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MG TD TF 1500 - TF wire routing

I need some help from the TF gang. I'm stringing out the new harness in the TF and have routed the harness inside the frame and over the rear axle and now could use some help as to the correct placement leads to the rear fender lights. Any "P" clips back here. Just run under the fender and back up to the light? I think a couple of small "p" clips would be in order for the fuel tank sending unit lead screwed into the wood on the bottom of the rear tub. Any advice or photos would be a big help. Thnk I'm going to add at least one in line fuse to the power coming off the starter switch terminal which should prevent a complete melt down in the event of a short. 20 amp to large or to small?

Thanks,

LaVerne
LED DOWNEY

My original wiring shows a clip at the bottom rear guard/fender bolt, thats the one you can see looking down past the end plates on the fuel tank. This supports the wiring to the lights and the wiring was in lengths of black plastic tube to protect from flying stones. The clip for the fuel tank wiring is screwed into the bottom of the wooden rail just in front of the tank. The clip is central next to the differential and the wiring swings across from the chassis.

Good luck, Matthew.
Matthew Magilton

LaVerne, the next stop for that brown wire is the 30 amp ammeter. It's a very substantial wire. I'd say that a 20 amp fuse is overkill. Perhaps a 30 amp circuit breaker would be more appropriate.
Bud Krueger

LaVerne,
I have been watching this thread ...did not want to say too much as my harness was fairly trashed by PO so not much help as to "correct" or "orginial"! I ended up doing quite a few "mods" to mine as I repaired it. Few things you may want to consider at this point: One of the heavest draws on our little electric system is the headlamps...they are not fused!...I added fuses to mine. Also the "aux" switch on TF dash (yellow w/red trace) runs to a single wire to front of car for "driving or fog" lamps. I run one of each so I re-wired using this "aux" switch to some "pre-select" switches that allow me to run a varity of things from the dash aux. Buds "T-talk" site has some pics of how I did some of this if you want to take a look. One thing I can offer that might help. I have an AutoCad drawing of our wirring with color codes at bottom of it. (Instead of flipping back and forth through the manual for this info!) I can print you a copy on "C" size (17x22") and snail mail it to you ....or send it email as a dwf if you have access to a large printer or plotter. Email me off line with a mailing addres if this would help.
It is really a very simple system, but (IMHO) could use some improvements if you are not conserned about being "concourse correct"! I like having a place to plug in my cell and/or GPS. dsheward@columbus.rr.com
Cheers & Best of luck,
David 55 TF1500 #7427
David Sheward

Thanks to all including Jesus who has sent some photos. When I did the total tear down two years ago, the wiring came out with a pair of dikes. It was all purple and a total mess. Had a panel of toggle switch's bolted under the dash and some drilled into the dash. I'm not after 100 point originality but with the new harness I'd like to keep it from going up in flames and make sure the routing is located where it won't be causing any future problems. I believe that while I'm at it I should fuse the hot leads coming into the cockpit. I thought that would take care of the lighting circuit. Would probably be better to fuse the individual cicuits and keep the fuse size lower rather than one heavy fuse to account for the possible line loads. Will have to figure where to cut in some wiring for the heater and come up with a lighter plug for the cell phone. Any photos or ideas would be much appreciated.

LaVerne
LaVerne

After watching our TF have a near-death experience, we made some changes to prevent recurrence. The first thing you need to do is put a quick disconnect knob at the battery terminal. That way, when smoke is coming from all parts of the car, you don't have to find a wrench to disconnect the power. Our headlights shorted out where the wire comes through the fender, and we had a giant toaster wire from there back to the dash. Fortunately, we had added a quick disconnect at the battery and a readily-available fire extinguisher.

When we put a new harness in we added a six-fuse block that we put in the bottom passenger side of the tool-box. That way we could fuse the various runs, keep it hidden and still have pretty good access. I used a marine fuse block. We also installed behind the passenger glove compartment: cutoff switches for the ignition and fuel pump, another power switch for the wipers, an auxiliary switch for when we put in a second in-line fuel pump and a switch for an auxiliary circuit that supports a cell-phone charger. You have to reach up behind the glovebox to set the switches. It makes for a neat little security system that needs to be properly set to start the car.

Good luck...

Safety? Fast?
Scott Ashworth - '54 TF
S. R. Ashworth

Hi David; could you email your cad file to me? dxf or dwg format would be great. Thanks, Bill
bill cook

Bill,
Done deal...did you get it? This is for a "POSS" GROUND CAR! The one I have for "NEG" Ground has some mod's only found on my TF ...so would not be of any good to you! You have a plotter or Big printer?
Cheers,
David 55 TF1500 #7427
David Sheward

Hey Scott....when did all that happen?
LaVerne, You may want to search the archives...lot's in there about wiring "do & don'ts"!
Strongly aggree with some of the points Scott made ..."quick disconnect knob at the battery terminal"..."readily-available fire extinguisher" !
"Cut-off" for fuel pump is a great security system.
Search the archives and you will find my stories on an Austin we owned that burst into flames in a rain storm sitting in parking lot (short from un-fused headlamps) as well as the time somebody stole our Bug-Eye with a fuel cut-off (they did not get far on the fuel in the carbs!) My insurance gives me a discount for the "unmarked fuel cut-off". IMHO that is best security you can put on one of these cars. The guys that stole "froggy" ran out of gas in the middle of a busy road and ran to the nearest bar...from there they went straight to jail!
Cheers,
David 55 TF1500 #7427
David Sheward

Thanks all, Bought a 10 block spade type fuse panel which I'm going to try and find a place under the cowel for. Possibly on the side of the tool box. I will be placing a hidden toggle switch for the fuel pump. Still have to come up with with a place to mount a the heater switch. The dash emblem opening is a possibility. But also need a place for the water valve (choke type cable) and cigar lighter (cell phone charger). Not to keen on an exposed dash subpanel. So will have to give it a little more thought.

LaVerne
LaVerne

Dave,
That was July 2004 coming home from the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix on British Car Day. I try to avoid driving in the rain, but the PVGP is a pretty special event so there was no question about going. It poured continuously all day. We left the event and got about an eighth of a mile away so that we were right in front of a bunch of Porsches when the pyrotechnics started, much to their Teutonic amusement. The water from the road sprayed up inside the fender and shorted out the wire going through to the right front headlight. The wiring harness was one mass of charred fused wires, but robust as these cars are, I was still able to drive 15 miles home.
As you know, few things (aside from the illegal or immoral) can get your heart going as quickly as watching your LBC trying to self-incinerate.

Safety? Fast?
Scott Ashworth - '54 TF
S. R. Ashworth

"I have an AutoCad drawing of our wiring with color codes at bottom of it."

A very nice one!

Thanks, David!
Carl Floyd

This thread was discussed between 02/05/2006 and 03/05/2006

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