Head Light Relay Kit

[KevAndAndi]

Let's say that your only electrical wiring experience has come from installing some ceiling fans and a garage door opener or two. How long would it take to complete this project with the relay kit? Also, how much would it cost to have an experienced auto mechanic install the kit?

I'm just trying to get a sense of the time and frustration factor.

Using the Greg Smith relay kit, my installation spanned about the time it takes to consume one or maybe two bottles of installation fluid. The connections are about as easy as plugging in Christmas light strings. The relays I mounted on two existing studs on the driver's side fender of my '81, right next to the ground pod, so I had to make a trip to the hardware store to get the correct nuts. The "hardest" part was connecting the wire to the alternator stud, just because the rubber boot offered a little resistance to manipulation, so you're talking about a 1.5 on a scale of 10.

For OCD folks like myself, most of the time will be taken up by arranging the wires all nice and neat with cable ties. To tell you the truth, I haven't yet done that part of the job; I used the existing wire clips in the engine bay and will finish up the cable ties this winter when I feel like spending a few minutes in the garage.

[njoconnor]

Took me about an hour, tops, to install the Smith relay kit from A/R. I was probably going slow to ensure no mistakes. Ceiling fans and garage door openers are waaaaayyyy more complex; been there, done 'em! Go for the kit, read the instructions twice, and then follow step by step. And smile when you flip the switch and there's LIGHT!

Neil

[gandyrail]

Yea I'm with you, wired some car stereos and know the car has 12V battery I did this project it in about 2 1/2 hour and that included running wire to pass side along the front of the car the first time and not liking the result. I can figure this stuff out given time and have wired a few "different" things in my time.because I have a BOAT I boned up a bit on DC.

[bbuckl]

Is this kit the same as the IAP kit?

I bought that kit a few years ago and was just getting around to doing it this weekend. I have to pull out the headlights, drill holes in the headlight buckets and run the new harness and sockets. I spent last Sunday trying to figure out where to run the wires and mount the relays...

Brian
79 2000

[spider2081]

I bought that kit a few years ago and was just getting around to doing it this weekend. I have to pull out the headlights, drill holes in the headlight buckets and run the new harness and sockets. I spent last Sunday trying to figure out where to run the wires and mount the relays...

Most kits pick up the wires under the hood on the fender wells. There is a connector for the headlight bucket there close to the ground pod on each side.

[bbuckl]

Thanks, I'll check it out this weekend...

[vandor]

>Is this kit the same as the IAP kit?

No, that is a universal kit, that's why you have to do drilling, etc.

The one we sell that they are talking about is specifically made for the Fiat Spiders, no drilling required.

[adrians]

Can't delete a post !

[TX82FIAT]

The IAP kit I picked up about three to four years ago required drilling. The actual electrical work did not take that much time. When I got into the headlight bucket and adjustment screws I realized there was more work to get it all back together properly. The electgrical work itself was very easy.

[spider2081]

The IAP kit I picked up about three to four years ago required drilling. The actual electrical work did not take that much time. When I got into the headlight bucket and adjustment screws I realized there was more work to get it all back together properly. The electgrical work itself was very easy.

I don't see why you would need to get into the light bucket itself unless you have a defective light bulb socket. The 3 wires from the bucket pass through the fender well near the grounding spider. The ground connects to the spider and the other wires, green and gray, are the hi and lo beam power wires. It is similar on both sides except the wires have a black stripe on drivers side. Picking up the wires under the hood is easier and electrically accomplishing the same thing.

[aj81spider]

The IAP kit installs with no changes to the existing wiring (I guess so you are able to pull it out when you revert to the original wiring for that concourse restoration). The original headlight connector plugs into the IAP harness in the bucket - there is no other connection to the car wiring except the connection to the power stud.

What you suggest is a viable way of doing the upgrade, but if you are going to do that then it's pointless to use the IAP kit as you are then modifying the harnesses in the kit.

Unfortunately the IAP connector is a little bigger than the hole in the bucket, so a little drilling is necessary (so much for that concourse restoration!).

[bbuckl]

I was just outside in the garage trying to run the wires for the IAP kit.I can't for the life of me find a hole in the fender big enough to run the connectors through. All I can come up with is the hole on the radiator support by the horn or the air intake hole that I'm no longer using since changing my intake manifold and carb.

Any suggestions? I'm pulling my hair out here!

Thanks,

Brian
79 2000

[bbuckl]

Never mind...I'm an idiot...got the wires figured out