Automotive Electrical Performance Projects: Wiring Harness, Electronic Gauges, EFI, etc.

Maybe you built your hot rod from scratch. Maybe your weekend cruiser was a quarter-mile warrior at one time in its life. Regardless, I see plenty of cars at local gatherings that lack one simple luxury - interior lighting when the door is opened. Believe it or not, this project has been on my personal to-do list far too long.

My Olds served part of its life as a 1/8-mile bracket car before I purchased it. When it was built, the previous owners stripped the entire stock electrical system out of it. Their handiwork in rewiring the vehicle for track use was the foundation for Automotive Wiring and Electrical Systems.

When I rewired the car, I never got around to installing any interior lighting. I always figured I would do that when I redid the interior, something that is still on my to-do list! For as long as I've been driving the car, the lack of interior lighting has been a real inconvenience

A month went by, and then it was July, and then four years passed. I'm sure you know exactly what I'm talking about.

I needed a solution that would provide this convenience, yet not interfere with my future interior plans.

Adding aftermarket gauges is very popular, and for good reason. Aftermarket gauges are far more accurate than OEM ones. In addition, they give your vehicle some performance cosmetic appeal.

No, mounting a 5-inch Monster tach in the corner of the dash of your otherwise stock vehicle won't make it any quicker, but it may get you constant solicitations for a street race by those with much faster vehicles.

A good set of aftermarket gauges provides excellent data about the engine's operating status. And, without hesitation, you should trust them!

For example, I was cruising in my Olds on the strip one Saturday night, and I noticed the coolant temperature gauge climbing steadily past the 200-degree mark; it normally reads 185 degrees or so maximum at night around town. As I made a lap, it continued to climb past the 220-degree mark.

After I tapped the gauge (hey, we've all done it!) to be sure it was reading correctly, and it didn't move, I pulled into an empty parking lot. By that time, it registered near 250 degrees, an indication that something was very wrong. After the engine cooled, I quickly diagnosed that either a head gasket or an intake manifold gasket had failed, as the radiator was half full, and there was water in the oil.

In my opinion, high-quality aftermarket gauges are a necessity in a performance vehicle. They are readily available from AEM, Auto Meter, Megan Racing, Nordskog, Stewart Warner, and others.

So, what's new and exciting in the world of aftermarket gauges? Are they really that different from that three-gauge set that the local swap meet sells for $19.99 with a free air freshener? You bet!

At some point, nearly every car guy is faced with the decision of using an existing wiring harness or installing an aftermarket wiring harness. There are many reasons to consider a new harness. However, installing a harness is a big project.

There are several companies that offer wiring harnesses for vehicles of all types. If you are shopping for a replacement harness so that you can simply update an old, brittle, or hacked-up harness in your muscle car, it is a fairly straightforward job.

Year One offers reproduction wiring harnesses for many popular GM cars and trucks (Mopar A-, B-, and E-bodies) and Ford Mustangs.

American Autowire also offers reproductions harnesses for popular GM vehicles and trucks in its Factory Fit line.

Both companies' products are designed from the original factory blueprints, so they typically install exactly like factory ones, and they have original, factory-style terminals.

Well, what if you don't need an OEM-style harness? What if your project car is going to be a street machine with lots of aftermarket electronics? This is where the fun begins when you are in the market for an aftermarket wiring harness.

There are many options, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution that I'm aware of.

• About the Author
• Adding a Basic Circuit to Any Hot Rod
• Performance Lighting
• Performance Ignition Components
• Performance Gauges
• Electric Fans
• High-Performance Charging Systems
• Auxiliary Power System
• Aftermarket Wiring Harness
• Aftermarket Electronic Fuel Injection Systems