Installing gauges ... and other questions

[doonboggle]

First question ....
I have a console gauge group [voltage, clock and oil temperature (cels)] that I want to install.  Beginning today with the oil temp., I see the brown wire as ground ... black as 'power' ... and green/black as to the temp sensor on the rear of the 1.6L engine in the head.

I have a fused spin ... up near my neck, and flexibility is in short demand.  I presume the best way to connect this gauge would be to remove the fuse block and connect to the rear.  Never have taken one out yet ... presuming this of course ... but not a workable option for me.  Also taking the instrument cluster is not one I cherish ... even though have done it in the past ... due to brittleness, etc.

That appears to leave the only option as going thru the firewall with a separate wire and splice into the wire at the sender.  But this seems to me as not so good, since it would be 'around' the applicable fuse.

Is this a good move ... or is there a better choice that I should utilize? 
What is in jeopardy doing this?

At the same time ... in looking at the sensor today, I recall wondering in the past why there are 2 sensors in the water flange that feeds the heater ... with separate wire connections.  I realize this may be common knowledge ... but I admit I missed that trolley car.

Second question ....
Using the same facts of above, where would you suggest I safely connect to the battery 'hot' in order to activate the voltage meter?

And lastly with 'second question' in mind ... for the clock ... would it be OK to hook up to the same 'hot' (red) wire connected to the battery for power ... and ground to brown wire?
That leaves getting on-off power to the lights for these gauges ... which I have not contemplated as of yet.

TIA

[madmedix]

I understand your problem; I have multiple spinal injuries that really limit me. What I did for aftermarket guages for my MK 2's was attached the voltage hot to the lighter hot in the console, since it was wired directly through a 15 amp fuse to the battery. You could wire the clock there also, as it is always "hot". I actually drilled a 5/32" hole to the left of the hole in the floor for the shifter as the ground for anything I put/future ground needs for items in the center console.
As for the guage lights themselves, I spliced into the light for the fan/temp control so it was fused and dimmable.
The temp guage I didn't wire up until I "pimped" the glow system with a tractor relay. What I did there was run a molex connector (think of older computer power supplies - the connectors that powered old hard disks/optical drives) through the steering boot (easier to get at) and used silicone to seal it. That gave me four leads to use for anything I wanted from the engine bay. What I did was splice into the temp sender on the block, and now I've got 3 spare leads for whatever I need them for.

Cheers,
Andy