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Anybody ever had to strip paint off the wiring in the engine compartment before?
The PO had an engine built and installed in the car by a shop unknown to me. Before they put the engine in, they painted the engine compartment. Problem is, they painted everything including the wiring. All the wires were black. Not only that, but they painted over dirt and grease. It was a mess. I had cleaned up most of that mess quite a while back, but I hadn't addressed the wiring.
I spent the better part of yesterday stripping the paint off and cleaning the wiring. It's all in pretty good shape and hasn't been butchered, so was worth cleaning up to use again.
I used a citrus paint stripper. I tried it on some plastic and on wire before putting on my wire harness. It doesn't bother wire or plastic and does a good job of stripping the paint. The whole thing is a pain in the @ss though.
I'm starting masking everything off for painting today. I've been preparing for paint in the engine compartment and the bottom of the body and pretty close to ready.
I agree that using a tested paint stripper does make the paint that is on wiring come off easier.
I normally use just good automotive grade lacquer thinner....and I have a wand that I can slowly spray the wiring with it and let it get wet. Set for a minute or two and do it again. Do it a few times and the paint starts to fall off the wiring. Yes..there can be pesky spots that might need me to use a paper towel and wipe on it to get the stubborn spots off.
You are just rolling right along....keep up the good work....as I can see....you do it very well.
I agree that using a tested paint stripper does make the paint that is on wiring come off easier.
I normally use just good automotive grade lacquer thinner....and I have a wand that I can slowly spray the wiring with it and let it get wet. Set for a minute or two and do it again. Do it a few times and the paint starts to fall off the wiring. Yes..there can be pesky spots that might need me to use a paper towel and wipe on it to get the stubborn spots off.
You are just rolling right along....keep up the good work....as I can see....you do it very well.
DUB
I did the final cleaning of the wires with lacquer thinner. They look pretty good now.
I have the wiring and vacuum hoses all masked off with aluminum foil and paper and tape on everything else. Starting to paint the engine compartment and bottom side of the body tomorrow.
Mike
Mike
Last edited by v2racing; Nov 12, 2017 at 01:56 AM.
I have a quick question about your latest progress: using lacquer thinner to clean up your wiring. My concern is that the insulation for that wiring is either rubber or plastic, and lacquer thinner is known to dry these things out. Are you doing anything to deal with this or am I off base and isn't really a concern?
I have a quick question about your latest progress: using lacquer thinner to clean up your wiring. My concern is that the insulation for that wiring is either rubber or plastic, and lacquer thinner is known to dry these things out. Are you doing anything to deal with this or am I off base and isn't really a concern?
The wires are all plastic, there are some fabric covered, but they are under tape in the loom. I didn't soak them with lacquer thinner, just had a rag soaked with it and I wiped off the final bits of paint left. No long exposure to thinner, so I don't think there are any bad effects.
Most all the stripping was done with a citrus paint stripper. It will affect rubber, foam, and some softer things like that, but my testing beforehand didn't show any effects on wiring or hard plastic.
Seems like you have the 'plan of attack' on this project well in hand.
Keep it up!
For what ever this is worth:
The lacquer thinner is not penetrating the vinyl....like water on a piece of toasted bread where it is being absorbed into it. It is not doing that. It is only getting what is on the surface.
A long time ago....I took a piece of GM wiring and put it in a jar of good automotive grade lacquer thinner and sealed it up and let it sit for well over an hour and I did not see any issues with it...and that was with the wire submerged in the lacquer thinner. I also do apply a substance on the wiring when I am doing this. I do not know with 100% certainty if it helps but I apply it even if the wires are clean and have not been wiped with lacquer thinner.
Also...if I am messing with wiring and it is hard a rock (usually in the engine compartment) and I go and bend it and the vinyl snaps. Either the customer gets new wiring harnesses or I stop and leave it alone. But also keep in mind I know where I do this test...because bending the wires in some areas is pointless due to the wire is not going to move due to how it is secured.
I planned on putting the body back on the chassis this weekend, but my lower back went out on me last night. I can't hardly stand or walk. I need to get my car out of my friends shop, he has been great, but I don't want to overstay my welcome.
I'm paying for decades of working and playing hard. This getting old stuff sucks!
I'm still going to go to the shop and try to do the couple of small things left before dropping the body on.
Hopefully your back comes back without you having too much discomfort.
I can hopefully say that I feel your friend would understand if you can not stand up or walk. The main thing is to get better as quick as you can. This happens from time to time at my shop and I get over it rather quickly....in regards to...a car not leaving when it was supposed to leave. When it comes to someones health...or severe family crisis issues...I try not to get to bent out of shape and count my blessings that I am not having to deal with that issue.
Thanks Dub, my back actually held up better than I was expecting. I got quite a bit done yesterday and today. I did some wiring repair, mostly the tape on the harness, they look factory new now.
Between looking at a wiring harness and the car, I've found wires in the harness I can use for my electric fuel pump. I'm not using the alarm system, it was missing pieces already anyway. I'm also not using the windshield washer. I'm not going to be out when the roads are wet and dirty in this Vert. This gives me some wires routing to where I need them to run a couple of new things.
Hopefully your back comes back without you having too much discomfort.
I can hopefully say that I feel your friend would understand if you can not stand up or walk. The main thing is to get better as quick as you can. This happens from time to time at my shop and I get over it rather quickly....in regards to...a car not leaving when it was supposed to leave. When it comes to someones health...or severe family crisis issues...I try not to get to bent out of shape and count my blessings that I am not having to deal with that issue.
Thanks Dub, my back actually held up better than I was expecting. I got quite a bit done yesterday and today. I did some wiring repair, mostly the tape on the harness, they look factory new now.
Between looking at a wiring harness and the car, I've found wires in the harness I can use for my electric fuel pump. I'm not using the alarm system, it was missing pieces already anyway. I'm also not using the windshield washer. I'm not going to be out when the roads are wet and dirty in this Vert. This gives me some wires routing to where I need them to run a couple of new things.
Mike
Mike,
Glad that you made a fast recovery.
I know you have a 'clue'...and I am adding this for those who may not know and might not consider some aspects until it is too late...so....I am not meaning to step on your 'toes'.
I have done what you are doing... and that means I use the ports where the wires that were in the bulkhead connector that the factory used. I take them out and run new wires to whatever I am doing if needed. Where my concern grows is IF I am needed to run a few 12 gauge wires through the bulkhead to power something. I start to get nervous...because the actual terminal connectors that GM uses for a 12 gauge wire is larger than the other terminals for a 14, 16, or 18 gauge wire. And there are really not any place to add these larger terminals.
Sometimes I have to get another fuse panel for later year model that allows me to have many more options due to many more ports in the bulkhead connector. And that also opens up even more work to get out the pad and paper and make sure I draw up what the 'new' bulkhead connector will look like for future wiring service/repairs if needed. I even go as far as to make labels to re-label the fuse and what it controls.
I got my new fuel system put together at the engine end today. I wanted to run the feeds to the fuel bowls to each side of the pressure regulator, but with the fittings in place, it was just too tight. I had to run the lines to the opposite side of the regulator. It worked out well though.
The carb is a old 4781 I resurrected from the grave. It had a hack job done to remove the choke tower. I cleaned up the poor machine work and shaped the top like an HP. I also put jets in the air bleeds, idle restrictors and power valve feeds and turned it into a 4 corner idle. Put a new base plate on it too.
I haven't decided where or how I will mount the pump in the rear, or exactly where the feed and return lines will run yet. I'd like to run the lines before I drop the body back on the chassis, but I'm not sure if the -8 and -6 AN lines will fit where the original steel lines were.
I also got my pulleys all on and lined up. Doing a few things that are easier to do with the body off. Body should go on this weekend.
FYI: I used an ifrred gun to route my new fuel lines in the engine bay....since my car was a basket case I'm making upgrdes to improve underhood fuel cooling/CAI/Radaitor air deflecton/Etc. I have underhood ambient air now rather than 195*F-205*F heat
When I had this engine and tranny in my 80 Vette, I didn't have any heat problems. The headers were ceramic coated. I had a really good cooling system. I put Thermo Tech adhesive backed reflective heat barrier under the car where the exhaust passed. The AC worked very well also.
The only place I had heat was coming through the glass T-tops on sunny days. You don't want to park in the sun with those tops!
The rolling chassis pictures are very sexy. A very good goal for anyone. I'm a year or two behind you at most, Lord (and checking account) (and wife) (and college tuition) (and wife's new car) willing.
Last edited by keithinspace; Nov 21, 2017 at 12:45 PM.
The rolling chassis pictures are very sexy. A very good goal for anyone. I'm a year or two behind you at most, Lord (and checking account) (and wife) (and college tuition) (and wife's new car) willing.
I wish you good luck in your goals. I know how life can get in the way.
When I sold my 80 Vette, I also sold a lot of parts I had. I bought most of my parts for this build back then. I wouldn't be able to do it now if I wouldn't have.
I got my new fuel system put together at the engine end today. I wanted to run the feeds to the fuel bowls to each side of the pressure regulator, but with the fittings in place, it was just too tight. I had to run the lines to the opposite side of the regulator. It worked out well though.
The carb is a old 4781 I resurrected from the grave. It had a hack job done to remove the choke tower. I cleaned up the poor machine work and shaped the top like an HP. I also put jets in the air bleeds, idle restrictors and power valve feeds and turned it into a 4 corner idle. Put a new base plate on it too.
I haven't decided where or how I will mount the pump in the rear, or exactly where the feed and return lines will run yet. I'd like to run the lines before I drop the body back on the chassis, but I'm not sure if the -8 and -6 AN lines will fit where the original steel lines were.
I also got my pulleys all on and lined up. Doing a few things that are easier to do with the body off. Body should go on this weekend.
Mike
Wow, that is eye candy for sure! That is looking so sweet !
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Slideshow: A Jaguar designer's personal project imagines what a modern front-engined Corvette might look like if Chevrolet revisited the golden age of the Stingray.
Glad that you made a fast recovery.
