Factory terminals to re-pin connectors?

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Map63Vette

Map63Vette

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So I've already yanked my entire engine bay and have rewired it using a scrap harness I got from work with a new modern style bulkhead connector. I'm now looking at the interior and thinking about doing the same thing as I still have a big box of wire left over. The wire I have is really nice stuff with much better style insulation that stays nice and flexible, and I already have it and a fuse panel, so the only cost I'd incur would be terminals, so I'm not necessarily looking to get an aftermarket full universal kit. My question is what style terminals do the factory plugs tend to use? Stuff like the ignition and wiper switches and whatnot. I thought about just cutting them off the factory harness and soldering on my new wires, but I figured if I can get the terminals and go all new that would probably be my preference. I think I remember hearing the bulkhead connector was a Packard 56 at least, but is the same true of other interior pieces?
 
Some of the terminals like the TS switch, and the newer column ignition seem to be elusive.

But the flat spade terminals used in most of the terminals are known as "Packard 56." One good place I found is "clips and fasteners."

"Del City" has a lot of lot of stuff too

http://www.clipsandfasteners.com/Packard_56_Series_Male_12_Gauge_Terminals_GM_p/w32c030.htm

Be CAREFUL on the female. Some of them are GM only and don't fit the older Mopars.

The female terminals shown below will NOT fit some of the older Mopar connectors

gm-packard-56-female-terminal-middle-terminal-and-background-male-terminal.jpg


What you DO want are the type with the sides curled over, as below:

E922%20Female%20Electrical%20Spade%20Connector%20Small%20Wire.jpg
 
Okay, that's more or less what I was thinking and know about Del City pretty well. I'll have to try to pull a few plugs apart and double check what they look like. Any ideas on the instrument panel terminals by any chance? I know they are a barrel style as they attach to pins, but haven't really heard anyone talk about them. Also, are the actual connectors (the plastic blocks the terminals snap into) available from anyone? I assumed they were somewhat proprietary to the switches, but when I think about it I'm not sure if that would be true or not. Del City only lists a few generic ones.
 
The second set of terminals look a lot like the .250 blade female connectors that fit in a relay block.
 
Map63Vette said:
Any ideas on the instrument panel terminals by any chance? .
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You may be able to save them. They are all low current, and if they are not severely corroded, you can "work" them on a pin/ piece of wire to scrub them, and pinch them in a bit with pliers to tighten.

"Some" old "octal" style tube socket terminals MAY work, but there are lots of designs

They would not be a direct drop in, I'm sure

8PINOCTAL4.jpg


Now, my 67 was damaged bad enough, and I don't care about "correct" I simply soldered pigtails to the board traces, and used a pair of Molex style connectors. for the cluster
 
Yeah, I've been tempted to just bring both of the factory dash connectors into one single modern one so that I'd have a pigtail that would come out with the cluster when I remove it. I might be able to just get a standard barrel/bullet style terminal and close it up until it fits around the pins.

The ones I have work fine, but since I want to run all new wires I'd rather have all new terminals as well instead of cutting up the old harness. If I can pull the entire old one and replace it that would be ideal as it means I could always go back to stock. Cutting up the old one wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, but there's really nothing wrong with it, so I'd like to avoid it if possible.
 
Yes, search for "56 terminal" or "Packard 56", used on GM & Mopar in 60-70's. BTW, Packard was an electrical supplier, not the car brand. You can buy basic plastic housings up to ~8 terminals on ebay, but many in our cars are Mopar-specific: ex. headlamp, key, and wiper connectors. Next time at the junkyard check 80-90's Dodge motorhomes and Ram vans. I was surprised to see many 1960's connectors on those, either because they were less often redesigned or a way to use up old stock. You also find the same or similar terminals in many home appliances. I used many of the female terminals in the top photo of post #2, but don't recall which Mopar housings I did so. But, the gold-plated ones below are more factory and spiffy.

