Cyber T Returns Part 5

We Hold Painless Performance to Their Name Claim: Is it Really Painless? Part 1

By Chris Shelton

Okay, we all know how big a T-bucket is, right? They're pretty small. And we all know how much electronic gizmonikry goes into a T-bucket, right? They're not that complicated. So when we invited Painless Performance's Dennis Overholser over to give us some wiring pointers, we assumed that we were in for a one-day deal. After all, a handful of wires go here, a few more go there. Crimp on a few connectors, plug in a few switches and lights, and presto. It's just that easy!

Ha! Oh how could we delude ourselves so? No matter how you look at it, wiring a car is probably the most time-intensive element of the building process. But on the other hand, like Painless' name implies, it doesn't have to be aggravating.

And their eight-circuit T-bucket harness (PN 10308) bears that out. Painless literally sat down with National T-Bucket Alliance members and designed a T-bucket specific harness. It accommodates every common component and accessory a T-bucket (or any rudimentary hot rod) needs: headlights, taillights, brake lights, turn signals, hazards, horn, gauges, wipers, radio, electric fan, electric choke, and an extra circuit for whatever accessory tickles your fancy (heated seats, air conditioning, etc.). Painless color-codes and prints each wire's function on the entire wire's length to simplify installation. And since they based the design on their new modular system it easily accepts additional circuits should the situation call for it.

Painless also outfitted us with their Remote Master Disconnect kit (PN 30204). This is one trick piece. It's a compact, yet meaty (250-amp continuous capacity), solenoid that wires between the battery and the starter. A remote-mounted toggle switch engages or disengages the solenoid and kills all power to the starter and fuse panel, thereby rendering the car dead.

Painless gave us a very important kit for a fiberglass-bodied car: their 40026 Fiberglass Body Ground kit. Since fiberglass is an insulator on par with the metal the British use to build cars, it won't conduct electricity. As a result, components mounted in fiberglass won't ground and therefore won't work. This kit alleviates that problem by routing all fiberglass-mounted components to a common ground by the already-grounded chassis.

We pulled one more group into our little project: Auto Meter. Since Auto Meter practically bowled over the hot rod instrument market with their high-tech aluminum gauge combos, they probably don't need a formal preface. However, some of their components do deserve an introduction. They have a few gauge series that are probably some of the best-looking production gauges on the market. And considering Auto Meter's quality, reputation, and economical price, they're tough to beat. We opted for their timeless Traditional Chrome series. It walks that line between a proven aesthetic and Auto Meter's contemporary performance. They offer just about every gauge in the book in electric operation with the 90-degree sweep and a few in mechanical operation with the 270-degree sweep.

We opted for their electronic gauges for two reasons: with only three-wire operation, they're a snap to install and use Auto Meter's ultra-smooth air core movement. The movement whips the needle into a blur when required but lets it glide effortlessly when not. The red pointer visually jumps off the face, and the 2489 speedo and 2499 tach fit perfectly in the 3 3/8-inch Total-drilled gauge holes. The remainder of the gauges, including the 2516 fuel, 2522 oil pressure, 2592 volt meter, and 2532 water temperature gauges, measure 2 1/16 inch, so they drop into most existing gauge holes, including the ones Total Performance bored in our dash. Auto Meter also supplied us with their 3262 universal fuel level sender and their GM-specified 5291 Hall effect generator.

Because you probably wouldn't want to pay Dennis to come over and wire your car, Painless Performance offers an option that's just about like having Dennis looking over your shoulder: their instruction book. We followed along in the instruction book just to see if it jived with what he said. And it did. It explained a multitude of small, niggling details that we would have otherwise overlooked.

So we spread the instructions and individual components across the floor (oh yeah, and listened to Dennis) and veritably cut loose in a wiring frenzy. Within two solid days' work, we could pull a switch and see some light at the end of our figurative tunnel. If you're embarking on the same path as us, consider Painless and Auto Meter's stuff. For now, though, follow along. This is the first of a two-part electrical series that will continue our blow-by-blow coverage of this installation project.