Practically Classics Forum

I must admit, I reckon it could be difficult to find someone who would do the job at all. I certainly wouldn't go to someone's place and start a major rewire on an unknown quantity without being paid one heck of a lot of money upfront (and with no guarantee I could do it properly - Neon's aren't exactly common!).

As you say, there are a lot of wires with slightly different "shades" that are supposed to be different colours (eg orange that looks like red). Some of the Neon's aren't needed, some of the Voyager's are laso redundant (but it's a guess as to which ones), so there's a lot of tidying up and working out before you an even connect anything. If I was to do such a job, the first thing I would do is rip a lot of the wiring out and start again with a known quantity; it would save me a lot of hassle later on when "snagging".

It was bad enough when I had to sort out my friend's TVR that wouldn't start (and has part of a Range Rover wiring harness in it!) and I was going to his house, working out what might be wrong, coming home to check things on the web, going back to try to find the offending parts, checking them, coming back to check availability etc. I wasn't the first to look at the car - he paid a fully trained auto electrician a small fortune to spend a morning looking for the fault (he failed to find it). It took me an afternoon of going back and forwards - and then my friend had to go 15 miles to Halfords for the parts and fitted them in the evening! How do I charge for six hours' labour for diagnosing two faulty relays? I could have done the diagnosis in an hour if the car had been in my garage.

I have to agree, and a lot of auto electricians are simply of the 'plug a computer into it and see' ilk.

I think your best bet is going to be finding someone who can work on it part time, most likely at their place. I'd offer my dads services but he's the other end of the country to you.

tractorman wrote:I must admit, I reckon it could be difficult to find someone who would do the job at all. I certainly wouldn't go to someone's place and start a major rewire on an unknown quantity without being paid one heck of a lot of money upfront (and with no guarantee I could do it properly - Neon's aren't exactly common!).

As you say, there are a lot of wires with slightly different "shades" that are supposed to be different colours (eg orange that looks like red). Some of the Neon's aren't needed, some of the Voyager's are laso redundant (but it's a guess as to which ones), so there's a lot of tidying up and working out before you an even connect anything. If I was to do such a job, the first thing I would do is rip a lot of the wiring out and start again with a known quantity; it would save me a lot of hassle later on when "snagging".

It was bad enough when I had to sort out my friend's TVR that wouldn't start (and has part of a Range Rover wiring harness in it!) and I was going to his house, working out what might be wrong, coming home to check things on the web, going back to try to find the offending parts, checking them, coming back to check availability etc. I wasn't the first to look at the car - he paid a fully trained auto electrician a small fortune to spend a morning looking for the fault (he failed to find it). It took me an afternoon of going back and forwards - and then my friend had to go 15 miles to Halfords for the parts and fitted them in the evening! How do I charge for six hours' labour for diagnosing two faulty relays? I could have done the diagnosis in an hour if the car had been in my garage.

The man has a point, you would be best off asking around for someone to make a loom up and send the car to them rather than asking for the wiring to be bodged up.

I dug out the chrome trim rings only to realise I don't have a full
set of four. But 3 good ones the right depth, 2 which are of the
same design but are for a deeper wheel and 2 of a different design
but covered in red paint.

So here is the question does the car look better with the crome
rings, or without?







or without

you had best get it running before you worried about cosmetics..

If you want a totally honest personal opinion I think both look awful, the car has a "modern" shape and, to me, retro wheels/trims just doesn't work... But that's just my opinion, others may love 'em!

rich. wrote:you had best get it running before you worried about cosmetics..

I was outside for the only 5 minutes that my legs didn't feel like they
were it by a sledge hammer. This cold weather is affecting my arthritis.
Plus my parents have been in the way of me doing any work on my car
as they have been getting their cars filled ready to go and set up a
stall at a car boot fair in the morning!
Oh and the trim rings were in the boot of my car, so not too much
digging them out.

My father has JUST said that he's not doing any welding on my car this
side of Christmas as of the weather and there is still too much crap in
the garage stopping him from getting to his welding set!

My brother's Rover 45 saloon is going to be taken to a garage for it's mot
test on tuesday, once it's gone Christine will be moved onto the pit. As
dad's boat will be coming back from the marina this month and all stuff
on the drive will be getting moved around again!

I do want to get the old girl running, but I can't work outside as I would
like to as of my health. So once Christine has been moved I might get to
do a little at a time on the electrics as at the moment someone has been
pushing her nose right up to the storage thing and I can't push her out to
gain access to the engine bay without wrecking myself in the process!

If I do get her running, I might try and get the garage I want to get it's
MOT test done by to sort out the exhaust which dad doesn't seem to want
to do at the moment.

Mitsuru wrote:

rich. wrote:you had best get it running before you worried about cosmetics..

I was outside for the only 5 minutes that my legs didn't feel like they
were it by a sledge hammer. This cold weather is affecting my arthritis.
Plus my parents have been in the way of me doing any work on my car
as they have been getting their cars filled ready to go and set up a
stall at a car boot fair in the morning!
Oh and the trim rings were in the boot of my car, so not too much
digging them out.

crappy weather doesent inspire me much either mate..
spring is coming, only another few months

rich. wrote: crappy weather doesent inspire me much either mate..
spring is coming, only another few months

I got soaked and cold today, and the only difference to the summer was it wasnt as cold. I hate to be passimistic but keep dreaming about outdoor working weather being a few months away!