The wiring installation process

Although I have been making wiring harness since my college days or just about 27 + years, I have only had managed to personally install around 10 during that period. Installing a new wiring harness on a Giulietta is simple and fast. I have been able to install a complete new wiring harness in a Giulietta in one day. That said, it should not take the average mortal more than a couple days at worst to properly re-route and connect a new wiring harness on a car.

There are some simple and basic steps to follow when  preparing to embark into the Spaghetti sorting process and the best way to prepare for the task is simple:

First,  I always tell my clients to familiarize themselves with the provided wiring diagram. The diagram will provide a general guidance while you work throughout the electrical system.

Second, once you have laid the new wiring harness in the car everything should fall into place and you can see where everything goes from that point.

What appears to be the most daunting part of the installation is the wiring of the gauges, and more specifically –  the tri-gauge.  You must  study, and prepare your ground work beforehand and by doing so you will have the general path to be followed.

In order to assist my customers I normally re-attach the original fuse panel to the new wiring harness. This is something I usually don’t do but I usually find that it will helps the installer successfully complete the new installation since all the wires are already connected to the panel. Additionally, I do offer a fuse panel restoration services where I replace the bad board with a new one, sandblast and paint the bracket, clean and repair the original fuse block when the studs become ceazed due to corrosion as well as replace damaged studs and screws.  This is a time consuming process and the $100 I charge is well worth the price.

Taking inventory of fuse panels to be restored

Another shot of the panels to be restored

Sometimes those stubborn screws refuse to butch and we have to drill them out

Fully restored panel attached to the new wiring harness

A completed new wiring harness with a restored fuse panel ready to go home.

I strongly recommend restoration of the original fuse panel. I have discovered that purchasing a new reproduction fuse panel should only be done as a last resort. The reproduction panels are most definitely poorly made and cheap looking. Just review the photos and you should be able to make up your mind.

This is the reproduction panel that you will find on the wiring harnesses coming out of Italy. Note the low grade steel screws.

Here is a comparison of the reproduction fuse panel against the original panel.

Note how skinny are these reproduction panels. Also notice how these were linked together by a soldered wire.

Another view of the reproduction fuse panel to the original Giulietta fuse panel.

Well I must admit that I got my work cut out somewhat. Getting ready to complete restoration of 35 new fuse panels.

I do try to be very cautious when restoring a fuse panel but, sometimes they do break. That is especially the case when the bakelite is old and bridle.

This is enough for today. Next time I will be talking about the correct fuses to use on a new wiring harness and other topics of interest within the same subject.