While working on my engine bay restoration I notice there is a channel underneath where the outer fender meets the inner fender. Has anyone used this area to run wires? I was thinking of using this area to hide some or most of the exposed wiring harness to clean up the engine bay. This channel is on both sides. Any thoughts?

 

Hot rodders and custom car builders do it all the time.

You would most likely have to lengthen the harnesses to properly conceal them, but it does make for nice clean engine compartment when most wires are concealed, and the others are nicely routed instead of just run across everything to make the wires as short as possible as cost saving measure.

Nice wire wrap is also a must, i don't care for the corrugated split loom stuff as it is hard to clean, slick outer surface looks better but is more difficult to install. The spiral wrap is sometimes a good choice

Doug

 

I wouldn't put any wires in there. That's a drainage channel that runs from the scuttle to just above the headlight. See this doc for explanation of drainage channels: 89 - 91 XJS Coupe - Convertible Body Enhanc S64.pdf

XJSs already have enough water ingress issues. I wouldn't want my wires to be sitting in water.

Good luck

Paul

 

Good point Paul. Interestingly, the Coupé, at least pre-facelift, has the same upper chassis rail structure, but no drain holes. My own belief is that the very best things to do are:

• block up the A pillar drain at the top, so no water can get in, and
• gunk up the scuttle under the wing area and provide a drain there; any water that does get there can drain down to the wheelarch, and none can get inside the top chassis rail because of the gunk. It is also important to protect from rust the inside of the top rail and the bottom, much larger one, with rust killer and wax, I believe.

So far his has worked well for me since it was done in 2011, and I use the car all year, rain included, but admittedlty not if the roads are salted.


general layout


drain tube held in place by bridge-type fixing


drain emerges from bottom of wheelarch baffle


hole cut on OEM water diverter to secure drain tube


gunk dam to stop water running down the rail and under the wing fixings, so it goes into the drain.


Outer chassis rail well protected with black wax

 

Wow! Some great points here. I’ll definitely keep this in mind when I get to this point in my project. Thanks!