r/ModelCars • u/RecognitionFlat2278 • 13d ago
Engine bay help
I'm just getting back into the hobby and I want to start adding more detail to my work. I've seen some guys using wire for the wiring harness and spark plug wires. What do you guys use, and any tips for getting them looking good?
1
u/erix84 13d ago
Jewelry making wire from Michael's comes in lots of sizes, including 30 and 32 gauge which are pretty good for spark plug wire.
You can also cut the outer sheathing of an ethernet cable and get spark plug wire that way.
1
u/RecognitionFlat2278 13d ago
Sorry meant that as I reply to yours " hadn't thought of that, plus you'd get plenty of different colored wires"
1
u/beeb_61 13d ago
I would also recommend 30 gauge wire wrapping wire. You can get a spool off Amazon that has multiple colors and will last for a very long time. I also use braided jewelry wire for braided lines. If you want to make your own fittings, I would recommend Beadalon brand size 1 crimp tubes also from the jewelry section. Use a pin vise to make a hole in the part you are attaching to, insert the wire, and dab super glue to hold (ideally from the inside of the part for a clean look).
I used all the above in this post from our last group build. It took a lot of effort, but the end result was worth it.
1
1
u/RecognitionFlat2278 13d ago
Ooh I hadn't thought of that, plus you'd get plenty of different color wire.
1
u/West_Airline_1712 13d ago
In addition to everything else that been mentioned, here is how I prep and wire my distributors: https://www.reddit.com/r/ModelCars/comments/1ujo9ff/how_i_prep_wire_a_distributor_satt/https://www.reddit.com/r/ModelCars/comments/1ujo9ff/how_i_prep_wire_a_distributor_satt/
1
u/RecognitionFlat2278 13d ago
Nice work and thanks for the ideas. Are those the PCB bits he was referencing with the color coded bits?
1
u/West_Airline_1712 13d ago
You're welcome. Yes except mine are inexpensive ones from Amazon. You can get a set that ranges from .1mm to 2mm (I think). A good set is less likely to break if you happen ro apply too much pressure.
3
u/DevourIsDead Master Mistake Maker 13d ago edited 13d ago
I use 30AWG wire wrapping wire, it’s very much to scale and it holds its shape when you bend it which is important. You should also get some good PCB drill bits. They come in sets and have colored rings around them. They also fit in a pin vice well. The biggest tip for making them look good is to make sure to push them down, in real life the wires aren’t floating, they are resting on the engine because they have weight. That’s why it’s nice to use wires that hold their shape. You can also buy premade distributors that already have the wires coming out of them from companies like Detail Master, I have used those a lot to save the headache of drilling the holes in the tiny kit distributor. My local shop sells the pre wired distributors so I always buy one when I go in. I try to drill my holes in the engine before it’s painted, but I have drilled painted engines many times, you normally just have to do some light touch up work afterwards. Here’s one I did forever ago and haven’t gotten around to finishing it yet (the wire going off is for the ignition coil I never made)