Update by Guest Writer to the
Austin-Healey Sprite project car
Nov 1, 2023
|
Austin-Healey,
Sprite,
Austin-Healey Sprite
Photography by Tim Suddard
Story by Tim Murray
The Moss wiring harness for the Bugeye Sprite comes in three sub-harnesses: center, front and rear.
While we could have installed the dash/center harness next, we decided to first install the front and rear harnesses so that we could see where they would connect to the center harness.
Wiring the rear harness is simple as there are so few components in the rear. Stop and tail lamps are collected in the upper assembly, turn signals (aka flashers) are in the lower fixture. The license plate light is in a center fixture.
The only other circuit is for the fuel gauge, but we added another circuit to provide power to our fuel pump.
[Adapting a Bugeye Sprite wiring harness for modern upgrades]
The most challenging part is routing the wiring through the trunk, taking care so it doesn’t interfere with the other things that go back there–like tools, luggage and the spare tire.
The factory fit metal tabs along the body to capture and secure the harness, but by now most have been broken off. Ours were mostly present, and we used a heat gun to make the tabs as well as fresh paint covering them more malleable.
Most early British cars used Lucas bullet connectors and, over the years, they have gotten a bad rap. However, the Big 3 used a similar setup, and they work fine when maintained and properly installed.
For example, make sure the male and female sides of the connector are clean and corrosion-free. The factory soldered these on, but if you need to crimp on a bullet connector, make sure you use the proper crimp tool and purchase quality connectors. More importantly, make sure the rubber boots that the factory used to insulate the connections from the body are correctly installed and not cracked or torn.
View all comments on the CMS forums
You'll need to log in to post.
