Class
Classic Car Electrics
At a Glance:
- In-depth Instruction; over 47 mins
- On-demand video access anytime
- Bonus downloadable PDF resources
- Access to class Q&A
Item:
T8004E
Ever important to the functionality of a classic car are its electricity, wiring and lighting. Today we enter the Practical Classics garage to delve into the basics of classic car electrics. Whether your car is experiencing faulty wiring or you’re looking to install auxiliary lighting, we’ve got the tips and expert advice you’ll need to manage many of your classic car’s electric jobs.
Learning the basics
As with most projects in the garage, it’s important to first learn the essential techniques and then challenge yourself on the more complicated scenarios. To help you gain an introductory understanding of classic car electrics, Danny Hopkins and Ed Hughes are here to demonstrate a number of simple car maintenance projects that focus on classic car electrics. With each of the five classes in this course, you’ll discover a new technique that you can implement in your own garage and grow more confident as a classic car restorer.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
Testing your skills
Since this is a hands-on style course, we hope you’ll take the tips for classic car electrics you learn here and apply them to the car in your own garage. See if you can properly execute our expert methods, and let us know if you have any trouble. Don’t be afraid to backtrack if you feel like you’ve gotten lost somewhere along the way or to skip ahead in the classes if we’re boring you with old information.
At the end of this series, we culminate the lesson with a simple project of installing auxiliary lights. Leave us a comment if the project was a success or you need a little guidance--we’re passionate about classic car restoration, so we’d like to know how we’re doing!
As with most projects it’s important to first learn the essential techniques and then challenge yourself with the more complicated practical scenarios. To help you gain an introductory understanding of classic car electrics, Ed Hughes demonstrates the simple theories behind classic car electrics, with some practical advice.
In the first step of our five-part course, Ed Hughes teaches you the basics of electricity and how these basics apply to the wiring on your classic car. You’ll learn the key terms that will come in handy later in the series, including the essential technology that connects your car’s electrical components to the car’s battery.
Discover the basic set of tools you’ll need to complete a number of electrical jobs on your classic car. Ed Hughes introduces the tools of the electricians trade (including how to use a multimeter) and then demonstrates the quick methods he uses to join two wires.
More often than not, an electrical issue on a classic car is as simple as replacing a fuse or faulty wire. But how do you track them down? Ed teaches you how to read a circuit diagram on your classic car to discover where the faulty component might be in your car’s system.
Now that you know how to join two wires and you have a basic understanding of circuit diagrams, it’s time to try your hand at a simple project. Learn how to use essential tools and your new knowledge of electrical wiring to install auxiliary lights to the front of your classic car.
In the final class of our course on classic car electrics, Ed teaches you about the ignition system on your car. He discusses the two halves of the ignition system, explains how the system is wired to the rest of a car, and then shows you how to trace faults.
Ed Hughes
Ed spent almost twenty years teaching Wood- and Metalwork, Science, Electronics and Mathematics in secondary schools while running an increasingly large fleet of obscure, Eastern Bloc cars. Those educational skills - plus years of scientific analysis of everyday motoring annoyances - mean that he has the ability to explain things well, guiding the hobby mechanic through complex tasks while identifying the possible pitfalls along the way.
How to Diagnose Electrical Problems
The Practical Classics guide to diagnosing electrical problems
The PC guide to Ignition Coils
The Practical Classics guide to ignition coils
Choosing an Ammeter or Voltmeter
The Practical Classics guide to choosing ammeter or voltmeter
Guide to DC Electric Motors
The Practical Classics guide to DC electric motors
Rebuilding your Alternator
The Practical Classics guide to rebuilding your alternator
Replacing Battery Leads
The Practical Classics guide to replacing battery leads
Guide to Multiplex Systems
The Practical Classics guide to multiplex systems
Planning your Restoration
Sam Glover’s Guide to Planning Your Restoration with SkillShack & Practical Classics
Bonus Materials available for download after purchase.