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TR4/4A TR4 Progress!!

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SCguy

SCguy

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My car is off its jackstand for the first time since I got the car last spring. I need to wire the car and connect some of the guages and then I'll be trying to start the car. A lot of this will be totally beyond my knowledge (converting the car from positive ground to negative just to name one issue). It looks like I'll be taking it back to my mechanic$$$ /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cryin.gif

None the less, I'm pleased with the progress I've made.

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Merry Christmas to all of you that have helped so much!
 
Electrics can betime-consuming but are not complex. If you do decide to do it yourself I am willing to send you pics of any areas where the routing of the loom is in question.

Really, with a factory made loom the wiring of these beasts is dead simple and if you install it yourself you will never again hesitate to tackle any electrical gremlin the car.
 
Isn't it nice to know the condition of all of the normally 'hidden bits'. Looks nicely done.
Electrical things frighten me, kind of magical actually, but I'd hazard a try at a TR as they are as simple as it gets automitvely. Go slow and check everything twice and keep good notes/diagrams.
 
WOW. Looks awesome. Are you the body repair man, too? I'd like to learn those skills one day.

That TR of yours will like mighty cool rolling down any road. Is that a spare radiator I see over in the corner?
 
Larry, don't you dare send that car off to be wired. Do it yourself! Call British Wiring and get the correct harness. That way, you will have a feel for each and every wire and where it goes. That is part of the pleasure of restoring one of the these babies. You really don't need to know anything about electricity at all. Well, almost nothing.
 
I agree. I would encourage you to do it yourself. You'll have fun. I replaced my dash and rewrapped all gauge and accessory wiring, and then replaced a good number of runs in the engine compartment. The wiring diagram was clear, and I was benefited by the "Fault Diagnosis" manual you can buy online. It seems all quite simple.
 
Larry, nice looking car indeed.

I know very little about restoring old Triumph cars
and nothing about auto electrical systems.

But I did manage to install a complete car Dan
Master Power Block wire harness into my TR6.

Yes, it took me 5 months to install it but then
I'm not real bright either. But now, I can mentally
picture every wire, every connection and every light
bulb and switch in my car.

A fabulous learning experience. Do it yourself, I vote.

Tinster and his Crypt Car
 
Really looks great, but I'm just a little confused. Why do you have to convert from postive to negative. I know on my TR3 I had to do that, but I didn't think you had to on TR4s or when you install all new wiring, do you have to change it over??????
 
[ QUOTE ]
Really looks great, but I'm just a little confused. Why do you have to convert from postive to negative. I know on my TR3 I had to do that, but I didn't think you had to on TR4s or when you install all new wiring, do you have to change it over??????

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi,

Converting to neg ground isn't required by the new wiring harness, itself.

Why did you convert the TR3? It's nearly the same electrical system as TR4.

The main reason I can think of would be if converting to an alternator. AFAIK, all alternators are neg ground and would require it.

It's also possible conversion would be necessary if installing some other electrical items on the car. These might be an electric rad fan, elec. fuel pump, stereo system, alarm system, etc., etc. A lot of these are only available in neg ground and impractical to try to fully isolate.

Besides, conversion to neg ground is a relatively minor process, even if keeping the original generator.

Perhaps the only reason to keep the car positive ground would be if strict originality were a big issue.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
Larry, I switched on the '49 Roadster to handle a capassitive/discharge(SP)system. I was getting ready to do all the polarizing and such. I hooked up the battery and everything worked, started it up and it charged, of course I had the key on while checking for smoke, so all the little men in the wires must have said, hey! the other way dummy. I think you may have to reverse the wires on your amp meter, the Roadster doesn't have one. Wayne
 
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