jminton

G'morning everyone! I have an 85 z28 parts car with rear window defroster, power windows, power locks, and remote hatch release. I want to put the 85's hatch into my car (an 87 sport with no power options). I pulled all the wiring out of the 85, but I realized that I don't have a distribution block on the driver's kick panel on the 87. What is the easiest way to get power? Can I just move the block from the 85 to the 87 and wire it up? What else is getting power out of that block?

camaronewbie

On your 1987 fuse box - there are several slots that are not used - these are convenience slots to get power from.

There are 2 marked IGN, 2 marked BAT, one marked LPS, one marked RADIO.

IGN = 12v+ only when key is ON
BAT = 12v+ always regardless of key
RADIO = 12v+ when radio is on (ie when key is ON or when key is at ACC)
LPS = 12v+ only when lights are on

You can see their locations on wiring diag below - not the small squares with a horizontal line though them - these are the slots. You can't put a fuse into those slots - there is only one slot and a fuse has 2 tabs. The slotys readily accept any standard 1/4" male spade terminal. Be sure to use a fuse inline.

http://www.austinthirdgen.org/mkport..._continued.gif

Now - you can add all kinds of cool things with these factory made ready-to-run tap locations!

jminton

Thanks! Where would I plug in the orange wire? This wire is just as large as the purple wire that runs power from the switch to the glass. I assumed the orange wire was the main power line, or that it ran into a relay.

The distribution block has a lot of other things that are running into a metal sealed box lower than the block, actually in the hole in the kick panel that is usually covered by a piece of adhesive rubber.

camaronewbie

I'd use ignition slot - you don't need defrost always on without key, but you do want it on regardless of lights.

I have no idea on the rest of the wiring you speak of. What are you doing this Thurs night? We have a local F-body meet-up 2nd and 4th Thurs of the month, 7pm, at Char Grill on Strickland Road in Raleigh. Can you bring car out this coming Thurs evening? We could take a look and see.

www.triadfbody.com

whitedevilTA

iTrader: (8)

The thick orange wire that comes out of the defroster relay is the main power feed wire which connects to a batt 12V+ source. I too would wire it so that it only gets power with the key on.

jminton

Ok, so then I don't need that orange wire at all?

whitedevilTA

iTrader: (8)

No you def want to keep it. Are you using the factory defroster relay with the plug on it still? Thats what the thick orange wire should be coming out of. That has to be connected to a constant 12V batt source and then the switch activates the relay which sends the power from that thick orange wire through the relay to the thick purple wire. Without the orange wire hooked up you will get no power to the thick purple wire for the defroster grid itself.

jminton

Alright, that's what I thought the orange wire was for. No, the factory defroster relay is still in the parts car. I unplugged it from wherever it was plugged in to. Is that 12v constant a part of the harness? What's the best way to get power?

whitedevilTA

iTrader: (8)

I'm honestly not sure how the factory had it wired up since I wired my car with a painless harness. Basically, I used the factory defrost relay since it's a special timed relay. It automatically shuts off the defroster after 10 minutes of use. I cut the plug that goes into the defroster relay and connected the thick orange wire directly to the battery with a 30 amp circuit breaker in line (to be safe). The thick purple wire goes to the defroster grid obviously. small black is ground. Then I'm not 100% sure but I believe there is a light blue wire that goes to the switch, a pink wire that goes to the fuse block, and a gray wire for the switch illumination. If you want I'll double check mine tomorrow and tell you exactly what each color wire is connected to.