Neil Clark

Finally got power to the headlights and they work main and dip using the new switch I had bought. No flash function nor dashboard lights but the main problem is seemingly fixed. For sanity I tried them with the old switch which promptly started smoking which may explain the pop fizz blown fuse when I first switched both the side and headlights on. They had worked on the old switch individually before - could that have been load as an issue?

I've spent the afternoon cutting out the extraneous wiring and making sure that all the routes and the connections were correct. It was made very complicated because the wiring diagram, the loom used and of course the PO's modifications each used different colours in many parts. I've taken the switch covers off the column switches and think they all link up. The red wire from the inline fuse goes only to the PO's relay and has no connection with the lights at all, only the horn wiring. The two purple wires on the horn circuit seem fine but there is one random purple wire with a bullet on the end sticking out. I can't get a circuit on that bullet so have just covered it with tape for tonight. All the switch circuits and switches seem to be live. It may be that I'll find something tomorrow. If I can get the headlights to work I'll have to tidy up all the connections. Apart from the blue snap connectors some of the bullet connectors were not properly engaged in any places and loose. However I still managed to create circuits. Other than the loose wire short circuit that must have blown the fuse (which I've now found and cleaned up temporarily) I'm still not there. Will check again the earths on the bulkhead tomorrow because it's all I can see may be wrong. I charged the battery a few days ago and the built in telltale says it's fine but I'll get it tested. It's dropped to 11.5V already. I'll have to copy and tippex the wiring diagram to update the wire colours for future reference.

I went over to our local motor factors for multiple colours of wire. We've known each other for decades. "Here you are he says, take these reels, pay me for what you use when you bring it back."

I can't thank you all enough for the help this week.

- If I was to make a partial loom myself to replace the mess behind the dash, using the wiring loom in the manual, would I need the relay to deal with the issue of the dip / main / flash column stalk handling the headlight voltage? Do you know if there anything else I would need to have that is not in the Mark 1 wiring drawing?

Thank you. An alternator does away with the need for a control box. If I was to make a partial loom myself to replace the mess behind the dash, using the wiring loom in the manual, would I need the relay to deal with the issue of the dip / main / flash column stalk handling the headlight voltage?

At least I can take the dash board off and make up a loom of my own using the "new" professionally made loom with the existing instruments, and hopefully with the correct colour wires. The instruments all seem OK. It's all spade connectors and bullets and I have plenty of those. I'm still confused by the difference between control boxes and relays. I have an alternator and I thought alternators needed relays as well?

Although it was a front end smash so the rear could be OK, I suspect that modifying the standard loom will cost as much as a full loom! Their phone is constantly busy today - and TD Fitchett recommend Autosparks, Canley buy them in 12 - 16 weeks, Moss are on back order 3 -4 months - sounds like could be a 12 week wait!

I think, given all the above, that a new loom from the bulkhead into the cabin for the dash and controls makes sense. Yesterday after one attempt to check if I had the new light switch connection correct I looked up to see smoke rising from around the ignition switch. There are so many dodgy connections which I can't get a camera angle onto to show you. Even if, stationary in my garden I can get it to work, I'm now extremely concerned about what would happen if I drive it and things vibrate and short out. The original crash the PO had was due to the disaster of an accelerator rod linkage welded to the original to operate the Weber carb, which rested (yes really) on the exhaust manifold, stuck, and led to the accident. I suspect that the dash wiring loom mods represent the same approach of botch botch and hope. I'll keep poking about to try and learn what I can and photograph what I can but I'll see what I can do to buy a loom for the dash and switches that I can connect (with bullets). I can leave the branch to the rear of the car "as is" Any suggestions for a supplier of a part loom?

Definitely got the battery disconnected! The green light on the dash doesn't do anything when the flashers are working, which they do, so I imagine it is as Adrian says so I'll remove the connection to the ignition switch for now. Yes I'll get that photo of the light switch later Adrian. The flasher unit was loose as you see when I took the glove box out. It works fine and I intend to re-attach it once the current issues are solved. Can I use the old voltage regulator with an alternator? I hate the scotchbloc connectors. I used them once on a kit car and threw them away after a month. But I want to get the headlights etc working first then tidy up the connections. I do hope that in the end I won't have to re-wire!

Extra Green Light on Dashboard - I wonder if this has anything to do with the electrical fuel shut off valve that was fitted? Green wire goes to white wires on rear of ignition switch and went through bulkhead to the shut off valve. It doesn't seem to do anything else.

Beter photo of bulkhead fuses. The lower one blew.

