Saturday 2rd April 2005

Removal of excess wiring

The Saab 9000 Carlsson came with lots of electrical equipment as standard or optional equipment. Now that we have removed the interior trim of our Carlsson all the wiring in the cabin is on view, and there is a lot of it!

Having removed the central console unit to fit our race seats, we needed to re-locate the electric window switch pack to the dash - the wiring for the electric windows runs past the handbrake, under the seats to either B pillar, and then up either side of the car to the dash. Wiring for the heated and electrically adjustable seats joins the loom and runs up the driver's side sill to the dash, while the wiring for the ECU and ISAT connectors are also under the seats.

Having learnt from previously removing the aftermarket alarm and immobiliser, we systematically cut out the wiring that was no longer relevant, and separated it from the loom, cutting and insulating it at the bottom of the dash.

We successfully removed all wiring from:

Rear electric windows,
Seat heaters,
Seat adjustment
Rear door/Boot/Petrol filler central locking
Interior courtesy light
Rear door puddle lights
Rear reading lights

We also separated the wires for the front electric windows from the loom right back to the dash', and tidied away any excess wire. We then fitted the window switch panel into one of the DIN sized dash apertures by cutting the back off a cubby box for the wires and simply pushing the switch pack in, it pits really snugly.

This just leaves all the wires running from the fusebox/relays, to the bottom of the dash where they have been cut. We will remove these at a later date when we re-think the fusebox arrangement, but with the first trackday fast approaching, we have left it like this for now.

With less wire in the cabin, it makes the car a bit tidier, and with the bag full of wire removed, this is yet more weight that we won't be carrying round the track.

April 2005 NorsePerformance