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BJ7 Wiring Harness

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Hello everyone, I'm still in the cutting and removing phase of my Healey reconstruction. Don't have alot to add to tell you yet about my progress. But I did buy two new steel rear fenders. I must say that I have never had such poor fitting fenders to start with. It is going to take alot to make these fit this car... anyway, about the wiring harness. I have, I believe, a unique situation with the wiring for my BJ7. You see the lighing and ignition configuration on my car is the later European BJ7 set up where I have separate running and turn indicator lights on the front similar to a BJ8 except my lights are the smaller glass lucas lens. Also my ignition is mounted with a steering column lock, under the steering column. Well, guess what, I can't find a wiring harness, configured with this arrangement. I can get a standard US export BJ7 harness, but it has the hook-up for dual filament bulbs up front and I assume the ignition switch in the dash. I beleive my only option is to buy the standard harness and then modify it to fit my car. Does any one have any other ideas.
Thanks, Dave C.
 
Have you checked with these folks?
https://www.britishwiring.com/

I was able to have them incorporate several custom changes into the harness they provided for me. Extra cost of course.

After several email discussions I was able to get the custom harness exactly as I wanted.

The car bodies were basically hand fitted panels with no two stampings exactly the same. Since new replacement panels would be one size fits all, It's not unusual for new panels to require major modification to fit your particular car.

I know it sounds comical, but I have read of Jensen assembly workers, for instance, trying several rear fenders from a large pile to find the best fit. So on for each panel. The left overs that didn't fit anything were sold as spares.
D
 
Yeh Dave, I heard the same stories. I do remember though some pictures that I have seen in some restoration or documentary book that showed the big healeys coming down the assembly line parallel to the MGA line. I don't know at what point they put the fenders on, but in the pictures I saw it looked alot like mass production so I wasn't sure if the stories such as you stated had much basis. But I really don't know. I can assure you of one thing. the left rear fender that I have would definately end up in the spares pile. Maybe that is where my supplier got it. :smile:
If I do use it, I believe I would need an English wheel to recontour the curvature and stretch its length as well. With out the english wheel I believe I will have to section it to make it lower and longer.
I had seen your post about BW and did contact them. they do not make a wiring harness such as mine. But your idea of working with them to get professional looking mods is a good one.
Thanks, Dave C.
 
vette said:
With out the english wheel I believe I will have to section it to make it lower and longer. Dave C.
Click to expand...
I've heard of people doing exactly that. At least you get to work with good/unrusted metal. try to make the section cuts such that you don't disturb the wheel opening beads.

Check out the BN1 restoration troubles here:
https://www.acmefluid.com.au/larry/
Gives a new meaning to resizing panels!
D
 
Very good advice. I thought that I might cut the wheel arch out in a square pattern something akin to a quarter panel patch panel that you might buy for typical American iron. Then I will slice and dice the fender to make all the edges fit the body as well as the cove line. After that, put the wheel arch back in and fill the gaps. It will take alot of hammer and welding but it will work. I'm also thinking about slicing the ajoining lip along the top edge and pulling the thing horizontally to stretch it abit. along with some hammer and dolly work. I need to reduce the crown in the center.
The edge meeting the shut face panel is not on the same angle as my shut face panel. I know the shut face panel is in the right location because the doors and front fenders hang well and the hinge pillars have never been moved. So my thought here is to cut that leading edge off about 2 to 3 inches back from it's edge, make the edge meet the door, then fill in the difference.
Like I said, this fender must have been made for a moon vehicle.
 
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