Thanks. No control box. Here are photos of the fuse box area. It was the lower of the two fuses that blew. The brown wire that goes to the line fuse emerges from the loom and on the other side of the fuse it is red. It runs across behind the instruments to the relay at the steering column mentioned yesterday. As for the little square black box seen on the fuse box photo it is unlabelled, has a loose earth wire and makes no logical sense! There is also a small green lamp on the fascia. I can't see what it is for and the wiring doesn't seem original but will photograph and try to trace.

Before I do anything can you all help me to sanity check some points please? Car is Mk1 but I cannot see a control box in any obviously accessible position under the bonnet or under the dash. It has an alternator. It is negative earthed. It has the early fuse box on the inside of the firewall holding 2 35A fuses and also has a 35A in line fuse. It starts and runs wonderfully well, temp gauge, rev counter and fuel gauge work fine. Speedo is still the mechanical type. Instrument lighting not yet working.

OK. I've no mods now, I've stripped those all out and I'm trying to get to only having the essentials. The relay and its wiring is definitely additional, NOT part of the new loom that was fitted a the last restoration about 2015. I'll do as suggested tomorrow and let you know. It may take a little while due to the kaleidoscope of wiring colours. I keep going over the wiring diagram and what I can't get out of my head is that the headlights were working fine until I connected the side and indicator light looms. Then as soon as I switched them all on the 35A fuse on the bulkhead audibly popped and only the side and indicators would function plus the blue main beam and flasher indicator operated by the column stalk. All 3 fuses, the two on the bulkhead and the line fuse are fine now. Enough for tonight!

Josef does that simply mean cutting it out and running a wire from the light switch to the column switch wire? Doesn't it have any useful function? I wonder therefore if it was there for the fuel pipe cut off system (which I have removed) which had a switch on the column.

Re Relay - what do I change it to? I am an electrical novice. I don't know why it's there or what it replaces. I'll focus on the column wires tomorrow.

The blue flash indicator light works but not the headlights themselves. The push / pull switch connects to the column via a relay now. The column switch seems to be working OK in that the blue main beam and flash light comes on and goes off correctly.

Thank you both. The headlight circuit is dead at the front (ie at the bonnet) where it emerges and joins the bullet connectors for the individual headlight looms. I'm wondering about running wires from the switch to those bullet connectors just to eliminate another variable. If it's dry tomorrow I"ll get under the dash with flashlight and my voltmeter and see if I can find anything odd.

Well, I've changed for new both the main lightswitch and the headlight / horn relay and everything except the headlights works as with the old switch and relay. Since the headlights worked before I connected the sidelights and then switched on the headlights, when immediately the 35A fuse on the bulkhead expired, I'm leaning to an earth problem caused by me removing the jungle of sound system wires the PO had installed. The headlight blue main / flash light in the speedo has its own earth which may explain why that little light still works but the dipped, main nor flash headlights don't work. It's one of those days when rebuilding cars in the drive has its own challenges as we are swinging from glorious sunshine to thunderstorms every 45 minutes. I think it's my putting on my overalls that is prompting the rain to restart. Because the PO's soundsytem and electric fuel supply isolator needed their own non-standard loom to be created and spliced into what looks like a pretty new standard loom, the wire colours in the wiring drawing no longer seem to apply! And the connectors that were used are very cheap Halfords and plenty of metal shows in each. They are all behind the main dash panel, pulled tight in places, join to other colours and if I separate them you know what, I won't know any of their purposes. If I'm not careful I bet I would need a new front loom.

I spoke to Will at Moss who suggested I try a longer bolt. The Moss website for the Spitfire shows entirely the wrong bolt and length anyway, so Will found it was actually supposed to be 2 inches which I could not get to bite. I bought 2 1/4 inch and 2 1/2 inch bolts and armed myself with plenty of packing spacers and washers then it worked.

Over-rider nut alignment. Welcome to my world of last week. You'll get there, but for hours (for me) it seemed like one of those puzzles that are illogical.

Thanks everyone. Got it now Chris, now the drawing is logical.

I've spent today identifying and undoing the PO's wiring shambles. There is an isolator wired in, an electronic fuel cut off device with a hidden switch, a DAB radio with more wires and speakers than a decent rock concert etc etc. I think there is as much extraneous wire as the standard loom. I have found that one of the 35 Amp fuses blew when I switched on the headlights the other day. I've replaced the fuse and it doesn't blow now but still no headlights. The column stalk seems to be doing the right things. So I've loosened off the dashboard and ordered a new lighting push / pull switch. The challenge now is to get the bakelite knob off the switch so that I can get the switch out. The press tab can be pressed in but the knob won't move so I've sprayed some WD40 into the hole and will leave it and see what happens tomorrow.

The 3 position left hand column stalk positions on mine give dipped, main and headlight flash and judging by the blue light on the speedo that switch circuit is working. The push pull knob on the dash gives sides and dash lights then second pull gives headlights.