wiring-dependable or nostalgic?

[Michael C Henry]

I like to look at others cars and see the choices they made. Now I'm redoing the wiring.I've installed two relays on the fans,don't want to burn up those two thermastatic switches.I plan on installing two relays for the headlites,I have burnt up a headlite switch at 2:00AM.Drove home by the flashes of t6he 4 ways,where is that curb?And don't want to burn out the column dimmer switch.
I want to control the ignition and fuel pumps in the event of an accident I plan on controling the relay ground thruogh the oil pressure switch.
Also had a problem with the original glass fuses left me dead at a stop lite. Rain had dripped on the fuse bord on top of footbox = bad connection.Went to miniture blade fuse block with a removable cover.
Horn relay ,Ignition relay, accessory relay ,low beam relay,high beam relay, lower fans relay upper fans relay.
The relays are replaceable and cheap easy to find. Thoughts?

[Steve R]

Mike,
sounds like you are on the right track. Post some pictures in your gallery for us to check out.
Steve

[slithering]

Mike,

Have you determined the cause of your headlight switch meltdown? I totally support the relay theory, but your switch malfunction needs to be answered. Regulator maybe? The oil pressure switch protection is a great idea! There are also line filters (capacitors) for extra protection. Post back and let me know your findings.

Chris-
slithering

[G.R.]

You going to drive it or look at it? The "nostalgia" is great replicate it but remember these cars were built orginaly as "race cars"--1 race they were rebuilt, lights didn't function fix'em for the next race.
Street cars sold to the public during the heyday weren't much better, most spent a good bit of time back at the shop fixing problems, electric and otherwise.

I'd go as dependable, especially electricwise as you can.

Just my $0.002 cents worth

[Cobra20646]

Mike,

The improvements you made mirror the same ones I made to my car a few years ago. Makes for a more reliable setup, as you already know.

Chris, the reason the switch burned out is it cannot sustain the current demands of the headlights. Works OK for a while, but then fails..... usually at the most unopportune moment. In the retro fit, a run of the mill auto relay will be good for 30 amps, and controlled by the switch that will now pass far less current then it is rated for...... will last the liftime of the car.

Anyone controlling radiator fans, headlights or other current hungry accessories should doing so through a relay, or sooner or later, you'll wish you had!

[slithering]

Jim,

I agree with your analysis and remedy. Sounds like you have good knowledge of electrical systems. Keep up the good work!

Chris

[Cobra20646]

Chris,

Thanks for the kudos..... been doing communications/electronics work for a "few" years..... was bound to learn something I guess

[bigmike]

Why do the Brits drink warm beer? Because they have Lucas refrigerators. Go for the reliability

[wilf leek]

Hey!

3 years and 13,000 miles ( unfortunately many in the rain) and I have not yet had an electrical problem with my ENGLISH electrics on the Cobra. Apart from regulator failure on my (American) alternator.

IMHO, attention to connections and earth points, plus following sensible practice like using relays for high-current items, will eliminate 95% of electrical gremlins.

'Course, now I will probably find I have no lights tomorrow!

[Michael C Henry]

I'm installing a new Mallory HyFire VI ignition box .Mallory has as you know comes with a bypass plug to return to dist-coil operation(drive it home). They reccamend using the ballast resister in that event. I bought the Mallory #700 ceramic resister. How hot does that get?I have removed all the wires from the intake manifold and ran them all along the wheel wells. I'm afraid of bolting the resister directly to the fiberglass.Any reccamendations?
Oh! and the headlite switch was the push -pull type with the glass fuse on top.The fuse contacts were all blue and loose. It was 2o AM, the dew had set and I proped thehood open on the latches and used the engine heat to clear the windsheild.The 4 ways don't flash often enough navagated a dark road with curbs ,at any decent speed.

[Michael C Henry]

Just ordered the impact relay system from Ron Fransis wire works.Fear of frying.
How warm ,under normal operation, does the Mallory #700 ceramic ballast resister get?I'm looking for a place to locate it.

[Steve R]

I use one to boil water for my morning tea. Great for drying out wet socks also.

[Michael C Henry]

That hot? So a small piece of alluminum between it and the fiberglass not a good idea?where and how would you mount that ballast?

[Steve R]

Mike,
I'm just goofing around. I'm not sure how hot it gets. If I were you, I would hook it up and run the engine to see first hand.
Steve

[Michael C Henry]

OH crap, the starter solinoid gave up. One time then nothing. It was a pertty powder blue and looked so nice.

[bone_carpenter]

i have an aurora co 83 remake of the 64 ...i married into it...no keys though so ignition is out (dough!!!) and goning with a universal one....how do you take the multiwire plug down to two???

[Michael C Henry]

I went shopping and found that what I had was a Standard Motor Parts unit.The clerk was so lost.At the first store,so I bought a black unit that would mount the same.I then went to Schuck's that clerk was even more lost if not for another more knowledgable clerk.I found a Borg Warner unit there, a twin to the black one but in lite gray.It doesn't look that bad and mounted the same ..My concern was the way it had to hang from the two mounting holes ,spacing of the holes ,the distance the side terminals were below the mounting holes ans the distance from the mounting surface to the side terminals. Remember I had a metal angle strap from the master switch to the solinoid.It works much better now.