6 replies to this topic

[Big_Adam]

Good day one more.

I have yet more questions due to my quest in wiring.

So here they are in bullet point formatt.

• Would a 63 car have hazard lights?
• I've hooked up the rear indicators but they don't flash. Any ideas why?
• My oil pressure light dosen't come on. Could the pressure jobbie be broken?
• I can't find any wire that dose the front sidelights or indicators. I simply can't find a 12v source for them. Anyone give me an clue as to where it is?
• What fuse should I use on an air horn? I lost my old one so I can't think to what it was.
• Are clip on mirror legal?

Thats about it. Ta for any help.

Edited by Big_Adam, 29 October 2007 - 01:29 AM.

[dklawson]

1) Hazards: No
2) Flashers: Make sure the lamps are grounded. Make sure the three connectors on the flasher are on in the correct locations. The picture link below is for an aftermarket (non-Lucas) flasher but it may prove helpful. If not, get out your wiring diagram and carefully look at the bottom of your flasher to make sure the wires are in the correct positions. Likewise, if you've taken run a new harness, make sure the 5-wire connector for the turn signal switch has all it's wires correctly connected with the harness.
http://home.mindspri...rketFlasher.jpg
3) Oil Light: Disconnect the wire at the sender, earth it, and turn on the ignition switch. If the light is "ON" this way, replace the sender. If the light is still OFF, look for breaks in the wire to/from the sender or problems supplying power to the lamp from the ignition switch.
4) Front side lights: What? I didn't think there were any side lights in '63. Perhaps this is unique to the Hornet... sorry, I just don't know.
5) Air Horns: Regardless of the fuse, use a RELAY to power the air horn, don't power it directly through the horn button in the steering wheel. Use a 30 amp headlight relay... you'll be fine. Perhaps someone on the board is using similar horns. If you post the make, maybe they can tell you what the manufacturer recommended for a fuse.
6) Clip on mirrors: Are you talking about the ones that clamp onto the front pillar seam covers? I've only seen these on cars coming from the U.K. so I'd think they were legal... but I'm several thousand miles away so don't take my word for it.

[Big_Adam]

2) Flashers: Make sure the lamps are grounded. Make sure the three connectors on the flasher are on in the correct locations. The picture link below is for an aftermarket (non-Lucas) flasher but it may prove helpful. If not, get out your wiring diagram and carefully look at the bottom of your flasher to make sure the wires are in the correct positions. Likewise, if you've taken run a new harness, make sure the 5-wire connector for the turn signal switch has all it's wires correctly connected with the harness.
http://home.mindspri...rketFlasher.jpgthe
4) Front side lights: What? I didn't think there were any side lights in '63. Perhaps this is unique to the Hornet... sorry, I just don't know.
5) Air Horns: Regardless of the fuse, use a RELAY to power the air horn, don't power it directly through the horn button in the steering wheel. Use a 30 amp headlight relay... you'll be fine. Perhaps someone on the board is using similar horns. If you post the make, maybe they can tell you what the manufacturer recommended for a fuse.

Hey DkLawson.

Ermm...I don't have one of them flasher thingys. Being the genius that I am I decided to put an 82 front loom in then try and make it work with a 63 rear loom. As I've only got a front loom wiring map some things are getting confusing. I got the little metal two pronged flasher unit. But I only have the rear lights connected (if that makes any diffrent) as I simply cannot find the front indicator feed. Or at least one thats live.

Sidlights. I mean these wee little ones.



Final, on the horn. Yeah, I know not to wire it direct. I have my relay all set up it's just when they where in El Gordo I had a fuse connected as well. So it was wired 12v >> fuse >> relay >> horn with the original horn harness doing just the relay. It's a generic red trumpet kit from Mini spares so I couldn't tell you who made it.

Ta for any more info.

Edited by Big_Adam, 29 October 2007 - 09:51 AM.

[dklawson]

Well there's what confused me. You said side lights and those are on the front (and rear). They're what we call running or parking lights. There should be "red" wires from each lamp assembly for those lights. Somewhere those red lamp wires are joined (side to side). At that coupler the lamp power should be supplied on a red/green wire from the harness. That should be true both in the front and rear of the car.

Whether this is a '63 Mini or Hornet, it should have the turn signal indicator lamp on the stalk. To power that system properly you need the three-prong flasher. It will have a connection to the battery (green wire), a connection through the switch to the load (turn signal lamps)... and I believe that's the green/brown wire. Finally, the green/purple wire goes to the indicator bulb on the stalk. You MAY be able to get by connecting the "B" terminal of your two-prong flasher to the green wire and connecting the "L" terminal to the green/brown wire. However, you'll have no indicator lamp inside the car that the turn signals are on and you aren't going to hear the flasher mounted up front. You really need the three-prong flasher even if it means pulling the extra wire through the bulkhead.

If no one posts on the air horn issue, examine the wire size you're using. Write down the size of the wire, look up its maximum current rating, then choose a fuse that is SMALLER than that figure. You want the fuse to blow before the wire melts.

[Big_Adam]

Whether this is a '63 Mini or Hornet, it should have the turn signal indicator lamp on the stalk.

Ermm...it did have that. And it worked lovely. But being me I wanted my triple clocks (speedo, temp/fuel, rev) on the Hornet. So I've ..... "removed" the original twin fuse 63 gubbins and replaced it with a 4 fuse 82 gubbins and steering wheel/column stalks setup (see my genius of taking something that works.....then fecking about with it).

My flasher is more like this one.

http://www.minispare....aspx?pid=34170

Maybe I should just go pick up a new one....along with a washer motor.

As for the air horn, I'm using 30-35amp wire. So I should go for 15-20amp?

Cheers Dklawson.

[dklawson]

A Hornet with the later 3-gauge plastic, in front of the driver, mono-pod gauges? I'm feeling ill.

It's your car, but do you have any idea of the value reduction you're imparting? Do as you want, you own the car, but Hornets and Elves are far fewer in number than Minis and properly restored represent a sound financial investment. Turning them into another FrankenMini is ... never-mind.

As for the fuse and wire size, tell me the wire gauge or the square millimeters of the copper and I can look it up. I don't specify wire sizes by their "amps". That's a function of their copper area and the type of insulation.

I can only help you with the original aspects of the early car. I'm not familiar with wiring on later cars.

[Big_Adam]

It's your car, but do you have any idea of the value reduction you're imparting?

Don't worry. I am keeping all of the orginal bits that survived when I got the car. So the clocks, steering wheel, column, switches.

The only things given the heave ho so far are the old screwed dash backing as it was destroyed. The rear parcel shelf board as it died from too much sun and ... the orginal front loom. So I will be able to convert it back. Which would more than likely be when I've finished El Gordo.

Anyway, the Hornet already has the wrong engine and gear shifter in. So it's been messed with a fair old bit.

It's a bit of a pigs ear of a car anyway with one later door with the lock bodged on. Do not fear, I will not do anything that can;t be changed back.