LHD to RHD wiring harness differences

[paulsco]

I am converting my series One 4.2 from left hand to right hand drive.
I do not want to replace the wiring harness and am looking at ways to adapt it.
It strikes me that parts of the harness comes from the right and could be turned back on itself to reach the right hand side.

Does anyone have a photo of the RHD harness; preferably laid out on the ground so that I can see the differences?
Is it possible just to move the LHD harness around to make it fit?
I appreciate some wires will obviously have to be adapted.

Thank You,

Paul

[MarkE]

Paul, I did this job on both my S1 and S3 cars.

It made a change that this was a simple job on the S3, just requiring the loom that went to the left (for the larger instruments) to be pulled over to the right and hooked up, with no extensions required. The smaller instruments and switches were just swapped about, and there was enough cable to do the job quite easily.

It was a while ago now, but I remember that the S1 wasn't going to be as simple a job, with many of the cables having to be extended. However, as I was trying to bend it back through the 180 degrees required, I noticed that the insulation was starting to crack in doing this job, as it had gone quite hard and brittle. I replaced the loom with a new Autosparks loom, which went in very easily.

Check your loom very carefully before and after moving it!

[paulsco]

Thanks for your reply Mark.

My harness seems quite supple, so I think it will be ok.

When you fitted your new harness, did you notice the differences, or is it just a completely different harness?

Paul

[MarkE]

They are different harnesses, Paul, but only in so much as some wires are longer and some are shorter!. Many lhd to rhd conversions use the existing looms if they are in good condition, and if done properly they are fine. I have seen some extended with twisted wires and insullation tape, a fire waiting to happen.

[paulsco]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for your advice and warning; I intend to solder on bullet connectors to join any necessary extensions.

I replaced the wiring harness in my Jaguar 340 and there are plenty of good correctly coloured wires available from the old loom.
I bought the new loom for the 340 from one of the regular suppliers; although the loom was accurate and very original in many ways, all the connectors were crimped on, instead of soldered like the originals; this has put me off buying a new harness.

All the photos I have seen of new harnesses show crimped connectors.

Paul

[Heuer]

Paul

Originality apart provided the crimping is done with the correct tool the joints will be perfect:
http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/V ... blades.php

I bought this kit from them as you definitely need the correct tool with these connectors.

[paulsco]

You may be right David, but I just don?t like crimped connections.

While I was replacing the loom on my 340, several of the connections became detached while trying to manoeuvre it through holes etc; they just aren?t as secure as the original soldered connections.
I may have been a little heavy handed, but I even managed to pull off the bulb connectors for one of the instruments; that was fun to repair :(

Paul

[norman m. macleod]

Hi Paul,
Greetings from the land of Oz (Down Under....) I read with interest your comments on wiring, etc., and thought I'd chuck in my tuppence worth. I too am restoring a Series 1 4.2, and converting it from LHD to RHD......Long a devotee of soldered bullet connectors, I have moved away from them completely in the last several years. A restorer of classic vintage British motorcycles for almost 50 years now, I can assure you that the ultimate testing platform for any electrical connection is one of those charming devices....all parameters are catered for, heat, vibration, exposure to the elements, you name it. ( A by-product of its capabilities is also to demonstrate, rapidly, the limitations of anything that Joseph Lucas ever designed....!)
There is probably little difference in the mechanical/conductivity integrity of soldered vs. crimped, when initially made, but over the years vibration and heat take their toll, and what were pretty ductile conductor strands get hard, in particular at the conductor/solder junction, due probably to the alloying and/or flux residue in this area. I have gone over completely to crimped connectors nowadays, both for my motorcycles and my cars, and they are hard to beat, properly made, as David commented. One has to bear in mind, too, that the original wiring in our cars is now over 40 years old.......
I checked the wiring on mine end to end, and chucked it in the bin. I got a complete set of looms from AutoSparks, excellent product. As I recall ( should that be IIRC.....?) it was about 450 quid or so......
I also appreciate that this is a preferred course when undertaking a complete restoration, and not just the LHD to RHD conversion, however, peace of mind and all that....
Kind regards,
Norman M. Macleod Western Australia.

[MarkE]

Building on what you say, Norman, I believe that soldered joints aren't used in the aircraft industry due to them providing an early fatigue point as the joint becomes brittle.

Whist the consequences aren't quite as bad for a car I would imagine that the vibrations can be as bad if not worse. One of your 500cc singles from the 40s and 50s would be the ideal test bed for this theory!