What is this for?

[johng]

I have what looks like an earth strap close to the wiper spindles on both sides of the car on my 78. Any Idea what they are meant to be attached to?
John

 

[kentvette]

I've seen this question asked before on a US forum - alas, I can't remember the answer! I know they all have them

 

[teamzr1]

Grounds connected to all that shielding around the distributor ?

 

[johng]

No, they are far too short to reach and I already have an earth lead for the shielding like the one on your photo.

 

[kentvette]

So, I confess I had to ask around about this! And, having been pointed in the right direction, I discovered teh cable is indeed shown in the AIM, but nowhere near the section I expected it to be!

It apparently is a reinforcement cable, designed to hold the front "clip" in place in the case of an accident! So, the loose end in your photo John, should be attached to a reinforcement plate, that would normally be hidden I think behind the plastic "debris screen" at the ends of teh wiper tray.

Anyway, the relevant page of the AIM is attached.....

 

[johng]

Thanks Stephen, that makes sense as I've discovered my car has had a new front clip fitted at some point and whoever replaced it didn't bother with any of the reinforcement plates. Hence the cables are hanging loose because the reinforcement plate isn't there! Think perhaps I'll just make my own, as it looks pretty simple. I wonder if the cables did their job and held the old clip in place when presumably it had some sort of accident in the past!
John