Spark plug wire help!

[1hobby1]

Alright so today I went and picked up two new model kits. One of the kits happens to be a 1966 Shelby Mustang. I would really love to have some spark plug wires to add some detail in the engine. My question is how do I get those tiny wires on to the distributer and still maintaining a clean look?

This is where I am at so far. Made some plug boots, and bought some small gauge wire at radio shack.

Sorry for all the questions lately! Thanks!

[StevenGuthmiller]

Alright so today I went and picked up two new model kits. One of the kits happens to be a 1966 Shelby Mustang. I would really love to have some spark plug wires to add some detail in the engine. My question is how do I get those tiny wires on to the distributer and still maintaining a clean look?

image2.jpeg

This is where I am at so far. Made some plug boots, and bought some small gauge wire at radio shack.

Sorry for all the questions lately! Thanks!

I don't know what to tell you Steve. I don't mess with that kind of stuff anymore. I buy pre-wired distributers now. Saves a lot of messing around on something I don't want to spend time messing around on. Steve

[Ramfins59]

I'm with Steve Guthmiller on this. I've been a fan of the prewired distributors made by M.A.D. (Morgan Automotive Detail. They are a great product and make wiring an engine so much easier and realistic looking.

http://www.madmodeling.com/store/

[Monty]

If you want to go old school and use the kit distributor, it's not that hard. It will probably have raised projections on the top which you'll need to file down so they're even with the top of the cap since they'll be too small to drill out.

Now you'll need a pin vise. If you don't have one, they're available at hobby shops and hardware stores. It wouldn't hurt to have a decent selection of bits either.

IIRC, drill bit size #74 is about right for the gauge of wire you're using. On the top of the cap near the outside edge drill 4 holes in a North South East West pattern. Now drill 4 more holes, each halfway between the original 4. Finish by drilling one in the middle of the cap for the coil wire. The holes should be arranged in a circle as shown below. Note that the holes are at the tops of the "towers". Your kit's distributor will probably have those molded into the side of the cap. Use them to help line up your drill bit.

Find a picture of a cylinder head for this engine so you can see where to drill the spark plug holes. Let about 1/8" of the wire go through each boot so it can be glued into the plug hole. Cut a scale 1/2" of the boot material for each of the plug wires (and coil wire) going into the distributor. You can also buy or make 45* boots if you desire.

Take a look at some small block Ford pictures to see how these wires should look. Don't stretch them too tight or arch them.

If you're feeling ambitious, you can also wire them in the correct firing order.

HTH

Edited September 13, 2014 by Monty

[Snake45]

If you're feeling ambitious, you can also wire them in the correct firing order.

If you don't want to look up the correct firing order, go with 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 (I can recite that number in my sleep). It's the correct order for small and big-block Chevy V8s and many other engines of the era (though not all) and correct or not, it looks properly "busy." Whatever you do, DON'T just put all the wires on the left side on the left and the ones on the right side on the right. That makes your engine look like its hair is parted down the middle.

[Ace-Garageguy]

The right diameter in 1/25 scale for plug wires is about .013" to .017" (so get drill bits sized accordingly. drill-bit set here...http://www.micromark.com/20-piece-drill-bit-set-41-60,8183.html). Some guys will argue about this till hell freezes, but that's scale-correct and any fatter tends to make your engine look like it's covered in sausages or garden hose.

These don't really look like plug wires, do they?

Edited September 13, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[Snake45]

I found some properly sized wire in a model railroad shop. And the package was a lot MORE of it for a lot LESS money than the price typically charged by those packaging and selling for the model car crowd. Just sayin'.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I found some properly sized wire in a model railroad shop. And the package was a lot MORE of it for a lot LESS money than the price typically charged by those packaging and selling for the model car crowd. Just sayin'.

Try craft stores like Michaels. Beading wire. Cheap cheap cheap.

[Snake45]

Try craft stores like Michaels. Beading wire. Cheap cheap cheap.

Fabulous! I'm all about the Cheap. Cheap is Good. Cheaper is Better. Free is Best Of All.

[Monty]

If you don't want to look up the correct firing order, go with 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 (I can recite that number in my sleep). It's the correct order for small and big-block Chevy V8s and many other engines of the era (though not all) and correct or not, it looks properly "busy." Whatever you do, DON'T just put all the wires on the left side on the left and the ones on the right side on the right. That makes your engine look like its hair is parted down the middle.

Keep in mind that Ford & GM numbered their cylinders differently:

[1hobby1]

Thanks guys. This wire is small enough in scale for plug wire. I just need to see if I can get it to stay on the distributer without a puddle of glue haha.

[1hobby1]

I'm going to try what Monty suggested. I just filed them down, I'll need to buy the bit and a pin vice, unless someone else has another way.

Thanks!

[Snake45]

Hate drilling plug wires? You can always cheat and use magnetos on everything.

