JBugs Video Series

1966 VW Beetle - Vehicle Rewiring - Front End Wiring:

Electrical

Video Overview:

We’re in the midst of completely re-wiring a 1966 Beetle and in this portion we’ll install the subharnesses for the front end of the car. Follow along as we hook up the horn, brake light switch, headlights and turn signals and get this Beetle a bit closer to completion!

Fuel Tank Removal: 0:52
Horn Wiring (Trunk): 1:05
Horn & Master Cylinder Harness Placement: 1:19
Steering Column Adjustment: 1:49
Horn Wiring (Steering Wheel): 2:30
Master Cylinder Wiring : 3:15
Horn Wiring (Fenderwell): 3:25
Dash Bulbs & Socket Installation: 3:56
Front Left Harness Wiring (Fuse Box): 4:17
Turn Signal Wiring: 5:41
Front Right Harness Wiring (Fuse Box): 6:23
Headlight Wiring: 6:46


Video Tips:

Tools used in this video:

1/4" Ratchet
3" 1/4 Extension
8mm Socket
3/8" Ratchet
6" 3/8 Extension
13mm Socket
1/2" Ratchet
3" 1/2 Extension
27mm Socket
Flat Head Screwdriver
Phillips Screwdriver
Test Lead
Wire Cripmers
Drill with Phillips Bit
Wire Cutters/Strippers
1/4" Female Wire Terminal Ends

Video Transcript:

Hi! Sam here with JBugs.com
In our last video, we finished up the main harness in a 1966 Beetle 
and with the majority of that harness hooked up; we'll get to work on the front of the car.
The Beetle we're working on had some previous accident damage that we'll have to work around in this video 
and that starts in the trunk, where we loosen the fuel tank hold down brackets, disconnect the sending unit cable, and remove the fuel tank.
With the fuel tank out of the way, we can feed the horn wire up the steering shaft 
through the slot in the end in the steering coupler. 
Once the wire is fed all the way in, the wire is installed onto the terminal connection 
at the steering coupler bolt. Next, a new grommet is installed into the firewall.
The horn and master cylinder leg of the front left harness is fed through the grommet in the trunk, 
into the passenger compartment. 
From the passenger compartment, the wires are pushed through the newly installed firewall grommet 
and exit next to the steering column tube. The loose brown wire from the front harness is connected to the terminal end on the steering column tube.
At the fuse box, we hook up the double black/red and black/yellow wires from the front left harness 
to the lower right terminal in the fuse box. 
The car we're working on has a bit of an issue because of the accident damage 
in that the steering shaft is rubbing on the steering column tube. 
We use some spacers in between the upper column mount, to lower the column slightly 
and a piece of rubber hose, between the grommet and the other side of the dash, to prevent the shaft from rubbing the tube. 
Note that loosening the upper mount allows the column to be slid in or out of the body 
to adjust the gap between the steering wheel and the turn signal switch.
While we're inside the car, we'll install the horn ring, 
beginning by installing three plastic spacers into the horn contact ring. 
The ring and spacers are pressed into the horn ring; 
plastic washers are slid over the horn ring screw before they were placed into the horn ring and followed by three horn button springs. 
The horn ring assembly is placed onto the steering wheel 
and the screws are tightened down to the center ring but not so tight so the horn can no longer be pressed down. The horn wire end is attached to the horn ring, under the metal plate, which is secured with a small screw. Finally, the horn button itself is snapped into the ring.
Back inside the trunk, the master cylinder harness is routed down to the master cylinder 
and hooked up to the brake light switch. Either wire can be attached to either terminal. 
The horn wires are routed along the lower body channel, underneath the gas tank, through the body, 
and the tab on the body is bent over to hold the wires in place. 
In the front of the left fender well, new horn wire boots are slid over the wires 
and the wires are plugged into the horn, either wire can be attached to either terminal. 
The fuel tank can be set back in place at this point 
but don't completely install the tank until after all the wiring has been tested.
Still, inside the trunk, new speedometer bulbs and sockets are installed at the fuel gauge and the speedometer. 
The blue indicator wires from the main harness 
are plugged into the lower outer two bulbs on the speedometer. 
Looking at the back of the speedometer, the blue and green wire plugs into the left bulb 
and the blue wire plugs into the right.
Then wires from the front left harness are plugged into the fuse box 
at all the following lower side terminals. The white wire is plugged into the second terminal from the right. The yellow wire is plugged into the fourth terminal from the right. The gray wire is plugged into the third terminal from the left above the rear parking light wire. 
The single black/red wire from the front left harness 
is connected to the black/red wire from the main wiring harness with a shrouded wiring connector. 
The black/white wire from the main harness and the black/white wire connector from the turn signal switch 
are plugged into a shrouded T connector.
Another T connector is used to connect the black/green wire from the main harness 
along with the black/green wire from the turn signal switch. The black/white wire for the left front turn signal is a loose wire and has a pigtail at one end. The pigtail will be left loose for now. 
The first wiring connector at the pigtail end 
is connected to this T connector as well. 
Another T connector is used to connect the black/green wire from the main harness 
along with the black/green wire from the turn signal switch. 
Next, the loose black/green wire for the right front turn signal 
similar to the left, pigtail at one end is connected to this T connector. Again, the pigtail is left loose.
Next, 
we'll hook up the front turn signals; running the black/white wire to the left and the black/green wire to the right side turn signal holes in the trunk. The turn signal assemblies have to be removed from the fender along with the seals. 
It is very difficult to feed the terminal end of the wire through the turn signal seal 
so the end of the wire is cut off the wire is stripped and the wire is fed through the seal. 
The wire tube from the seal is pulled into place into the trunk, 
new terminal ends are crimped on, the wires are plugged into the turn signal assemblies, and the assemblies and seals are reinstalled.
The front right harness is set in place 
and all the wires are plugged into the fuse box at all the following lower side terminals. The white wire is plugged into the third terminal from the right. The yellow wire is plugged into the fourth terminal from the left. The gray wire is plugged into the second terminal from the left, above the rear parking light wire.
Now, the headlight assemblies are removed. 
With a battery and a jumper wire connector to the positive terminal 
and the center lugs in the parking light sockets, we tap the metal headlight rings to the negative battery terminal to make sure that the parking light sockets ground out to the ring. 
The parking lights come on 
so we won’t have to run an additional ground wire to the parking light sockets.
If your light did not turn on, you will have to run a separate ground wire from the headlight harness, 
brown wire, to the additional terminal at the bottom of the socket. 
Back at the front fenders, the headlight wires are run through the headlight wire tubes 
and into the headlight buckets. The white, yellow, and brown wires are plugged into the headlight sockets as shown. 
With the white wire in the left position, 
the yellow wire in the top, and the brown wire in the right position. The gray wires are attached to the center lug of the parking light socket. 
The headlight sockets are plugged into the back of the headlights 
and the headlight assemblies are reinstalled.
Inside the trunk, near the headlight wire tubes, 
the ground wires, which have ring terminals, are screwed into the body. 
The original holes on this care were filled in 
so self-tapping screws are used to attach the ground wires to the body. With that, all of the front components on this car are wired so this portion of our wiring video is complete. 
In our next video we'll install the dome light harness 
and get to work with the dash; connecting all the switches, relays, and wiring there.
Thanks for watching!
Say hello or let us know if you have any questions in the comments below. 
If you're looking for wiring components or any other vintage VW parts or accessories head over to JBugs.com