I have a 96 trans am with lt1 and i am installing longtube headers and aparently the previous owner never changed the wires on the car so i am wanting to put new wires on but dont know what kind of wires i was just told 8mm wires! but if i get direct fit will i have to cut and crimp the wires to the optispark or are they ready to just put up, and which ones do i need the 90 degree or straight ones? also where do i run route them on the engine , behind the power steering pump or somewheres else?

 

The opti end of the wire has straight rubber boots and 90 degree at the spark plug end.I have a set of 8.5 mm MSD wires,they are specially for the LT1 engine and are all the right length,no cutting or crimping required.
The original GM wires are 7mm diameter,so if you buy bigger wires don't expect them to fit in the stock plastic looms.
I managed to route mine behind the power steering pump and used cable ties to keep them away from my stock manifolds.
The drivers side is easy,the passenger side will test your patience.
To make life easier,chop the boots off the end of the old wires and then you can just pull them straight out.
You will find plenty of choice from several manufacturers on E-bay,I've even seen the genuine GM wires on there fore a reasonable price.
Allow yourself a good couple of hours to do this job.
All the best,Mark.

 

I'm pretty happy with the MSD Superconductor 8mm wires and Made4You
OTVC wire looms.

 

ok well i will check into it....

 

You can also install them OTVC, mine are 8MM Taylors, and i had to make the ends.

 

how hard was it to make them?

 

I have 8.5mm msd, they round behind the aldinator, kinda annoying to get them there with the bigger wires but non the less they work. The one's that are made for the lt1 just boot right up to the opti, no idea on the cut to fits. I have heard cut to fit is nice with headers. I have manifolds

 

usually the people that buy the cut to fit wires are using the over the valve cover method where the wire looms are mounted to the valve covers.

 

I know you werent asking me the question, but I'll jump in anyway.
Even though the MSD wires I use are 'cut-to-fit', the plug end boots
are not crimped. I'm not sure about other wire manufacturers, but
MSD supplies a measuring / crimp tool - the only tools required to
complete the crimping process are a razor blade and either a table
vice or (what I used) vice-grips. The process was quite easy, although
a bit time consuming, but that's OK, because it means the wires will
be cut to provide a nice, custom fit.