Track only 986 wiring harness

[cellkid22]

Hi all

Does anyone sell a harness so that I can get rid of all the unused harnesses. I thought I saw someone who sold one while surfing the forum one day but can't seem to find it again. I really don't have the time to track down every wire.

Thanks

[cellkid22]

I thought I saw a member who was making and selling simplified harnesses that only had what was needed. I would love to eliminate all unused wiring.

[ianacole]

I'd be in for that too!

[thstone]

Check with Brad Roberts. He used to sell pre-fabbed wire harnesses for Spec racing.

If you need help reaching him, PM me.

[roocox@gmail.com]

I would be interested in the harness too. Please post back any info. Thanks.

[itsnotanova]

X2 for Brad Roberts. He use to be on here but I haven't seen him in awhile.

[P993C2S]

Add me to the list of those interested in buying a pre-fabbed harness

[Gary R.]

Add me, the OEM harness is a disaster, bet there is 5 lbs of crap on there that isn't needed. Spec Boxster needs full OBD II capability so that part has to stay...

[thstone]

I spoke to Brad last Thursday as he was heading out of town for the weekend. He said that he had a few harnesses available and would respond back when he returns.

[cellkid22]

Can't wait to hear from Brad I am dying to tear these harnesses out! Lol

[Eric523]

I would expect to lose more than 5lbs! I think I pulled 30-40lbs from mine when it was stripped for spec Boxster.

[JEDD]

I want one!

[Kroggers]

I am in as well...

[Qmulus]

FWIW, I do this kind of work as part of my business. I have done nine spec Boxsters, five SCCA World Challenge VWs, two World Challenge Volvos (working with factory engineers), a bunch of "weekend warrior" cars, twenty or so engines conversion harnesses (putting engines in cars that weren't original) and lots of odds and ends. Once I do these, my goal is to never hear back from the customer when it is done. It just works.

As far as how much weight you lose on a Boxster, that depends a lot on what options the car had, what you are setting it up for, and what you include in "removed weight". From an already minimized electrical system (no door harnesses, no heater harness, no wire guides or brackets) on a car with lights, you might get five to eight lbs. out of it. If you count those other harnesses, and had a loaded car with amplifier, memory seats, etc., you might get 15lbs out of it. If you are making an absolute minimal configuration with no lights, fans, cluster (use Motec, AIM, etc.) etc., <30lbs is probably is the most you could get out of one. To me though, the weight savings is not the most important reason to go through the harness.

The biggest advantage to simplifying the harnesses is to make the car more reliable and easier to work on. I know of two pro teams that missed events or had DNFs due to electrical gremlins that could have been avoided. Think about how much that would cost. There are people that just cut off connectors or branches of harnesses, tape them off and remove fuses. Those are nightmares. The proper way (IMO) is to completely unwrap harnesses, remove all unneeded circuits by depinning connectors, add in (with factory terminations and lightweight motorsport/mil spec wiring) and or re-purpose circuits for added equipment (cool suits, transponders, radios, telemetry, etc.) at factory splices and fuse blocks, then rewrap with factory or better harness tape or mill spec shrink tube. (I hate split loom). It is tedious, but when you are done it is simple, clean and dead reliable. When done, it should look like it rolled out of Porsche Motorsport that way.

Different customers have different ideas as to how they want the cars configured. One shop might want the cars set up like the factory Cup cars, with the fuse box in the stock location, factory light switches and stalks, etc. Others want no stalks, all toggle switches in the center, relocated Immo boxes and fuseboxes, steering wheel controls, etc. That is personal preference, but the more it deviates from the factory setup, the longer it takes, so the more it costs.

[cellkid22]

I 100% agree! My want is not for weight savings as much as reliability. The reason I started this thread was because even thought I could unwrap and go through everything I simply don't have the time. The little time I do have is spent on suspension,safety etc and I had heard there was someone out there who was putting these harnesses together

[thstone]

Originally Posted by Gary R.

Add me, the OEM harness is a disaster, bet there is 5 lbs of crap on there that isn't needed. Spec Boxster needs full OBD II capability so that part has to stay...

I pulled 5lbs out from just the front trunk and behind the fender liners.

[thstone]

I'll see Brad this weekend and will get you guys an update.

[Gary R.]

Originally Posted by thstone

I pulled 5lbs out from just the front trunk and behind the fender liners.

I bet! My car is already stripped of all superfluous harnesses and extra crap, what I want is as simple a main harness as possible to run the car, have headlights, tail lights, brake lights, and supply the OBD port with all the data the CR scruts need to see. I have an AIM MXL II so I really don't need the guage cluster either. The harness down by the fuse box has to be an inch thick, bet 1/2 those wires are not needed...

[Deadeye]

That thick wire bundle at the fuse box is closer to 2" thick! I have been contemplating this project for a couple years, but it looks daunting.

[ianacole]

Originally Posted by Gary R.

I bet! My car is already stripped of all superfluous harnesses and extra crap, what I want is as simple a main harness as possible to run the car, have headlights, tail lights, brake lights, and supply the OBD port with all the data the CR scruts need to see. I have an AIM MXL II so I really don't need the guage cluster either. The harness down by the fuse box has to be an inch thick, bet 1/2 those wires are not needed...

Thread derail: How do you like the AIM unit? I've used TraqMate in the past, but was looking at the AIM MXL2 for this time around.