The way is see it, is all I need is headlights, turn signal, breaklights, fans, ignition, fuel pump, line lock, 2 step, gauges and ground.
I want to cut all this out and by pass the fire wall connection.
What am I not thinking about?
I just re-did all the wiring in our car. Couple questions to understand your build: where is your battery (trunk or engine compartment), FI or carb (or maybe FI in future), any power adders and/or trans brake now or good possibility in the future, and what do you expect ET/MPH to be (this will have safety and NHRA rules consideration).
1st rule of thumb - safety. Regardless of street or strip. Rip that **** out. Those old connectors, tape and crap aren't worth risk ... or problems tracing issues.
2nd - relays. For your list I'd relay everything but gauges (still fuse them 3a). Some will say you don't need for brake lights but over engineering is piece of mind (you left out running/parking light btw ... relay em too). Relays protect and assist with consistent flow. Also help keep overall amperage draw on system lower, make customizing switch locations and wiring easier, and makes wiring multiple actions easier in one switch.
3rd. Design it flexible and robust enough for growth or changes to future set up. You don't want to have to re-engineer the design for add ones or changes and start ripping **** back out, tossing crap you spent money on, etc.
I'd strongly suggest a relay panel and wiring kit. Cadillac version that racers use is: Speedwire.
14 Relay Controller - Speedwire Systems. With switch panel added your talking $1200+/- and you still need wiring. More for people running stages of NOS, FI, etc and more electronics.
Painless makes relay panel with all the needed wiring for around $400.
https://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/prf-50001. Their matching switch panel is another 400$ but you don't need that. You can fabricate a switch panel, use existing buttons/switches. It's easy since now you're only triggering the relays - and the wires for them are included in relay panel kit.
Then Use your existing fuse panel for gauges, interior lights and other lower amp stuff.
If you're not familiar with relays, how they work and their terminals (85,86, 87, 30, etc) I'd google and read. Worth the time. I think this is decent video I saved link from.
He's showing a relay with 87a terminal. Not all have that or need it.
The Painless directions are actually decent if you have this basic understanding. And all wires color coded and proper gauge for the application- lights, fuel pump, etc.
And last - grounds, grounds, grounds. Battery to frame, to firewall, to the heads and block, to dash to unibody.
You don't want nightmare of electrical gremlins or safety issues. You have perfect chance to do it right now. I spent hours reading good sources on line and asking questions. But then when I did it, it was a breeze. And now I know how my car is wired and don't need to depend on someone else.
If your battery is in the trunk there's a few more considerations.
Hope this helps!
Oh - forgot. For turn signal you need special relay. Not expensive at all. Few bucks. And there are plenty of <$40 kits with all wires and relay.
