Interior and wiring upgrades

[Canadian dave 4]

Wasnt sure where to out this, but thought it maybe of interest to some people.

Abit of back story first, I have owned this car since I was a 22 year old apprentice and now as a 36 year old mechanic I think it's fair to say my skills have improved. I know look at some of the things that I did to the car all those years ago and just shake my head!! One area which has been need of repair for a long time is the wiring. We all know they are not the nest wires cars from the start and then add in close to 30 years or repairs, bodges and track side repairs and it becomes a real mess. 

When I brought the car to Canada in 2009 I thought the car wud never see the road again, so out came the heater and a roll cage bar went in between the A post bars. Also built a very simple battery isolator switch plate out of an old number plate. This not only didnt surport the upper dash properly, but also due to the lack of a heater gave no support to the power/fuse board. While it was a race car I didnt care about all this. But once I got it street legal I quickly realized that having no heater in Canada in the spring was a terrible idea. Also various pieces of the dash where breaking due to the lack of surport. So I took the plunge and started building a new centre console.

I was going to use a piece of aluminum, but my budget is small and I found a chunk of thin stainless steel at work in the metal bin, so I figured I wud make it from that and remake on aluminium later if i have the time or money.

[Canadian dave 4]

In the console I wanted to put a radio, and I had libertad one from a skid steer at work a few years ago.

I have also been having trouble with the lights, I think due to the light stalk and so decided to just rewire the lights from scratch. I also have a switch which flicks on the tachy metric relays to pre full the fuel bowls of the carbs before starting.

Also I have a wet pool pressure gauage, a USB  output, the hazard light switch and an air fuel ratio gauage for future use.

[Canadian dave 4]

I have been changing every plug I find from the orginal peugeot ones on deutsch plugs. They are built proof reliable and weather sealed. I traced the wires from the headlight bulbs and driving lights to the power board and cut them there, crimped in a 6 plug deutsch plug right there and then crimped the same onto my new harness from the console. I have also removed the dip/dim relay and all its rubbish. Also I have removed the water level sensor wiring (it hasn't worked ever). The resistor for the two speed fan is going to as the secondary temp sensor hasn't been on since it to MI16 power. I'm also going to put the wiring for the wiper up under the scuttle pannel to really clean up the area behind the passenger side headlight, which has always looked bad.

I will try to put some pics up later.

[Canadian dave 4]

Halfway through the wire clean up.

[Canadian dave 4]

6 pin deutsch over power box.

new driving light plug

[Ozymandis 97]

I have a suggestion, over the years i`ve replaced many headlight stalks as the contacts burn out, include a relay across the headlight contacts and save it ever happening to you?

[Canadian dave 4]

anyone know what this red two pin plug is for?

[Ozymandis 97]

Looks like the indicator, that's a 2 pin red plug down in that area

[Canadian dave 4]

Thanks I will check the indicator. But I think that is all still hooked up.

In answer to the relay susgestion, that is a good idea. With my new set up I will be running 3 relays. One for low beam, one for high and a driving light relay. The high beam relay is a 5 pin with the power for the low beam relay running on one output pin and the other going to the main beam bulbs and the driving light relay. This should be over kill.

[Ryan 99]

The red plug is for the radiator fan wiring on models with twin fans (cars with a/c and some diesels). It's not used on the GTI.