Cobra wiring, boot lid, courtesy light switches and windscreen holes

Today I labelled up the front and rear body looms. I followed the GD build manual that identified each group of wires and every individual wire. Really easy even for a numpty like me! At least I know what the wires are for now. It just looked a real jumble of wires before that.

I also found that the GD loom allows for courtesy lights in the passenger compartment, a HiFi system located in the boot and a rear screen heater for a hard top.

I fitted the bullet connectors on most of the wires. The front lights will get waterproof connectors, as they are exposed under the wings.

With the courtesy light wires available it would be rude not to use them. So I fitted courtesy light switches in the door reveal between the hinges. A 10mm hole was drilled in each door reveal between the two hinges, plus a fixing hole.

Hole for switch and fixing

The switch was then located after a small amount of filing to open up the hole a little. The power wire is connected to this switch.

Courtesy door switch installed 

The lights will be fitted later in the under dash panels to illuminate the foot wells. A wire will go from the switch to the light for the power. The earth will then be the second connection to the light.

What I couldn't work out was how the fog and reversing light were earthed and what the two black with white trace wires were in the passenger compartment. Andy from GD clarified this.

The fog and reverse lights use a loop from the earth of the rear side lights (shared earth). Dead easy using a double bullet connection joint (supplied) and a bit of black wire.

The two black and white trace wires are connected together for continuity where the regular GD column connection is used. These two wires allow for an optional brake test light to be fitted. When the wires are connected, the brake test works when the ignition key is set to the crank position.

Fitting the boot lid was not so easy. First the edges of the lid were filed to prepare it for gel coating. Plenty of fitting and removing of the hinges, hole elongation and gentle persuasion of the hinges with a big hammer to get the boot lid lined up followed, along with some choice words! The boot lid took some time to line up and I am still not totally happy with it. I attached the rubber seal to the boot reveal to make sure that I had the correct position for the lid.

Boot lid fitted

GD had pre-fitted a twin core cable within the near side strengthening rib in the boot lid for the number plate light. That saved a load of time and hassle looking at some blogs, however finding the cable at the light end was not so easy. The wire goes through the near side hinge, which I had to drill in two places, down the inside of the rib and then it emerges at the number plate light position.

Boot lid fitted with wire for number plate light shown 

Here the wire is apparently curled up above the light location point and can be hooked out with some thin wire. That is still to do!

Next I cut the holes for the windscreen legs.

Drill holes within GD markings

 The position was marked up by GD. The holes were cut by marking and drilling holes along the centre line, leaving a millimeter at either side. The hole was masked off. Then the hole was opened up using the Dremel, then the step drill (carefully) and a file.

The cut cleaned up with a file ready for the windscreen pilar