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View Full Version : Cleaning up engine bay wiring.



Rileys68Camaro
02-20-2005, 07:31 PM
Without going crazy or a smooth firewall type deal, what's a really good way to hide your wiring or make it look nice at least?

I've been using black convoluted tube, but wonder if I should run it between the inner/outer fenders.

What to use on the wire for the temp sender in the front of the manifold?

Relays work good on the core support?

Just looking for ideas and experiences.

67rsssls
02-22-2005, 09:52 AM
The front light harness looks much neater when it is ran between the fender and inner fender. This is a very easy thing to accomplish since the stock harness is long enough. I also tucked the part of the harness that runs to the passenger side lights up under the radiator support lip.

Matt
02-22-2005, 03:02 PM
There are lots of options to keep wiring tidy. Quick releases, velcro straps, shrink wraps, nylon sleeves, etc.

A friend of mine got the sleeve from 'starlight' hose (black with a red stripe) and used that to cover the bulk of the stuff up, one or two of those running through the bay certainly keeps it uncluttered if not virtually hidden. He also made a pretty trick intake manifold/plenum that covers up a lot of the ugly stuff in the bay, I'll get a pick of it soon.

Get creative, and be foreward thinking about it, you can also make it easier to deal with in the future.

kman67rsss
02-27-2005, 07:54 AM
I have the painless kit in my 67 camaro and i used the black plastic wire mold. looks decent and its cheap. i also ran my leads from the ballery to the MSD box and fuse box between the inner and outter fenders and did the same for the headlight harness on the drivers side. looks decent and is very easy.

astroracer
02-27-2005, 09:21 AM
I use Radio Shack "Project Boxes"
http://www.radioshack.com/search.asp?find=project+box&hp=search&SRC=1&image1.x=24&image1.y=36
to hide relays and fuse holders. They are VERY inexpensive. I will usually paint the box (or boxes) to match the theme of the vehicle and run the wires in and out through the bottom or back whenever possible to keep them out of site. Really cleans things up and the aluminum covers can be polished or painted to suite the look you want.
Mark

Pro-touring towncar
02-28-2005, 06:25 PM
one guy who competed in Car audio years ago didn't have any but the wiring going to the engine showing under his hood. It was a Notchback fox mustang was the cleanest underhood I have seen. he also flushed the dual Optima batteries in each inner fender.

Tim

RSSS391
03-10-2005, 12:42 AM
Here are a few ideas.
1. The best as stated before is to run as much as possible under core support lip and under fenders.
2. Relocate battery to trunk.
3. Relocate mechanical voltage regulator under fender or eliminate completely with 1 wire alternator conversion.
4. Relocate water temp sender to side of block where the headers help mask it.
5. Keep oil pressure sender at rear of block as low as possible.
6. Custom cut plug wires to exact length and run in clean mounting bracket. No universal cut plug wires!
7. I think only clean way to remove ugly factory AC box harness is to completely replace factory AC with Vintage Air or similar.
8. If you can, relocate alternator to bottom of block where its easier to hide the wires.
9. Don't use firewall harness holder if you can help it. Remove completely and run low behind block just over the trans case or maybe even inside the car until your on the passenger side (think starter solenoid wires and heater fan power).
10. Could also mount MSD box under windshield grill and wiper arm assembly and then remote mount a MSD two step module back into engine area where easily accessible for tuning. MSD box is epoxy filled so waters not a problem for it but beware if drilling into bottom as that may allow water into dash area. But locate holes for box, push machine bolts up from inside dash area and then weld in place (home made stud now means no leaks into dash!). But I'm not a fan of high voltage through the firewall so I kept the coil in the engine bay as much as I hated it.
11. Ok. Just one more. For wires impossible to hide they can be run inside polished steel/stainless tubing with nice bends. If done right they nearly disappear or can actually be visually appealing. I believe I read it in an old article by show car builder Troy Tripan..... Sorry, I can't spell his last name. :(
But it really works!