such as an additional wiring loom) where the original installer/fabricator has left no diagrams. Worse, when no attempt at clarity (eg. same colour wires) has been made.

I have come across this many times both in cars and houses (particularly buried pipework and cables. Grrrr!). It takes a lot of time, careful thought and tracing to sort things out.

MikeEdwards · Joined: 25 May 2011 Posts: 2707 Location: South Cheshire

My pet hate is Scotchlok connectors.

I once spent ages trying to sort out an intermittent running fault on a car, only to look at it in the dark and see one of the low-tension cables arcing to the engine. It had once had a Scotchlok connector spliced into it, the offending connector had been removed and the connection made properly, but without noticing that the part where the insulation had been pierced was exposed enough to earth to cause the problem.

goneps · Posted: Sat May 28, 2016 1:13 am Post subject:

The first thing that strikes my eye when a bonnet is opened is the wiring, and invariably it's dreadful. Nasty thin plastic-coated wires instead of proper braided cables man enough
for a 6V system, plastic insulating tape instead of braided sleeving, those horrible crimp terminals instead of decent soldered connections, suppressor plug caps instead
of brass spades, and the whole catastrophe made worse by no attempt to arrange things tidily. Even the HT cables are usually an ugly bird's nest.

More often than not the owners are the same characters who complain bitterly that the lights are pathetic, and heap totally unjustified insults upon Joseph Lucas and 6V electrics.

Richard

petermeachem · Joined: 23 Sep 2013 Posts: 358 Location: Chichester Sussex

Couldn't agree more. Replacing a loom on an Austin is not exactly a huge job, braided ones are easily bought. They want an enormous amount of money for this car, they could at least have made it look decent. makes you wonder which other bits have been skimped

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7215 Location: Edinburgh

Not just 7s here's an otherwise nice 16.

_________________
https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

Riley Blue · Joined: 18 Jun 2008 Posts: 1751 Location: Derbyshire

That really is unforgiveable!
_________________
David

1963 Riley 1.5
1965 Riley 1.5

goneps · Posted: Mon May 30, 2016 12:24 am Post subject:

I agree that's quite bad enough, but there was an even worse example at the Galaxy of Cars event in February. A row of three very presentable pre-war Riley saloons, all with
open bonnets, and there, on the middle one, for all the world to see, was wiring taken from a modern car complete with white plastic multiple spade connector plugs.

Had it been my car I'd have been too ashamed to open the bonnet with anyone else around. We can but hope that a special place in hell awaits the perpetrators
of such crimes.

Richard

Da Tow'd · Posted: Mon May 30, 2016 3:38 am Post subject:

Not a classic but terrible idea on the wiring on the electric windows,doors locks and mirror in a 1995 Jeep wagon. The multi wires all bunched up in the door jam bent 90*, there must be 12 wires and I found 5 broken. No wonder why nothing worked but a paying job is a paying job.
I relate that to the nicer set up used on the Volvo wagon.
cheers
Hank