Now my headlamp bar can be removed in seconds once the wings are off, the only aspect of it that's not 'quick release' is the wiring (at least, it's not quick to put back together). What I'd like to do, is have all the wiring forward of, say, the bellhousing, on a plug that I can simply pull apart when I want to remove the headlamp bar and/or engine. That'd mean having all the headlights, indicators, oil pressure switch, LT lead and stuff on a plug. What sort of plug should I use? Is a simple, ordinary 13pin trailer plug suitable? or is there something cleverer and neater than that which I've not heard/though of?

Maplins do chassis sockets and plugs. 8 pins max. How many are required?

http://www.maplin.co.uk/locking-multi-pole-chassisplugs-43120

http://www.maplin.co.uk/locking-multi-pole-line-sockets-43121

Trailer socket sounds like a good one tbh. That way you can't get yor wires crossed etc

Good question. I didn't count them, and I can't recall how the wiring loom splits apart for each sides headlamps, quite why I didn't make a note of this earlier I don't know, and it's not like this is the first time I've taken one apart either.

I wonder, does the wire that goes to the alternator need a heavier duty means of connecting it? Or should I accept that undoing one 10mm nut isn't the end of the world on a road car?

Russell,
if my memory isn't failing, the ECAS/Dalton racer used to have the headlamps/sidelights/indicators (& maybe the horn?) hooked up via a trailer plug mounted on the bulkhead, with the ignition, alternator and starter wiring kept separate.

There may have been some modification of the other bits, such as blade connector for the starter solenoid, maybe even a plug connector for the alternator, but it's been quite a while...

Whatever you do, the alternator connection must be bulletproof and capable of carrying the alternator's rated output, which is usually around 30 amps.
Lose that connection and you risk losing the alternator.

ken

Sounds like a good idea, can't think of anything better. They are quite big and chunky but that just makes it easier when you're in a hurry and you're less likely to break it. Would you want the H/lamp bar and engine on the same sub loom though?

Plug 1, Headlamp bar,
Main beam + spots
Dipped beam
Ind left
Ind right
1 side light wire or 2, depending on the age of the loom.

Plug 2, engine,
Ignition pickup
Oil pressure
Alternator power
Alternator exc

Could use 7 pin trailer plugs, there are 2 different types because caravaners need lots of connections and don't want to mix them up, but could just use 2 the same and colour code them.
The pins are quite big and should be plenty up to the power of an alternator, or split the cable and use 2 pins if it's a concern.

Thanks Ken, and Joolz. You're right, The most fiddly bit is reconnecting all the headlamp wires at the bar end, and I guess I don't *need* the engine wiring on a plug, espescially as I doubt any other engine going in will be set the same way. The Accel coil and the alternator both use 10mm nuts so it's only one spanner to remove them, and the horn, exciter wire and oil pressure switch are all different enough to be hard to mix up and easy to remove.

Where do the headlamp wires split and go their separate ways?

I'd like to wire both sides into the same plug pins, so there isn't another connection where there is at the moment, as standard on the bar. So each wire is a continuous length from the bulb to the plug at the bellhousing. Is it acceptable to cut and solder wires, then cover with shrinkwrap (so i can use my headlamp bulb holder plugs) or is that frowned upon? it always feels like a bodge.

As a temporary solution I think you could leave the bullet connectors in place on the headlamp bar and tape the wires up to the bar well so the don't pull apart. Then strip the loom back and wire the plug in either by the bellhousing or on the bulkhead. Cutting the bullet connectors off and soldering the wires together would be better and not really a bodge so long as it's done tidily.

If we had plenty of time then I'd say having another plug for the engine stuff would be useful, but I don't think you should prioritize it.

This is for my road car, so changing engines in minutes ain't going to happen, I just want to eliminate all the bits of an engine swap I feel take all the time and irritate me. Usually I wouldn't disconnect the headlamp bar, I'd just lift it up and rest it on the bulkhead. This seems to me to be a neater way of doing it though.

Ah OK, same advice still applies though, and it would be nice to eliminate the headlamp bar bullets, they're not the most reliable of things. If minutes aren't critical then maybe just separate the h/lamp bar it's self with 1 multiplug somewhere by the bar or near the carb.