Amazing What You Find When You Work On Your Car

[mikestang63]

So, I took the day off and decided to tuck the wires on the passenger side to clean up the engine bay.

started like this



Soi jack it up, pull the wheel, then the inner wheel well panel and I find this. I've owned the car for 4 years and wondered why the radio was somewhat sketchy on some stations.



Yes, that is the antenna cable.
Yes, that is masking tape
Yes, that is a coat hanger taped to the antenna cable wrapped around the cruuse control vacuum line

And, here is the where the antenna is supposed to be connected



I then spent about an hour with a wire wheel cleaning up all the surface rust, then priming and painting the entiire inner fender, support, and frame with rustoleum flat black, and then repaired the antenna cable

• Disconnected all the electrical connectors, A/C relay and cannister line hose
• Pulled out the harness from the pasenger side and taped up all the connectors to the harness to make it easier to slide through the hole in the back of the shock tower
• I had to open up the hole with a Dremel cut off wheel as the hole was not large enough and then wrapped the permiter of the hole with vacuum hose to protect the harness from chafing
• Routed the lights and other connectors that were unplugged from the harness through the inside of the front of the fender
• Ran the harness through the hole in the shock tower and then attached the A/C relay to the rail on the inner fender, then reattached all the electric connectors and zip tied them all to the top inner lip of the fender to be out of the way.
• I wrapped al of the connectors in electrical tape and covered the wires with loom to protect from the elements
• I did not have to cut any wires or extend any of them.
  
• Reinstalled the inner fender well

I still need to relocate the FAL fan controller and wiring to totally clean up that side. I've yet to determine where as I do want to be able to see the controller as it has light on it to ensure it is getting power, and touch up the paint, but I do think it looks a lot cleaner.

Here is the after




Took me about 4 hours with my bad back on jackstands. Not as quick as I used to be...

 

[General karthief]

You put your bad back on jackstands? Nevermind, zip ties are great, bbuutt after time and temp fluctuations they deteriorate and fail, they do last a considerable amount of time, just long enough to forget they are there and you remember when electical gremlins creep up. Get some of them nifty aircraft style metal hangers with the rubber thingy in the middle, you can forget about them forever.
Nice job by the way

 

[mikestang63]

You put your bad back on jackstands? Nevermind, zip ties are great, bbuutt after time and temp fluctuations they deteriorate and fail, they do last a considerable amountof time, just long enough to forget they are there and you remember when electical gremlins creep up. Get some of them nifty aircraft style metal hangers with the rubber thingy in the middle, you can forget about them forever.
Nice job by the way

Never had zip ties fail on me in using them for 30+ years. I use HD zip ties and double them up. What you are referring to are P clamps and I use them when appropriate, for running power cables and such.

 

[90sickfox]

I don't know why I didn't tuck my wires the 50 times I've had my left fender off. Smh. Guess its because no matter what I do my car will still be Dusty.

 

[General karthief]

Yea, I guess most on here know better than to use the cheap crap, I get mine from a buddy that works in the phone & cable business, them be bad azz.
Whoops, I just admitted to using zip ties, DOH!

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Nice job mike! I'm trying to figure out what i'll do with my blue car since i have the front panels off.

I really enjoyed that picture of your antenna! Must have been a "SUPER-genius" to come up with that repair?

It's cool seeing a car that is beautiful as yours, still has gremlins hiding away. Good job my friend.

 

[90sickfox]

Man, looking at that pic of the inner structure behind the fender, I swear that looks like a rust hole way up in the corner. Way up there where the cowl and the front structure support come together.

Maybe I'm wrong but it sure looks like it in that pic.

 

[Noobz347]

Never had zip ties fail on me in using them for 30+ years. I use HD zip ties and double them up. What you are referring to are P clamps and I use them when appropriate, for running power cables and such.

Another vouch for zip ties that are good zip ties and not dollar store zip ties.

I've removed zip ties off of aircraft that are sometimes as old as the aircraft (ca. 1968). UV Stabilized Nylon 6/6 will outlive mortal man.

 

[hoopty5.0]

Man don't be pokin no man's rust bubble!

 

[General karthief]

Maybe just stuff some zip ties in there.
Ya, I'm still useless

 

[Noobz347]

Maybe just stuff some zip ties in there.
Ya, I'm still useless

True story because I already own that role.

 

[mikestang63]

i thought I was the only one drinking tonight