Re-Wire Update

Earlsfat · #1 08-20-2006, 03:20 AM

okokok... Let me just say that if you've ever hated your car, try re-wiring the fucker once... you'll really hate it about 1/2 of the way through, and want to kill yourself by the end.

Front of car (engine compartment) is totally wired except grounds, which I plan on finishing tomorrow. Trunk is totally wired, just need to do the grounds, which I also plan on finishing tomorrow.

I can do the fuel pump (but am afraid of blowing up RD), the dome light and the reverse light switch (* see note below), but can't finish the dash because I dont have a complete dash board, dash bezel or any gauges.

When taking out the "original" dash and components, I realized just how totally fried everything was, SooooOOOOoooo... I am covering the dash in Vinyl, the console too, and probably will wind up doing the whole interior. I also need to buy an entire set of gauges. I downloaded a template off another site that tells you how to make a bezel out of 1/8" aluminum, and if I like it I am going to do some door panels and maybe a console face plate. Need a new rug while I am at it. WHEN ALL THIS GETS DONE... I am pulling the engine to fix the compression issue and while I'm at it, putting in some new headers, braided lines, etc. Thinking about an electric water pump, but not too sure, depends on how much everything else runs. WHEN THAT IS DONE, I need to get new front rims and tires and get rid of the skinnies. They're not wide enough for my comfort level, and the crossmember, headers and oil pan all are banged up from the low clearance they provide. (That may actually be a suspension issue, but not too sure.)

So, officially, Red Death is off the road and the expected date of streetability is sometime in November, and if it's not done then... April.

* - Anyone who ever tires to re-wire a car that has been converted from auto to manual and not properly wired, there is a switch that goes on the shifter, which when shifted into reverse the lever on the shifter presses a contact, that activates the reverse (backup) lights. It took me 3 weeks to find this out, apparently not too many people know this, thank you Dylan for pointing me in the right direction.

Rally Sport · #2 08-20-2006, 03:32 AM

Sounds like you're having a hell of a time with RD. One question though.. why such a huge time difference between expected dates of it being streetable?

goldz28 · #3 08-20-2006, 03:34 AM

I hope you get it done by November. Why would you need to wait till April if you dont get it done by Nov?

FormulaLT1 · #4 08-20-2006, 03:41 AM

Good luck and I hate electrical work just as much as anyone, trust me but if you really to curse your car. Try rewiring a MPFI car, then you will know frustration.

skibum1111 · #5 08-20-2006, 07:38 AM

Try rewiring a renault. That caused nightmares. It was an 85 fuego, car was ugly as hell, went like crazy, and what started the whole mess was we took out the business card that was making contact with the rear lights. Ended up replacing all 3 major harnesses: engine, dash, body. Never again. Good luck Jim, I forsee alot of bad language in your future.

Earlsfat · #6 08-21-2006, 10:02 AM

Well...

I'm a CPA, and if I don't get it done by November, tax season REALLY starts in December for us, people wanting to know what they can do so they don't owe alot in taxes

, etc. I won't have the time to look at it after the beginning of December. (Edit - and the only time I take off in tax season is a half day on my birthday, unless I'm REALLY sick... and yes, I work 8 hours on saturday and sunday and anywhere from 10-16 hours throughout the week)

On the good side of that, tax season is when I make more money, so, I can buy more stuff to cram in my maro.

See, I had to take out a lot of the interior to do the wiring, and as a result, I found out just how rigged everything really was.

(Asshole that sold me my maro should be flogged.) Anyhoo, I am now actually considering redoing the entire interior, and keeping the stuff that came with it in a box someplace. If I can decide on a decent enough layout, I think I'm going to make my own dash and door panels, etc, and possibly the headliner etc.

The way I see it, is I want to do this once. I never ever want to have to take the dash / interior apart because something isn't working. If I'm doing the wiring, which is a major enough part of the car, and the interior's true condition has been discovered, and I'm pulling the engine soon anyway... I might as god-damned well do the freaking interior too.

By the way, got the trunk and engine totally wired up! Just need to do the fuel pump and reverse switch on the shifter and then the entire exterior is wired.

On the down-side, the garage door put a nice, deep 1.5" long scratch on the rear spoiler.

And yes that explosion you heard yesterday at about 8PM eastern time was me cussing the builder of my home for the 154,856th time that he made the god-damned garage too shallow

and I hadn't notice that my maro rolled back 3 inches.

Luckily, it's on one of the little white stripes and I think I can fix it so that it's not too noticeable.

Fuck it.

I might just have the son-of-a-bitch painted when I pull the engine.

Rally Sport · #7 08-21-2006, 10:09 AM

Damn.. I remember how pissed I was when I tried closing my garage door and took out a chunk of crap from my Monte's rear bumper..

Anyway, goodluck I hope you dont blow mess up anything too bad when you're working on the car and have to go back.. again.

goldz28 · #8 08-21-2006, 10:35 AM

Good luck with everything. I will be looking you up when its tax time...lol

Earlsfat · #9 08-21-2006, 11:33 AM

Thanks fellas... I'm extremely upset about that bastard garage door thing.

I'm going to take my time and get it done right. Rebuilding a trans twice within one month really takes a chunk out of your sanity... and it takes a while to get it back. I'm really discouraged with it right now, but am anticipating that the end result will be well worth the giant shit sandwich I'm eating now.

I think my problem is there's so many LITTLE things wrong that I can't seem to look past that I'm thinking this is going to cost a fortune and I have to have it all done ta once. If I could just figure out what was really wrong (and what's wrong but not hurting anything) with it so that I can get a dollar and time figure on some paper (CPA instincts kicking in) I'd be much more relaxed about the whole thing.

Rally Sport · #10 08-21-2006, 05:30 PM

Jim.. if you lived around me, i'd come over and help you out.

Or atleast eat some philly cheesesteaks.

Earlsfat · #11 08-21-2006, 06:30 PM

Having a BAD day...

Makes me want to ghost-coast red death into something like the local school admin building or police barracks with a stick or two of dynamite strapped to the fuel cell.

wrightz28 · #12 08-22-2006, 10:33 AM

Thsi si the time where I have to find the thread where you laid out your hwole "schedule" and pulled an 'I told you so'

Earlsfat · #13 08-22-2006, 10:43 AM

Careful my brother... Your shirt tails might just get caught in RD's door jamb while you're helping me push it's ass to it's ultimate burnout.

Heh, my original schedule didn't take into account that I would have to burn the fuck out of my fingers on a friggin soldering iron and get the mother of all sunburns while rewiring the engine and trunk, and then have to take welding classes to finish wiring the interior.

Well... apparently cars are like houses... in order to figure the estimated elapsed time of any project you need to take your original estimate, increase it by approximately 45%, and then double it. dammit. this is ridiculous.

Anyone know how to weld aluminum??? maybe I should start a new thread on that one?

POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD