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chichilengua
Samba Member
Joined: January 29, 2008
Posts: 186
Location: South Side, Chicago
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 Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:05 am Post subject: Wiring A Beetle??? |
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| I'm restoring my 74 Beetle, I was thinking about rewiring my beetle. Because I'm doing a restoration overall restorationa. how had is it to wire a beetle.. and where is the best website to purchase one. do they come with wiring lay out.... thanks |
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69 Jim
Samba Member
Joined: September 27, 2004
Posts: 6264
Location: Chickengeorge's Neighbor
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chichilengua
Samba Member
Joined: January 29, 2008
Posts: 186
Location: South Side, Chicago
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| Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:25 am Post subject: |
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| Beetle is a '74 standard auto stick, but I'm converting it to a stick.... |
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kvorhies
Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2009
Posts: 127
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JonF
Samba Member
Joined: December 16, 2005
Posts: 2030
Location: Oklahoma
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| Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 7:05 pm Post subject: Re: Wiring A Beetle??? |
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| chichilengua wrote: |
| I'm restoring my 74 Beetle, I was thinking about rewiring my beetle. Because I'm doing a restoration overall restorationa. how had is it to wire a beetle.. and where is the best website to purchase one. do they come with wiring lay out.... thanks |
you have something in your inbox that might help 
rewiring is not all that hard. just fallow the instructions to a T and in order. dont skip around. make sure you have all of the switches and other stuff you need before you start.
_________________
68 bug 1600sp 30/31
68 baja 1600sp 010 32ndix |
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mack4200
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2009
Posts: 6
Location: st. louis mo.
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| Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 7:54 pm Post subject: |
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| im restoring a 74 super beetle and so far what im hearing is that you can only buy the main loom from the engine to the fuse panel thats it . and also i was told by a guy at archway who does restores that if you can try and save the original if possible because all of the after market ones arent the same color and he says the wire isnt as good |
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jamesdagg
Samba Member
Joined: August 18, 2007
Posts: 3364
Location: B.C.Canada
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| Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:57 pm Post subject: |
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| mack4200 wrote: |
| im restoring a 74 super beetle and so far what im hearing is that you can only buy the main loom from the engine to the fuse panel thats it . and also i was told by a guy at archway who does restores that if you can try and save the original if possible because all of the after market ones aren't the same color and he says the wire isnt as good |
I've never heard of the wire not being as good, although it probably is of lesser quality than the original, what isn't.
I'm sure though that the colors are right or they would be useless. Unacceptable.
The hardest part is from the back seat to the engine through the expanded foam in the quarter panel. Poke that sh*t out with a hanger before removing the old harness. Then cut the old harness off under the seat and tape it solidly to the new one and pull it through from the back with someone feeding it from inside.
Then just match up wire colors with terminal numbers without worrying how it all works. Match'm up and diagnose any problems when done. You can use the easier to follow '72 diagram for most stuff.
Four major improvements you can do when rewiring.(not counting gauges)
1) High amp (40) breaker or fuse at the back in the wire from the alternator to the fuse box and light switch. (B+) All new cars have these, called "fuseable links". A Beetle has no protection all the way up to and including the light switch.
2) High amp switch in the rear kick panel to cut off battery ground. Very handy when working on electrics. Saves connecting and disconnecting the ground strap. Later can be used as a cheap theft deterrent although it wipes the stereo memory.
3) Hard start relay to conserve ignition switch and more power to starter. Best installed at the starter but easiest under the back seat where there is a convenient T connector in the starter wire and the battery is right there. 20 min. job.
4) Wire your stereo switched power to your buzzer wire for an accessory position to listen with the key off.
For possible future gauges run a 4 wire ribbon wire from the engine to trunk with the main harness.
Best electrical site on the net. Bookmark it.
http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/
jim
_________________
'72 FI Westy
'71 Super rear inside defrost vents no longer available |
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Vinnems
Samba Member
Joined: December 23, 2008
Posts: 1183
Location: Simi Valley, CA
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| Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 11:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Nice suggestions, James. I have a question about wiring though. I see the diagrams have the different sizes and such. If I don't care about matching colors and such, could I pick up wires from a hardware store to use in rewiring my car? I'd imagine it be cheaper than ordering a kit. |
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jamesdagg
Samba Member
Joined: August 18, 2007
Posts: 3364
Location: B.C.Canada
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| Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 11:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Vinnems wrote: |
| Nice suggestions, James. I have a question about wiring though. I see the diagrams have the different sizes and such. If I don't care about matching colors and such, could I pick up wires from a hardware store to use in rewiring my car? I'd imagine it be cheaper than ordering a kit. |
All I can say is DON"T DO IT. You will become one of the ranks of PO's we all complain about. 
If you don't need a whole harness and figure you can make do with repairs go to a wrecker and cut random hunks of wire harness out of old Beetles, buses and even Rabbits etc. They will have all the right colors and you can replace any defective spade connectors.
In a pinch ask here for a hunk of the right color. I have several old harnesses pulled from wrecks and could send you an odd colored piece.
