We followed the speedometer...
We followed the speedometer installation instructions and twisted the paired wires. Those wires were run in a manner to keep them away from any other wires to avoid interference. A separate ground was also used.
A piece of plate stock was formed to match the curve of the dashboard and the American Autowire turn signal toggle switch and the horn button were mounted to that plate. The plate was then mounted to the left of the steering column near the front edge of the dashboard. These switches could have been located on the dashboard, but we wanted to keep the dashboard uncluttered.
Since we are utilizing an original, 6V Model A horn we purchased a 12V to 6V voltage reducer from Speedway Motors and placed it between the power side of the horn button and the horn, the opposite side of the push-button horn switch was attached to one of our grounding strips.
The turn signal wires from the wiring harness were attached to the American Autowire turn signal toggle switch according to the supplied instructions and we had front and rear turn signals. (Note: Since we are utilizing LED taillights/turn signals we purchased a special turn signal flasher from Speedway Motors that is designed to work with LED turn signals.)
Per the gauge instructions,...
Per the gauge instructions, the fuel gauge sending unit arm was cut, bent, and installed based on the depth of the fuel tank.
The float rod on the fuel tank sending unit was cut, bent, and installed per the instructions. The rod is cut based on the depth of your fuel tank. The sending unit was then installed in the tank. We elected to run a ground wire from one of the sending unit screws to a chassis ground. This grounded the sending unit as well as the fuel tank.
The battery circuit was next. Obviously there are various ways to connect and ground a battery. The battery location has a lot to do with the selection. Since our battery is located in the bed of our pickup truck we needed some fairly long cables. We ran a No. 2 cable from the positive side of the battery to the starter solenoid. We then ran No. 2 cable from the negative battery terminal to the battery disconnect switch that we had located on the front of the seat riser. Another No. 2 battery cable was then run from the battery disconnect switch to a good chassis ground. (Note: A good ground consists of an area of metal that is free of rust, corrosion, paint, etc.) We used pre-manufactured battery cables with the correct ends (battery clamp or terminal ends) factory installed; you could also make your own.
The American Autowire toggle...
The American Autowire toggle turn signal switch was wired per the instructions. Note that we wrote the color of each wire on the schematic for troubleshooting at a future date, if necessary.
Grounding cables and ground wires should always be attached to clean metal areas. Many electrical problems are often traced to poor grounds.
Battery disconnects are an excellent safety device, in addition to a theft deterrent. By interrupting the battery circuit all electrical flow to the system is disconnected. Thus, a short in a wire or an overloaded circuit can’t start a fire while the vehicle is unattended. The battery disconnect location should be at a point at which it can be easily reached by the driver. This allows the electrical circuit to be shut off immediately should something unexpected occur. Battery disconnect switches are available as a simple on/off switch, or on/off switch with a removable key. In addition, you can select a battery disconnect switch with a terminal to allow a power wire to remain on when the switch is in the off position. This allows you to retain various memory selections in a radio or other such devices.
We used terminal strips and...
We used terminal strips and jumper strips throughout the wiring system. This allows multiple wires to be fed off of one wire, makes connections easier to trace, and makes for a much neater wiring system.
Once all of the wires were run we tested each circuit. Satisfied that all electrical circuits were operating as planned, we covered the various wiring harnesses with a split plastic conduit. This added a professional, finishing touch to the wiring.
Throughout the process we generated rough, hand-drawn wiring schematics of the various systems; this will allow us to troubleshoot the electrical system at a later date should something malfunction.
Thanks to today’s wiring kits the task of wiring our street rod was not nearly as tough as it might seem, and we have the satisfaction of being able to say we did it ourselves.
We installed the fusible link,...
We installed the fusible link, supplied with the wiring kit per the instructions, if this wire was not installed the wiring harness warranty would be voided.
A Speedway Motors voltage...
A Speedway Motors voltage reducer was used to reduce the voltage from 12 V to 6 V for the original Model A horn.
Various sizes of black, wiring...
Various sizes of black, wiring loom were slipped around the harnesses to protect the wires and create a finished appearance.