If you recall, in last month's article covering American Autowire's Highway 15 Nostalgia wiring kit, the issue regarding turn signals was brought up a number of times. In short, the situation revolved around the harness' steering column integrated turn signals and the fact that the vehicle was not equipped with a GM-style column for which the harness was designed. For some, this wouldn't have been an issue whatsoever, at least not after the brake light wiring bypass was figured out (which was, as it's very easy to do); they'd simply bypass the turn signals altogether.
For those who don't consider bypassing a viable option, American Autowire has the solution. Although in reality, it too is a bypass-of the '70s-era GM (or aftermarket) steering column, that is. To avoid cutting up a perfectly good wiring harness just to accommodate signals, they can provide an alternative setup that still relies on the Highway 15's column connector plug by means of a pre-wired male disconnect. In some cases, this eliminates the column's role in the wiring "scheme" altogether, unless you use a turn signal switch that mounts to the column. With the early steering columns not affording much real estate to attach clunky accessories to in the first place (not to mention the wiring), you can keep things uncluttered by going with a toggle switch to activate the blinkers-mounted under the dash, most wouldn't even know it was there to begin with.
There is one more vital component however-the actual turn signals that will be activated by the modified switch. For the rears, no additional components are required other than a taillight equipped with the appropriate bulb and subsequently wired correctly. For the front, unless you're running headlights with built-in "running" lights (which can be modified to act as signals) or the newer headlight conversions that include them, you'll need to provide a destination for the flasher to, well, flash. In this case, that was accomplished by installing a set of Juliano's new teardrop external-mount lights, which are complete with running light/turn signal wiring pigtail and LED bulbs. All that's left from here is integrate the wiring into the existing harness and connect all the ends to their respective destinations.
After just tackling the whole vehicle harness install, the turn signal bypass couldn't have been easier, especially thanks to American Autowire's ability to facilitate it! And the "options" don't stop there, either-they can accommodate many special requests, from harness issues to even renting specialty tools.
The bigger spool of wire below...
The bigger spool of wire below with the larger connector plug is the steering column and turn signal connection kit supplied with American Autowire's Highway series kits. In the upper left are the various feed connectors also included. If you're not using the GM column this is all intended for, the smaller spool with the toggle switch and male pin connector is the solution.
But before further addressing...
But before further addressing the activation portion, we should probably consider the actual component performing the service that requires activating. Among the options weighed, Juliano's new LED-equipped turn signals seem to fit the bill-and the headlights-perfectly.
While it may not appear so...
While it may not appear so much to be the case now, the idea of bolting a rather large device to a dainty little steering column in surroundings that will soon afford very little additional space didn't sound like a good idea.
To circumvent the column,...
To circumvent the column, American Autowire went to the trouble of developing a pre-wired make connector that plugs directly into the Highway 15's GM steering column harness.
In lieu of a column-mounted...
In lieu of a column-mounted lever, despite its fancy self-return feature, the alternative of using a small toggle switch is much more suited to this project-and for many reasons. American Autowire provides the optional turn signal kit pre-wired from switch to plug.
The toggle switch can easily...
The toggle switch can easily be mounted "below" the dash, as long as it's accessible when driving (without causing any distraction!) and there's enough clearance to route the wires (i.e. not directly below a gauge).
With the exception of the...
With the exception of the hazard lights and gauge connectors, the wiring will follow the schematic from the Highway 15 kit.
As mentioned last month, the...
As mentioned last month, the headlight wiring won't be affected, but there will be a slight modification to the taillight wiring since it had to be modified to work without the column harness.
In the harness' column/turn...
In the harness' column/turn signal connector kit there will be provisions for signal indicators (pictured here). These won't be used on this project, but could easily be worked into the signal wiring down the road if the need ever arose.
The large bundle of wire dissects...
The large bundle of wire dissects into three separate mini-looms. If you're prone to tangling kite string like this installer, do yourself a huge favor and zip tie accordingly. The inexpensive pliers shown are great for cinching the ties down nice and tight.
Not only do the zip ties keep...
Not only do the zip ties keep things tidy, tying off the wires as such allows you to route them to their final destinations without snags-just remember to cut the excess ends of the ties off first! Also, stretch the wires for the front/rear lights out straight to help "uncurl", which should also tell how much, if any, excess wire can be trimmed before routing.
The brown wire bundled in...
The brown wire bundled in with the column/signal connector kit is for the hazards, which as already noted, will not be used-not only because they weren't intended to begin with, but because there's no provision on the toggle switch side for obvious reasons (would have to use a different type of switch).
For the time being, there...
For the time being, there will just be two fuse panel connections: turn signals and brake lights. Later, once all the pieces for the antique horn are collected, the horn switch slot will get occupied.
Previously, to facilitate...
Previously, to facilitate the brake lights with the absence of the column harness, the brake switch provided the direct feed via the fuse panel. Now, to allow the signals to override the brake lights when in use that feed will replace the brake light, which will now go back through the column harness.
The wires on the Juliano's...
The wires on the Juliano's turn signals are rather short, so no excess was trimmed from the toggle switch wiring (the headlight loom from Chevs of the 40's allowed the connection to be made accessibly within the radiator core support).
The good thing about the signal...
The good thing about the signal wiring being short is that you can make the connection "inside" the headlight bucket, which allows the newer-style wires to remain hidden from view. The white wire for the running lights can be spliced into the main harness; ground the black wire accordingly.
Now, instead of having a single...
Now, instead of having a single feed (spliced off) for both taillights, the column harness will provide them each individually. Not to be confused with the hazard light, the brown wire in this section is the running light feed.
You can never have enough...
You can never have enough tools-but sometimes, the "right" tools are just too expensive to have, especially when they're for occasional use. Fortunately, in the case of specialized crimping tools (as highlighted in last month's article), American Autowire has a program where customers can rent these Delphi crimpers, which is highly recommended.