A real "RATROD"

[Peter Jones]

I've wired a few similar things (and a lot of very dissimilar things )

The '56 Inter I re-wired only had about a dozen wires and they all ran back to a thermal trip out that is part of the headlight switch.

If you're looking for something other than MDF to work with try a nylon chopping board. You know, the kitchen kind! You can buy pretty big ones cheap and they machine well so you can tap, drill, saw, recess etc neatly with the same tools you're using for the MDF. You can even make a laminated switchboard so that there's no chance of shorts from behind. They'll take a bit of heat too.

If you're really nuts and have a lot of time on your hands you can use a router to conceal wiring in behind the board.

You can also buy the nylon chopping board material from an industrial plastic suppliers along with lots of other cool stuff. K-Mart is pretty cheap to just get a big chopping board from though.

For a Rat Rod I'd probably use old fabric covered mains leads for the exposed wiring. The sort of thing you find on old toasters, kettles, irons etc. The mid section of the lead is usually OK you just have to know how to bind off the ends of the fabric sheath properly and how to terminate according to the conductor type. (Anyone here ever worked with tinsel wire?)

I have another technique in mind for a special project one day, brass wire bus bars! Has to be an early car with only a small amount of wiring and firmly mounted terminations but I reckon I could pull it off.

Just wish I had more time.

Pete

[Peter Jones]

I remember seeing a similar rat rod back in 2006 at the Cranbourne event.

Didn't get many shots of it. Do remember that it had an LPG exhaust flamer kit on it though

Gotta love the barbed wire spider web grill!



Pete

[Oneofthegreats]

The original plan was to use the fabric wiring as you suggested Pete funnily enough, but we couldn't get it in time or enough of it either

Ah well. He's more happier that its done like this & is as hidden as it can be.


But I'll be rewiring his BSA motorbike with the old fabric wiring!

Nice suggestion about the boards material too! I'll be keeping it in mind!

I think there is alittle too much wiring to route through the boards with routed channels. Its a nice idea, but hard as buggery when you have to chase a problem or rewire it I think.

For interest sake, I counter sink the power/earth supply bolts & cover them in silicon to avoid short outs etc.


This board tucks up under the cowl & is unnoticeable as everything is on the top side of the board, but still has access to the vitals being relay's & fuses etc. That's why there mounted on the edge of the board. Its also labeled underneath too!

I reckon the best bit about fabricating a project like this is that no one will ever own one like it & he's the only one with it!

[Peter Jones]

Finishing off fabric coated wire can be a bit fiddly if you haven't worked with it before.

In my experience you're best off trying to replicate the old termination practices and bind the end of the braid rather than use heatshrink.

Having said that though I reckon the type of heatshrink with the inner layer of hotmelt glue would probably do the trick. You've got to stop the braid from sliding back up the wire.

I'd probably try a few different techniques and see what works best.

A transformer winding place might be able to find you some waxed lacing twine if you're trying to be period otherwise I'd try binding with cotton and a drop of super glue.

I like wires!

Pete

[Preen59]

You guys have got more heart than me. I'm no good with electrical stuff.. At all.

[Oneofthegreats]

Having said that though I reckon the type of heatshrink with the inner layer of hotmelt glue would probably do the trick. You've got to stop the braid from sliding back up the wire.

In the of the power board on the previous page, I used that glue/sealer heat shrink!

Awesome stuff, although alittle pricey, but well worth it I reckon

Just make sure when you use it, you don't have to cut it open again! It is beyond a pain in the arse, especially if you have done a long length of loom!

[rayray086]

Very cool I admire all that wiring work especially when it's done from scratch. Inspiration!