Headlights and signals all on 18 ga. Wire!!

I had a reputable VW shop get my speedster ready for a road trip. I wanted them to get the horn working, get high beams working, etc. They said my entire headlights, including brakes, etc were all on 1 single 18 gauge wire that was getting really hot. Awesome... Proof again I over paid! Listen to the experience here new guys!!!!

do you mean one 18 awg wire to your fusebox?

or one 18 awg wire to your headlight switch from your fusebox?

i'm confused because the only circuit that has your headlight and brake light is your main fuse panel power. if that is indead 18 awg - then yes - you have a problem. it would probably melt before you blew a fuse (under full load)

either way - it's pretty easy to upgrade the wire to a 10 awg one

Yes one 18 gauge wire at the fuse box. He'd rewiring the lights now.

Unfortunately, not all people who have built CMC's are adept at wiring them. I reworked something similar, only there was a HUGE wire from the fuse block to the headlight switch and then a teeny-tiny 18 gauge going to the headlights, themselves (daisey-chained, no less), and what looked like a 22 gauge going back to the tail lights. The back side of the dash looked like a basket of snakes and the wires were ALL THE SAME COLOR!! Different sizes, here and there, but all black.

In one kit that I bought (not a Speedster) I actually saw something hanging down under the dash that looked "unusual". I reached under and much to my surprise it was a circuit breaker that are used in houses!

I sold the kit before I could dig in and find out what other silly things were done.

This guy said he'd just put a VW harness with VW color coding for reference. Said he's done so many he could put the harness with labor in pretty inexpensive. I am quite mechanically inclined.... Not so much with electrical. I've just never had to rewire much other than boat trailers! In hind site, I should have taken the car somewhere and had the entire car rewired. It had 22 gauge going to tail lights also... I'm just glad I'm bitching now rather than looking at what would look like a lawn chair after a frat party bonfire... Nothing but frame!

i'm glad you found the problem before it found you.

adding another bigger wire to fuse panel is pretty easy. if your battery is in the front - it could be done in less than 1/2 hr.

I just looked at an old Mercades Benz that had a house light switch under the hood to turn on the cooling fans.

Bill that's awesome.

It's really good that you found this in time Keith.

With headlights and battery in such close proximity it'd be very easy to power front lights direct from the battery with heavy wire through relay(s) that operate from the switch. That way their larger current load is carried by short runs of heavy wire.

I looked at an old Chevy truck as a possible project and the owner had used lampcord/zipcord in 18 gauge to wire all of the lights and most of the dash accessories. He thought it was a great idea and it was one of the first things he proudly showed me. I left wondering what other innovations he'd used in the rebuild of the engine - leather strapping for bearings?

Well, the front and rear main bearing seals on Ford Flathead V8's was, essentially, a piece of rope that became saturated with oil, swelled and sealed pretty well!

If you're looking for a wiring harness that's color-coded, cut to size for a Speedster (including behind the dash) and pretty easy to install (A day if you've never done one, a short afternoon if you're Dr. Clock) then I would spring for a Vintage wiring harness - Merklin uses them on his cars. Give Mary a call and you could be wiring it in a week.

gn

Think that's what he's doing now.

I had a pretty easy time rewiring a Toyota FJ40 with a harness from these people: http://www.painlesswiring.com/

I can't say that it was cheap, but it was reasonable and each connection came with a tag to indicate it's use so in a stripped out body it was only a matter of laying the wiring out in the right directions and hooking it up. There were only two main conections between three sections to do the whole vehicle in 10 circuits with room for extras. I was glad I'd paid the cost when all was done.


Gordon,
I didn't take that "leather strap" stuff out of thin air: My uncle Hank used leather strapping for rod bearings in a 1937 Chevy before the war. It was an emergency fix in the middle of Texas but he liked to tell how his "bearings" had lasted for years after he got home.

Yelp a amature ,, It makes me sick when people to that.. And even the old bug books tell you what gauge each wire is.. fro 10 gauge to 14 and 18 to the only one 20 gauge blue wire on a vw the hi beam indecator..


as a rule Batt. Coil alt and starter 10 gauge

Hi and low beam 10 gauge

all main grounds 10 gauge,

running turn and brakes lights, and wiper 14 gauge preferred but some kits are 16 gauge.

horn ,instruments and radio 16 or 18 gauge.. i also only use 10 gauge on foglamps and with 10gauge circuts i use the bigger GM ac relays like off of a mid 80s malibo.. and solder all terminals to the wires at the crimps staying off the spades.

And even a amature should know some of this.

You better give him this Update

Yeah the VW shop was really nice about not cussing me or this guys handiwork.

On my grounds i clean the metal suface before a dab a contact grounding sealer to the area so be bolted or screwed to a connecter eylet. It pretty much insures a querk free wiring job for many years .

I might add that I always use star washers on grounds, it makes a very solid and trouble free connection.

I personally bring all my rounds to a common spot. If you have a ground issue its very easy to chase.

good call Jeff. i do/did that too.