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This is the assembled Magnum Series shock with the spring installed. The 12-position adjustment knob can be seen on the right side of the shock absorber.

The Magnum Series shocks will give us 12 easy adjustments and should allow us to be up and racing right away with consistent launches. We did a little guess work on the coil-over springs, but went with Competition Engineering C2555 (100 lb.) springs. We might be a little too soft, but until the car is assembled and we start testing I had to start somewhere. Don't forget to get a coil-over shock adjusting tool; without one changing the ride height and spring pre-load is a real hassle. We got the Moroso #62030 for $20.00. The shocks were easy to assemble and fit perfectly.

The next project I had to get started on was the WIRING. This can either be a fun project or a nightmare. It basically boils down to your attitude before you start and how well you planned ahead. This was about the tenth car in recent years I have totally re-wired. Your plan should start at the batteries and go to the water pump and include everything in between. Here are some basic tips I would recommend.

1. I DO NOT try to make my wiring look like the ones you see on $100,000 magazine project cars and even some race cars that were done professionally. That type of wiring with the tight wire looms and hundreds of harness clamps and trick $60.00 plug-ins are just TOO MUCH for me.
   
   
2. I want simplicity so it is easy to repair or change and economical so I can afford to do it in the first place. I can afford a little extra time long before I can afford a bunch of $20.00 connectors and special tools that are needed to install them. Besides, I can't remember the last time the wiring on one of my drag cars ever got soaking wet, so why do I care if I have weatherproof connectors?
   
   
3. Find a good supplier for different colors of automotive wire. I use a GPT standard wire. It has a PVC jacket and is the most common wire available. There are a couple upgrades from the PVC jacket if you choose to give your car the "Cadillac treatment." There are three types of wire that have a jacket that is resistant to oil, grease and acids. They are also designed for use in a higher temperature environment. The SXL jacket is standard thickness (like the GPT), the GXl is a thinner wall jacket and the TXL is an extra thin jacket. The conductor is the same the difference is in the protective jacketing (insulation). I use Waytek, Inc. for my wiring supplies. Call them at 800-328-2724 to get a catalog or go to their website (waytekwire.com) to see what they have. They shipped me everything I needed the next day and the order was complete. They also have a great selection of crimping tools and heat guns for the shrink tubing.
   
   
4. I decided to use a readily available switch panel for Back-2-Basics. I spent some time looking at what was available and I chose the Moroso #74180 because it had quality switches with amount of circuits I needed and best of all it comes with 20 amp circuit breakers rather than fuses. It retails for about $125.00 and you would be hard-pressed to make a copy of it for that price if you bought individual components.
   
   
5. One thing to keep in mind when you do the switch panel wiring is a rule that is sometimes overlooked by the car builder, and then some "panic wiring" takes place when you won't pass tech inspection. The power to your electric fuel pump must come from the ignition switch. Wire the power to the fuel pump switch from the "on" position of the ignition switch. That way when you turn the ignition off the fuel pump also turns off. For me it means one more thing I don't have to remember. I leave the fuel pump switch "on" all day, but it only runs when I turn the ignition on. Nothing more embarrassing than pulling into the waterbox and the car dies and after 10 seconds of panic you remember you forgot to turn the fuel pump switch on. Been there, done that.
   

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