Go ahead and buy plain brown and red and black but get the proper tracer colors for everything else. You will be glad later when problems arise as you will be able to use the electrical diagram. Do you really want to have to draw a custom one and keep notes?
jim
_________________
'72 FI Westy
'71 Super rear inside defrost vents no longer available |
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JonF
Samba Member
Joined: December 16, 2005
Posts: 2030
Location: Oklahoma
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| Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 12:35 am Post subject: |
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| jamesdagg wrote: |
| I'm sure though that the colors are right or they would be useless. Unacceptable |
my 68-69 wiring works kits was not 100% but real close to it.
_________________
68 bug 1600sp 30/31
68 baja 1600sp 010 32ndix |
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fred69vert
Samba Member
Joined: August 17, 2007
Posts: 2200
Location: Home of the US Navy Atlantic Fleet, Norfolk, VA
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| Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 5:11 am Post subject: |
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Some tips I followed when I did mine......
BTW I am an electronics tech (retired Navy) by trade so that may have made it seem easier.
1. Don't pull any wires until you are ready to replace them. You'll need to use some of the old ones as "pull strings" to get the new ones in place.
2. Dremel tool with wire brush. Clean EVERY contact you are connecting to. Everything needs to be bright to provide good conductivity. Don't forget the ground terminals under the speedo and inside the engine compartment. Yes, they are there for the ground (brown wire) spade terminals to connect to. And clean the bulb sockets as well.
3. Rubber grommets. Get an assortment, like they sell at Harbor Freight. Replace every grommet as you do the harness. Also the rubber boots for the headlights and front turn signals. You could also replace the taillight rubber gaskets while you have them off.
4. Check and double check every circuit for continuity before you apply power.
5. If you haven't pulled the old harness yet, take notes, noting connections, routing, and wire colors as you pull the old one. It will help as a reference for your install.
6. Plastic cable ties. Different sizes. Use them liberally to "dress" your wiring neatly and you'll be proud of how it looks when you're done.
7. If any of the bare terminals look like it might short to the car, use heat shrink to insulate. Electrical tape is NOT your friend.
And removing the hood (trunk lid) makes access to the back of the dash easier.
One other thing.....download the wiring diagram from here
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiringt2.php
drop it onto a thumb drive, take it to Kinko's (or some place like it) and have a LARGE color copy printed of it. Mine is hanging on my shop wall where I can refer to it easily.
_________________
I'm not losing my hair, it's just retired and relocating further south.
1969 VW convertible, "Heidi" |
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69 Jim
Samba Member
Joined: September 27, 2004
Posts: 6264
Location: Chickengeorge's Neighbor
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| Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 10:30 am Post subject: |
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Last edited by 69 Jim on Thu Mar 26, 2009 6:06 am; edited 1 time in total |
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JonF
Samba Member
Joined: December 16, 2005
Posts: 2030
Location: Oklahoma
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| Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 10:42 am Post subject: |
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| Vinnems wrote: |
| Nice suggestions, James. I have a question about wiring though. I see the diagrams have the different sizes and such. If I don't care about matching colors and such, could I pick up wires from a hardware store to use in rewiring my car? I'd imagine it be cheaper than ordering a kit. |
in the end you will have something like this....
now what red wirer went to what? thats the biggest reason i rewired my car. the whole back half was all red wire. and couldnt tell what wire went to what. save yourself the pain and pony up the cash to get a replacement harness. you will be glad you did in the long run.
_________________
68 bug 1600sp 30/31
68 baja 1600sp 010 32ndix |
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69 Jim
Samba Member
Joined: September 27, 2004
Posts: 6264
Location: Chickengeorge's Neighbor
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| Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 11:02 am Post subject: |
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buzzboy
Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2008
Posts: 343
Location: OBX NC
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| Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 6:08 pm Post subject: |
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| I bought white wire and sharpies. It doesn't fade too bad because it's in the car. |
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guidosarduchi
Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2007
Posts: 82
Location: Central Wisconsin
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| Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 1:05 am Post subject: |
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Awesome site - thanks James. At one point I had considered putting a new harness in mine 71 super, but my wiring isn't butchered very bad - and I would be facing some of the same issues anyway.
If you have access to Bug Me Video (#9 or #10, can't remember) there is a lot of good information and even some basic wiring techniques.
_________________
71 Super Beetle Convertible (Thunderbug)
65 AMC Rambler Classic Hardtop
08 Pontiac G6 Hardtop Convertible |
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jeepinoffroad04
Samba Member
Joined: January 11, 2008
Posts: 175
Location: Wilson
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| Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 3:13 am Post subject: wiring |
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| rewiring is pretty simple, i'm in the process of doing a 71 beetle for my old lady, running shaved 60's front fenders (no turn signals) and frenched tear drop rears. i ripped ALL wiring out to start with, some has been a pain in the but, dome light is the worst!!!! besides that its pretty simple. i will admit getting rid of all the turn signals made it easier. LOL. also added in a foot dimmer switch from a corvette, gives it the older model feel, plus its actual simpler to wire w/ the relay built in! i added a lot of extra stuff into the car such as heated seats, nice stereo system, power outlets, just some other electrical stuff, but it was all fairly simple. buy a test light probe and go from there!! |
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