A quick lesson on alternators: The alternator converts the engine's power, which is transmitted through a belt and pulleys, to electrical energy to maintain a sufficient charge in the battery. PA Performance makes this 130A 3G alternator (PN 1619-6B1). We selected it mainly because of its impressive charging capacity, which is three times greater than that of a stock alternator. Adding a 3G conversion plug (PN 46280B) is mandatory for our 'Stang, since it no longer has any original wiring. Our supercharged application requires a six-rib pulley, but PA units are also available with pulleys for four-, five-, seven-, and eight-rib serpentine applications.
A battery-cutoff switch is required equipment when the battery is mounted in the trunk or hatch area. Since the coupe will be driven on the street, we needed to establish a happy medium between the kill switch-which we planned to mount on the car's rear panel- and the license plate. Using an old plate as a template, we drilled a hole through it and the panel in the location where the switch will reside. The new plate will be altered accordingly when the car is registered. Keep in mind that drilling holes through license tags or modifying them is unlawful in certain states and could result in steep fines. We decided to take that chance for the sake of a clean look.
This Flaming River combination battery/alternator kill switch (PN FR 1013) will completely shut down the battery and charging system with one firm press of the red knob. This piece is neat because its green/red color-coding lets us know when power is hot and when it's not. With its spring-loaded knob, the switch can only be clicked in one direction to turn power on.
After running our 0-gauge battery wire from the trunk to the front of the car, we connected the main power feed to this standard, two-post, starter solenoid mounted in the engine compartment. While this part's primary job is to transfer power to the Powermaster XSTorque starter (PN 9503), it can also serve as an underhood power point for various accessories. Note how our main power (secured to the left post) enters the engine bay from the outer side of the fender. This was done in an effort to make the engine stand out and keep the visible wiring to a minimum.
Wiring a 'Stang can be intimidating. Of course, function is everything when it comes to throwing power around, but these days, street- and race-car electrical systems are expected to meet certain appearance standards.
Long gone are the days of hiding a disorderly jumbulation of wires under the dash with zip ties, using butt-connectors for everything, or using same-color wire for an accessory's positive and negative leads.
Today, wiring is about organization. An organized electrical system isn't only going to be a benefit to you and your car from an appearance standpoint, but it will also prove to be an invaluable quality if or when the time comes to troubleshoot electrical-related problems with the car.
Painless Performance Products offers several wiring systems that are tailor-made for Fox 'Stangs and include an easy-to-follow schematic that will have you wiring your Pony like a pro.
Trevor Kaplan of Scosche Industries was our electrical wizard for this portion of the project, and he set up the 'Stang with an electrical system that uses the Painless kit and Scosche EFX Powerwires of various gauges.
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