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Bigeye Wiring

Bill_Reid

Senior Member
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Well, I am chugging along with the reassembly of my '60 Sprite, and am ready to take on the wiring. However, I am having problems figuring out what goes where. I can figure out the color coding of the wiring, but not which terminal/connecter to which the specific wire is attached. Since British Wiring didn't supply any info on this, it must be very simple, but beyond me. My question: How do I know which terminal (for example on a gauge) to connect the wire to? Is there a website/document/video which can help with this?
 
For the most part it doesn't matter. If it is a switch then either side is fine (think of it like a valve for water and the wires are the tubes, turning of the 'valve' cuts it not matter what.

If it is an actual gauge then you can just experiment. take a 9v batter quickly touch the terminals, if the gauge goes up then that you found which is + and which is ground (this is assuming you have a negative ground car, if you positive ground car then opposite what I said).

The Haynes book I have has the complete circuit diagram for each car. If you have more specific questions, post some pictures and I'd be happy to take a look.

EDIT: For the switches, that is for a single throw switch, on/off. If there are three connections, the middle if ground and the two ends or the + for he two applications (in general).
 
Make sure you attach a black ground wire to the clamp at the back of your fuel gauge. I fought a guage that would not read right for some time until I noticed the wire in the wrong place compared to another car. Fuel guage connection has to be right and remember the wiper circuit is always hot till it is grounded by the switch. Highly recommend buying a simple inline fuse holder and connecting one end to the battery with a hose clamp around the post and the other end to the regular battery cable clamp bolt. No more than a 10 amp fuse. With that setup you won't fry anything if you inadvertantly short something out while wiring.

Kurt.
 
Second what Ryan and Kurt said above. The wiring diagram in some cases has the numbers associated with the particular device which are marked on them. Those include the control box, fuel gauge, windshield wiper motor, flasher unit, and ignition switch. Special attention should be made to making good ground connections, as the wiring diagram is not real clear in all cases how to make them. Good luck. Scott in CA
 
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