Manx Club

I have a truck body buggy on a 63 pan and a Daytona Migi 52 MG on a 70 pan and am having the exact same issue with both cars. I'm new to the kit car/buggy world and an absolute novice with electronics and wiring.

Here's the problem: when I put the key in the ignition and turn it NOTHiNG happens. Lights don't work, starter won't turn over...nothing. (Slight correction...the amp meter on the mg moves slightly to the left)

The cars had been sitting for over 20 years each prior to me purchasing them.

I installed a brand new battery in both. A new starter on the buggy. Both cars are 12v and I changed out all the bulbs. As much as I could I pulled the connectors and cleaned all the contact points. I've changed the fuses.

If I direct wire the starter to the battery with a push starter switch it turns over right away on both cars.

I'm not sure where to go from here. I've tried looking at the wiring diagrams I could find online but I cannot understand them and have no idea what I'm looking at...especially the fuse box wiring. Is there a very simplified fuse wiring diagram somewhere that doesn't require an electronics degree to interpret?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

I'm in SoCal just north of Los Angeles so if there is anyone out this way that knows wiring and would be interested in lending a hand please shoot me a PM. A few minutes on the phone or even in person would be amazing and very much appreciated!

Thank you again!

Might be that you have a bad ground someplace. If it doesn't already have one, try installing a ground strap from a transmission nose cone bolt to the pan.

Looks like this;
http://www.jbugs.com/product/9469.html

Another thing you can try doing is trace the wiring with a multi-meter and about 10' of wire with alligator clips on each end so you know where every circuit goes and is connected as it should be. I spent about two weeks under the dash tracing every wire when we bought our buggy (referring to the Haynes VW Beetle manual for the wiring diagrams). It's run fine ever since (about 12 years since I did it).

SCVGuy wrote:I'm in SoCal just north of Los Angeles so if there is anyone out this way that knows wiring and would be interested in lending a hand please shoot me a PM. A few minutes on the phone or even in person would be amazing and very much appreciated!

Thank you again!

PM sent.

I've tried following the wiring diagrams and discovered that electronics are just not my thing. I think this will just be something I'll have to take in to have someone else handle. Can anyone recommend any good shops/individuals for this type of work in SoCal?

Thx