In some cases, my Mopar terminals were fine, but I was adding a relay (ex. for ACC power from key switch) so I released the factory terminal, installed a new wired terminal in that position to the relay coil and connected the factory wire to the relay output. To release them, you can use a small flat screwdriver, but I bought the $8 Delphi tool which works better (no beveled end, perfect width). To release the male terminals, squeeze longitudinally at the bottom (top photo of post 2 makes it obvious).

The round dash connector was fine in my cars. The plastic holder didn't appear brittle. The round female pins slide out if you need to clean them or press tighter. The round male pins on the circuit board often get "cold solder" cracks, but easy to reflow them w/ a soldering iron if your cluster is out.
 
Okay. I do have a de-pinning tool for Deutsche connectors I believe that can probably do the same function. Essentially just a narrow flat head screwdriver. And I actually have flat in-line connectors on my dash panel as opposed to a round one, but I imagine they use the same style pins. Again, they aren't actually bad, but I'd rather not cut them off the old harness if I can source them somewhere else. The idea would be to have two complete harnesses when I'm done, one factory one and one brand new one that will replace the factory one with extra circuits for my fuel injection system and other additions.
 
Map63Vette said:
Okay. I do have a de-pinning tool for Deutsche connectors I believe that can probably do the same function. Essentially just a narrow flat head screwdriver.
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If your de-pinning tool will not work you can make one. I use the flat steel reinforcement inserts from old wiper blades, particularly from Honda wiper blades. You can grind the end to any width to fit the connector you are working on.
 
If you want sockets that will fit on the circuit board pins, use Molex .093 sockets. P/N 02-09-1119 for 18-22 awg wire and 02-09-1104 for 14-20 awg wire. They are available from Mouser or Digi-key. They have about a good retention force, so if you tyrap the wires together, they will hold just as well as the OEM connectors.
 
skykeith said:
If you want sockets that will fit on the circuit board pins, use Molex .093 sockets. P/N 02-09-1119 for 18-22 awg wire and 02-09-1104 for 14-20 awg wire. They are available from Mouser or Digi-key. They have about a good retention force, so if you tyrap the wires together, they will hold just as well as the OEM connectors.
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Ah, that's a nice substitution. I didn't think about those. I've built computers for years and am used to seeing them on power connectors. That would probably be just about right.
 
As an added note to post 10. Make sure to use Molex sockets. The Amp .093 sockets don't have as much retention force.
 
The Amp sockets I'm referring to are the ones that look identical to the Molex sockets. For some reason they don't fit as tight as the Molex ones. I have no idea who made the OEM sockets.
 
Okay. I was thinking I might try using the Molex pins in the factory connectors just to see if they would work. The factory connectors aren't really even built for retention in my opinion, they seem to be more there just to align the pins. Basically just looks like a tapered hole with an open side so you can feed a wire through them pull back until the connector hits the taper. Either way, if the Molex terminals work I can always just 3D print my own connector body to hold them.
 
You are right about the factory connector not locking into position. I have dilled the holes out and just stuck the pins through them. The Molex sockets will give the same retention force the factory sockets had. 3D printing a connector is an incredible idea. That's a good way to solve the problem of dealing with these obsolete and impossible to find connectors.
 
The Packard twin locks that are used on the column connector are available new also
 
Yes, twin-locks were also used on Fords, though probably not the same plastic housings. Later A's changed the steering connector to a single row w/ more pins (not twin-lock), I think the same time they moved the key switch to the steering column (~1972?).
 
So just to confirm, headlight connector bodies aren't available anywhere besides a junkyard? One of the terminal holes in mine is completely melted out and the wire is hanging loose. I replaced the headlight switch a while back and was aware of this at the time and have since added a relay, but while I'm rebuilding everything if I can get one I'd like to.
 
Map63Vette said:
No, I need the connector at the switch in the dash with 7 pins or something like that. Those are the connectors at the headlights themselves in that link.
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I read wrong sorry. Will be tough to find. Someone will have a parts car that will have what you need.
 
Mopar Tim said:
I read wrong sorry. Will be tough to find. Someone will have a parts car that will have what you need.
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No worries, I should have phrased it better. Worst case I'll just plug them in as individual terminals. Wouldn't be the end of the world, just a little more finicky.
 
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