Edited September 13, 2014 by Snake45

[Ace-Garageguy]

I'll need to buy the bit and a pin vice...

In this instance it's vise.

"Vice" is what the squad who arrest the bad-girls try to stop.

Of course, excessive model building can be considered a "vice"

In which case, a vise (pin or bench) helps you to enjoy your vice.

[Steven Zimmerman]

There are several aftermarket (1 / 1) dist. caps, that locate the wires '4 on the left and 4 on the right' Since I don't build 'stock' I do this to most of my builds....Of course, a lot of your newer engines have 8 separate coils, mounted on the valve covers, under a shield.....Also aftermarket valve covers that have the wires running through the valve covers, to separate coils, under the top of the valve cover, and then you have the 'trigger mount' wires, come off the front of the engine, down in front of the harmonic balancer - Harmonic balancers, another added detail a lot of people forget about !.....'Z'

[jbwelda]

replicas and miniatures sells three pack of pre drilled distributors that are super nice. use detail master race car ignition wire and it practically doesn't need glue.

most pre-wired distributors that I know of aren't that detailed, to simulate one just drill a big hole in the top of your distributor cap, fold 4 proper sized wires in half and stick the fold down into the hole you drilled (don't forget a ninth wire for the coil) and put a drop of 5 minute epoxy colored with black ink or paint and let it dry. then spread your wires out in an artful way and insert into holes drilled into block, after adding some slightly thicker wire covering for plug boots. that's what most prewired distributors I have seen are like.

or as mentioned, a magneto is an easy way out again you can get away with just drilling one big hole and folding over 4 wires to make 8 (no coil with a magneto). these are particularly easy to make with 2 sizes of telescoping aluminum tubing.

the hard way is what you are attempting now...I am getting too old to be able to accurately place and drill with a little bitty drill bit 9 times without making a mess of it. and most distributor caps in kits are impossible to drill, or at least very difficult, by the time you have created a flat surface to drill one hole, the entire cap is flat and the detail is lost. that's why the predrilled cap from RMM is the easy answer.

jb

Edited September 13, 2014 by jbwelda

[Art Anderson]

William,

Are we REALLY too old to accurately place the center of a hole to be drilled in a distributor cap? Quick, somebody please tell this 70-yr old he's too old!

[Ace-Garageguy]

... Quick, somebody please tell this 70-yr old he's too old!

You're only as old as you feel...

[jbwelda]

whatever art...post a picture of your latest drilled out 1/24 scale distributor cap please. make it a nice detailed macro shot.

unlike some, I don't speak for this imperial "we" you mention. what I posted is my experience, just like I said. take it or leave it.

jb

[Snake45]

There are several aftermarket (1 / 1) dist. caps, that locate the wires '4 on the left and 4 on the right'

Yeah, but those didn't come on the cars I build, or during the era of which I build 'em.

To be honest, I simply don't DO engine wiring anymore for any car with a hood. Only for something with an exposed engine, such as a '60s dragster or altered.

[1hobby1]

Alright well here is my result. My very first wire job. It's not perfect at all, random firing order, just wanted to make it look better than out of box. I am very happy with how it came out and it adds that missing detail the kits never came with. Thank you everyone for all your advice it was very much appreciated!!!!

[Art Anderson]

I've never taken a pic of one of my distributors alone, but here's the engine from my '50 Olds 88. It's the kit distributor, with the raised sockets shaved down, then drilled using a pin vise and a #76 drill bit (.020"), all eight points plus the center hole for the coil wire. As this distributor is nearly hidden beneath that very large oil bath aircleaner that Olds used back then, I didn't worry about firing order--you really cannot see it clearly enough to trace the plug leads. In addition, I cross-drilled the wiring loom stampings on the valve covers (made the mistake of using some Humbrol metallic gold on those (NEVER again!), so that the plug wires appear to go through the looms as they do on the real engine. The wire used is .014" bead wire purchased at Hobby Lobby in their beadwork department.

I won't say that it's the easiest thing I do on a model car kit, but it can be done, as long as one's hands are steady, and eyesight doesn't interfere (being severely near-sighted since childhood, I find that to be a great advantage, I can simply take my glasses off, move in close and see what I'm doing in a small space or part very clearly. Now I do realize that others may not have quite this level of close-in vision, certainly that's something that does go away with age (been wearing bifocals since my late 30').

Edited September 15, 2014 by Art Anderson

[jwrass]

Ace,

When do we eat! Those look deliciousoso. I know the address Down Two Then Left. What can I bring?

Cheers!!! Jimmy "Rass"

[blunc]

Steve, that looks better than my first plug wire set...but back then thread was the most popular medium for wires.

[Snake45]

This thread reminded me of why I'm such a big fan of '60s Corvettes--the big ignition shroud (to prevent radio interference) virtually hides the distributor and the plug wires.