Sprocket's Competition

[j2k4]

You're optimistic because you're good.

[clocker]

Thanks.
Here are a few teaser pics of where I stand right now.
Here's the harness in it's decrepit glory...


New horns, compliments of a Ford Explorer...


A closeup of the regrommeted engine harness and the relocated main battery cable...


The fuse box...


And finally, the relays...


Now that all the components are in place I can actually start wiring.

[clocker]

My, what a difference a day makes.

My relay setup failed to impress me in the cold (actually, quite springlike) light of the next morning...it looked just like what it was, a quick-n-dirty homejob.
Not the effect I was going for.

Plus, some realizations about the wiring made me reconsider the use of the relay boxes I'd previously acquired.
An hour or two fiddlefucking around and we have a whole new arrangement...




The large fan relay has been relocated to the front of the car where it's current connections still fit without modification. All it needs is a power feed from the fusebox.

On other fronts, we have a 3.90 differential on the way, should arrive next week.
We're also going to Dynamat the interior...everything is already out, it'll never be easier to do.
Today I have to get her back on the ground and rolled out into the driveway.
Sigfrid is coming over tomorrow morning and wants to paint in the now exposed areas of the bay (primarily the front), so she needs some serious cleaning and time to dry.
Again, this is easiest done right now before I start adding the wiring back in.

Kevin, email Sigfrid and ask about the leather seat company he's talking to.
Apparently a top notch product, we're getting the two front seats and the rear seats ("seats" only in the cruelest of terms) recovered for $1100.
You might be interested.

Sigfrid also has a line on a new Camaro engine harness, complete with a modded ECU and the gauge cluster.
Not sure if the cluster does us much good but for $75 it doesn't much matter, a perfect, non-crispy harness is worth that by itself.
Not sure how that transaction is playing out but I'm hopeful.

Although I keep chipping away, this project seems to have a ever expanding scope and apparently, may never end.

[clocker]

So, we decided (and by "decided" I mean that Sigfrid insisted and I acquiesced) that it would never be easier than now to touch up the engine bay paint.
Only a rattle can job, nothing fancy (or permanent, for that matter), just something to make the whole bay look consistent.

Yesterday I stripped everything possible back out and cleaned/degreased/washed the bay and left her to dry overnight.
Looked like this after washing...


This morning I began masking then Sigfrid arrived and began his paint prep routine.
He claims special talent in spray can paint jobs so I deferred to his skill and basically just watched- and offered wry commentary- as he went about it.
Turned out pretty nice, all things considered.

[j2k4]

Why, it appears Sigfrid is as good as I am with a fizzy-can.

Did he use any clear, or just get it wet with color?

[clocker]

Just color, j2.
He's planning on wetsanding and rubbing out the paint at a later date (i.e., "will never happen").

More updates later today.

[clocker]

Bright and early Sunday morning I began reinstalling all the components removed for the shade tree paint job.

At first I'd planned on detailing the parts as they were going back in but quickly realized that I could spend a few days doing so and the timetable for the wiring would be destroyed, so I just put everything back in as it was.
Once the car is back together, we can spend a weekend going back and prettifying everything.


Then it was time to strip the old harness to cull the wiring/connectors I wanted to keep.
It took three grueling hours just to remove all the tape and assorted mounting tabs built into the loom- no wonder I had put it off for so long.

With the wiring finally free I was able to pull what I wanted and begin to assemble the new harness.
I'm working from the front to the firewall, plugging in the components and running back to the fuse/relay area.

I got this far by last night...


This is essentially the entire harness for the front of the car, only missing are four wires to the headlight retractor motors.
Included here are:
-turnsignals/hazard lights
-running lights
-low/high beam
-fog lights (which we don't even have but may in the future)
-radiator fan
-water temp sensor
-windshield washer pump
-horns

There will be no wiring at all on the driver side of the bay, unlike the original which brought almost everything through that side.
I find the driver side footwell to be the worst, most awkward place to work- what with the steering column and pedals, access is difficult and gymnastic, so I want to keep that area clear.

Hope to have the bay harness essentially finished by tonight.

[j2k4]

Looks like it should be pretty clean.

[clocker]

Damn straight, Skippy.

Work has continued apace.
It hardly looks it but I've been at it nonstop all week.
The front harness/relay cluster is totally done and finish installed.








The pop-up headlight relay was the worst, t'wasn't till I actually got it to work that I finally grasped the working concept.
Makes sense to me now but no amount of staring at the schematic revealed it's secret.
But it's all good now...turn on the headlights and the motor pops 'em up. Turn the lights off and they automatically retract.
Just like Mazda intended.

Sigfrid will be reinstalling the front bodywork on Saturday as I'll still be wiring in the car.

I've pulled the entire rear harness, stripped it and culled most of the needed wiring.
Along the way I removed the power antenna (non-functional and there's no radio in the car anyway) and made the rear relay pack, which consists of the brake lights, fuel pump and running light relays.
Pretty much just connect the dots and the whole rear will be finished as well.
I'm shooting for tomorrow.

Then I'll finally be able to interface with the dash.
Here's the interior now...


I've been junkyarding almost daily as well.
Found lots of useful widgets and gizmos including my real treasure...a fusebox I can work with.
The stock Mazda fusebox is a nightmare...command central for every possible connection and configured so it would only fit in that particular location.
I want nothing at all in the driver footwell, what with the steering column and pedal assembly it's already crowded (which makes me wonder why Mazda insisted on cramming so much in there.

I want the fusebox in the passenger footwell where access is much better and it's right where all the new connections are going to be made.
Just like the engine bay, there will be absolutely no wiring on the driver side of the cabin.
It's from a Subaru...




Going to be tedious splicing all those wires.

[Bestfriend81]

@clocker

can you tell the time and money spent you for that?