The Resurrection of Foam Car - 63 T6B

[Phil Planck]

Ordered 6 different sizes of plastic wire sleeves from McMaster Carr. Look identical to originals. Went through 12 harness groups one by one and have sleeves on most of them, and sleeve over sleeve on a group of two. Somehow one group does not exist or walked away so am making up a new one for lighter/clock. This is tedious work, not something I am enjoying yet. Maybe when it is finished and tested I will feel different.

[merbesfield]

Looks very nice. How hard was it to actually get the harness out of the car? I have been very hesitant to say the least to get involved w removal. Though now is the time. One thing I notice is that bc the wire ends are pins you can actually get the new sleeves over the wires. In some of the harnesses I have messed with the connectors prevented this.

[Phil Planck]

Mark
As with most projects, tearing apart is usually easier than putting together. The harness was not hard to remove, except for laying on your back under the dash to bend quite a few metal tabs holding the harness in various spots. I tried to take lots of pictures but am sure I will have to do a lot of studying during installation. Yes, the bullet connectors are easier to install in the sleeves. Where possible, I installed wires from the other end where the wire is just soldered for the fuse terminal, but that is only a portion of the wires. I suppose you could unsolder the slip on connectors if they are a problem and re-solder after the sleeve is on.

Made some more progress. Have all but 3 sleeves now installed. These 3 are the bigger ones as the harness approaches the hole in the bulkhead. The "bundle" I am working on now is a good 3/4" dia. and I know that my 3/4 sleeve will/would be a challenge or impossible to slide over, so I have test fit a short piece of 1" sleeve, which looks like it will work ok and not be too loose. 1" is the largest I ordered, so may have to order some larger sizes.



You can see the short, large sleeve that I test fit. My problem now is figuring out where the 180 bend for the red wire from h/l switch to ign. switch I located. This will control the sleeve length. This harness had been cut open and worse than turkey repaired, so no clues remained. I may contact Greg Bryan to see if he can help.

Phil

[merbesfield]

Have you also been redoing the heat shrink and such? It is very satisfying seein the end results of electrical harness repair but I am severely electrically challenged. I have tried to study it but my brain doesn't seem to "get it". Must not be "wired" right LOL

[Phil Planck]

Not much or no heat shrink on original harness. I have used it in several spots where there was originally what I used to call friction tape at the one into to junctions I had to redo. I used it on the end pair of the fog light wires to close them off. I am not an electrical guru, but can read and follow wiring diagrams and check circuits. The hardest part so far on this project is not having a reference harness.

Phil

[bbspdstr]

There is a difference between plastic tubing as conduits for the wires and "shrink tubing" which as it's name implies, requires some heat to make it conform tightly to a wire or wire end or junction.

Of those, there are various types. Some even have a low-heat melt sealing lining so moisture cannot get to what it protects.

All that said, the Factory bundled the harnesses in plastic or a woven loom on the earlier 356s, much like our domestic timing of automotive practices.

One thing more on 356s and early 911s. I have seen most wire ending connectors like female spades protected by thin rubber tubing stretched over them, appearing like "shrink tubing" and I guess by definition, that is, by a natural stretch. Most, by now, have succumbed to time and tear (from wear and tear? )....or are missing altogether.

As for original harnesses, remember that there was not much "extra" in any run, but trimming a little and re-soldering can enhance performance. The originals are, by now, more or less corroded at every end, impeding current flow a little or a lot, but as much cleaning as possible everywhere makes a big difference.

I sell a lot of new harnesses to major restorations, as one of those is cheaper than man-hours for the above and a better result overall.

When re-installing, front or rear segments just take common sense to route to that which is fed and connected. Some "off the shelf" components have longer-than-needed leads, such as turn signal switches. As with most things in an 356, there are anomalies, so neatness of appearance and working correctly is the goal of the wiring if pictures and/or sketches taken prior to removal are not clear.

Phil, I could have sent you a decent and fairly complete harness of your year that I hadn't dissected yet. I hate to see you frustrated!

