New UK Member living in the US.

[BDA]

I considered rewiring my car, but chickened out so I'm not much help, but one think you might consider is doing initial testing with low amperage/voltage. I used a dry cell for my initial testing.

[4129R]

Put the harness through the rear bulkhead from the centre cab where the seats are, and feed it through the hole under the plenum chamber to the front lights etc.

I intend to connect all the wiring to the dashboard before putting the dash and crashpad in together. The dash and crashpad were joined with glue and staples on 4688R (very late Federal car) so they must have been put in together on the production line. (It had only done 15,000 miles from new before crashing heavily and sitting in various car yards for about 40 years)

Test every circuit before connecting the battery and turning on the ignition, with a multimeter.

Alex in Norfolk.

[Paul_71]

My car is an S2 Federal. The harness I have is a new TC Federal. I was told the S2 Fed is difficult to get and the TC Fed can be used, since the tail lamps, etc.... are specific to the fed version.

However... there are clearly differences between the two - in particular linked to the charging (Alternator) which Richard @ Banks tells me that it needs to be an ACR version.

Has anyone out there gone through this installation and can let me know what other changes I would need to make to cater for the differences in harnesses.

[buzzer]

Well I would get the nearest harness you can then I'm afraid it's a case of going through the wiring diagrams and through what is connected to what and sorting out the changes. I bought a TCS harnes to go into a TCS and had to make changes....in particular the alternator connectors!

[Paul_71]

I'm beginning to get a good feel for the differences. Main one is the engine bay with many electrical bits are located in different positions and requiring the tape wrap to be removed, wires re-routed and wrapped back up. The regulator and relay for the alternator require a new mini loom and the front harness needs to go through the chassis centre rather than through the wheel arch.
I'm just lying the harness out trough the car and marking out each connector and will report back as I go.

[Paul_71]

Im in the process of finishing the wiring loom and fixing down the dash. But, I'm a little stuck on the lower dash L bracket fixes. How are these meant to be fixed to the tunnel? There are two bobbins but no holes in the chassis (I did replace the chassis frame with a new one).
Should the screws thread into the bobbin, or into threads in the chassis?

Picture shows what I am trying to overcome.

[4129R]

I am 120 miles away from my bare chassis, but from photos, it looks like there is a threaded nut welded into the chassis where the L brackets are sited.

It looks like a 1/2" head  5/16"thread type bolt fixing.

I seem to remember several earth wires are attached to those L brackets so there must be a direct metal connection to the chassis.

Alex in Norfolk

[Paul_71]

Thanks for responding Alex.
I'm missing those fixings, so might have to drill a hole and install two bolts from the underside (inside the chassis), with a bolt on the top next to the L bracket. At least the L brackets can slide out without having to remove the bolt fully.

[TCS4605R]

There are (2) 3/8" - 24 bolts that secure the L-brackets to the fiberglass body and frame.  There are (2) threaded spool pieces welded into the top of the frame tunnel that they thread into.  These bolts can be difficult to get the threads lined up and started.  I have needed to loosen or remove the bolts at the front and rear - two at the front on each side near the top shock mount and two at the rear also near the top shock mount.  By fiddling around, you can get all (6) bolts lined up and tightened down.  See the attached photo for the L-brackets installed.  You may also need to loosen the bolts that secure the L-bracket to the wood dash in order to get things lined up.

Tom - 74TCS - 4605R

[TCS4605R]

Also, if you cannot see or feel the threaded spool pieces that are welded into the top of the frame tunnel, the fiberglass body and frame our out of alignment in the front-back direction.  Getting all (6) holes lined up can be a real bugger.

Tom - 74 TCS - 4605R

[Paul_71]

I checked a picture of the frame and there wasn't any holes from the outside - see picture.

I'll check tonight if there is anything on the underside.

[jbcollier]

Carefully open up a larger hole in the fibreglass and fit rivet-nuts/nutserts to suit.  Use large fender washers to cover the fibreglass hole when you're done.

[TCS4605R]

Paul,

You really need to try to line up the (6) fiberglass body to frame bolt holes before you start drilling new holes to secure the L-brackets.  If you try to drill new holes, you will most probably be trying to drill thru the wall thickness of the threaded spool pieces in the frame.  Take a small shafted screw driver and see if you can poke it down thru the bobbins under the L-brackets and into the threaded spool pieces in the frame to see how unmatched the bobbin and frame hole are - I had to do a lot of wrestling to move the fiberglass body forward and backward on the frame to get the (2) L-bracket holes to line up.  Get the L-bracket bolts in first (but do not tighten them) then install the other (4) bolts - you may need to take a 3/8" drill and using the front and rear bobbins as a guide, enlarge the last (4) bolt holes in the frame.  You can also poke a round screw driver shaft down the bobbins in an attempt to pry the holes into alignment.  All of the (6) bolts are 3/4"-24 - I used stainless steel cap allen bolts, stainless washers and stainless nyloc nuts on the last (4) bolts

Tom - 74 TCS4605R

[4129R]

I couldn't see any sign of the threaded holes on the photo of the new chassis.

Mine can clearly be see here:-

[LotusJoe]

Here are the holes on my chassis.