Technical Anyone know of a good source for multi-prong electric plugs?

Plastic won't work, gotta be cast metal, painted OD

(gives it that old Army Surplus look)

 

This is really interesting!

https://www.jegs.com/i/American-Autowire/073/500666/10002/-1

 

How about weather-pak? They work very well with 14-20ga. wiring and are waterproof. They come in single up to six gang connectors.

 

Im in the UK but in the US just search for 6.3 series connector

 

american auto wire sells a lot of plug kits check out their web site .another is https://www.delcity.net/

 

Another one

https://aeromotive.us

 

I have 2 separate T&B barrier strips for my gauge power and gauge lights. I made each one common with the little jumpers they came with. Always buy quality stuff.

 

I'm wondering who routinely removes their instrument panels, and why? Not a bash, seems counterintuitive. My gauges plug in. The end. I expect I'll never remove them once 100% done. Did I miss something?

 

I guess if you had old Chevys you'd know the answer....I've had the cluster out of my 59 truck probably 20 times in the past 40+ years. My Chevy II has been out at least half a dozen times in less than ten years (mostly to fix odometer/speedometer issues).

 

The Deutsche DT connectors are as good as it gets. I used them for years in some pretty terrible environments and they hold up better than anything from higher load circuits to very sensitive ecm electronics. A bit expensive but well worth it.

 

Only when it’s a build and I know it’s going in and out several times.

 

Those Deutsch connectors look like a nice clean way to go. Especially when in the build stage and constantly tearing things apart. I work with similar crimpers/connectors and the crimp tool makes a big difference. Amazon has a wide variety. Can someone recommend an inexpensive tool that works decent? I won't be using these connectors all that often but I'm guessing I would want to pay more than $20 bucks for the tool. Thanks

 

Good luck. Add a zero.

 

In a perfect world that would be true. But as Squirrel says, maintenance issues can rear their head, especially if using OEM gauges. Personally, plug-and-play connections make sense to me because these days with my bad back any extended time under a dash is a form of torture that I'll go a long ways to eliminate. The faster I can get off from under a dash, the better I like it...

 

I agree in the build process. Been in twice, next time for good, but I didn't plug anything in the 2nd time. In all fairness and disclosure I'm running New Vintage gauges that came ready to go. Bad backs? You have all my thoughts n well wishes. Me too, my lower spine is a fkn horror show

 

The 'official' Deutsch crimpers for the superior solid barrel connectors will set you back $350+. But there's plenty of 'generic' versions for sale in the $30-40 range online. The difference is the real deal does eight crimps in one operation while the generics only do four. These are plenty adequate for our use. Four crimps is the industry standard in the larger sizes, I've never seen one fail...

 

Even if you never remove it again (envision a failed windshield wiper motor stuffed way up under the dash), since the dash is so easy to remove, would be great to wire it up at my leisure on my work bench and drop it in. Wiring while lying on my back in a tight pre-war passenger compartment is less enticing at 75 than it was at 25!!

 

If the back problems don't get you, the roll cage will

 

Good reviews good price and says for the DT style. Wire gauge looks correct. Or is this junk?

 

When in that Air force we used Cannon plugs

 

That looks nicer than the one I bought years ago, and mine works...

 

Thanks Steve. I'm sold on these. One nice feature as well is you don't need a special pin extractor tool to remove the wires. Just a small flat blade screwdriver.

 

The generic crimpers usually work great. I also really recommend putting a tiny bit of dielectric grease on the male end of these plugs, especially the little rubber gasket seal. It really helps out down the road when you want to pull the plug halves apart.

 

I have this connector on an air ride valve bank. I broke a flange trying to get it apart. Yes to the dielectric grease.

 

Deutsch always made a quality product. If you want to go all out, look at Deutsch blocks, they go into a rail that gets mounted solidly.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/354662315633

 

Likely the D38999 (series III) type. Anyone under the sun makes them, Cannon was one of the better ones.

 

If I am not the king of barrier strips, I for sure am a crown prince! Here is the back of the dash in my '36 Willys I cut out the firewall to make room for a hemi so have an aluminum fold down panel access. As you can see, I used an old tubular fuse block I took out of a wrecked '56 Old I bought in about '64 for parts to build my dream gasser. I was 16 or so and this was way before most of the wiring kits were available and being a broke kid, I built my own harness. First thing I did was cut all the wires off the fuse block and terminate them on barrier strips. I then strung the wires to their destination from the terminal strip. Thank goodness for EZ, Painless, and the rest of the gang nowadays!!

 

I am pretty happy with the Deutsch connectors. I used them everywhere on my car. Not cheap, I used the solid barrel pins.

 

[I am using these connectors, available in 1 to 6 positions They appear to be a copy of the Weatherpac terminals used by the Big Three a few years back. The Metripac uses rectangular connectors as these are round.
They will accept 20 to 14 Ga wires and are rated for 10 amp.
Purchase a crimper as it does the terminal and the seal on each wire. A removal tool also is helpful.

 

I haven't bought them yet but there's these too. https://www.wirecare.com/category/t...ool-deutsch-closed-barrel-terminals-14-18-awg