-Bruce

[merbesfield]

Yes the tearing apart is the scary part for me bc lately nothing gets put back together. I don't want to be one of those guys/cars/pics you see on the internet where someone buys a pile of parts from the family of a dude that was good at dissasembly and not so good at reassembly

[Phil Planck]

Thanks for the added info Bruce. I am checking resistance on each wire and resoldering/replacing bullets as needed. Not frustrated, just sort of tedious work. Once I get the ing. sw. bundle junction on the harness located I should be able to get the tubing lengths figured out. Greg Bryan emailed me a great schematic of the harness that a friend of his made. It shows which wires go in which bundles. I can email to anyone who could use it. Greg just doesn't want it post on the www. If I had it during removal I would have labled each underdash tab with the bundle letter.

Phil

[Phil Planck]

While I am waiting for more dash harness info, coming Oct. 15, I decided to resume work on the nose. The drivers side had many dents, most of which have been removed, but the fog light opening needs some work. Where I removed the light bracket there are rust holes and the upper flange toward the bumper bracket hole, along with the bracket hole need work(hole is too deep). So have decided to cut out as shown below and form a patch.



Also, the reinforcing wire along the bottom on both sides needs work. It looks like it goes to the mark I have made on the NOS piece flange. Can anyone check or confirm where this wire ends?



Thanks - Phil Planck

[bbspdstr]

Hi Phil,
I think I read that you have removed the inner/rearward brace between the openings. That makes for a much easier de-rusting and repair. I am not aware of an available preformed compound curved piece....and I have thought that strange, as the earlier T-0-1-2 version is sold, albeit flat. Still, a sandbag or a shrinker-stretcher will help.

As for the wire, you are free to make it end wherever you wish, as I do not think I have ever seen two exactly alike. I actually had to deal with that task today and just put new wire where it seemed to want to end.

I think this has been covered long ago on this site but I would not have a clue where to begin looking.

From the Yin and Yang department; I got some work down on my A Coupe today as well. On the other hand, I watched the conclusion of the Ken Burns documentary of 'Vietnam' this evening. I'll leave it at that other than to say that I got my first 356 only 3 years before my draft notice in '68. Yin, yang.......

-Bruce

[Phil Planck]

Thanks Bruce
When you gonna show us pics of your A coupe? Nice to know about the wire. Next project after this foglight hole repair. Having the NOS nose corner piece has been a real aid. I made a template of the bad area and used that to cut a piece of repair metal:


The line is where I will bend it in the bead roller:


After some shrinking of the inner flange, it's starting to take shape:


Test if on nose. Took a while to get the flange angle just right:


The flange blends in under the bumper cutout. Will have to finish that after I cut out the bad metal. Rough fit of patch:


As Justin likes to do, how it looks from a distance:


Phil

[bbspdstr]

OK, so on a gray day I went out to take a picture of my gray primered A Coupe under a gray tarp under a gray canopy in front of a gray trailer. I'd like to think I'd have room in the shop, but there isn't...hardly ever. So with our recent really nice weather and next week forecast to be just right (highs in the low 70s and sunny).....it gets worked on outside...as often as possible. ("The shoemaker's children always need shoes.")

On a more practical note, may I ask where you got the tight tipper (thin-edged mandrel) for your bead roller? Mine is too wide (about an 1/8") and I was going to just put it in my lathe and turn it, but if there is a source it's likely better to buy than modify what I have. Thanks in advance!

-Bruce

[roy mawbey]

Hey Bruce, you obviously have a leaning towards grey ( English expression ) I wonder what colour, ( sorry English again ) it will turn out when finished??

Roy

[bbspdstr]

....Roy, the answer to that is it's original......ready? Stone gray.

Really. Unless I decide on another color/colour.

Thanks and best regards,
Bruce

[Trevor]

On a more practical note, may I ask where you got the tight tipper (thin-edged mandrel) for your bead roller? Mine is too wide (about an 1/8") and I was going to just put it in my lathe and turn it, but if there is a source it's likely better to buy than modify what I have. Thanks in advance!

-Bruce

Here-> http://www.hoosierprofiles.com/bead-dies-.html