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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ Supplier for electrical connectors?

Posted by: ScottD914 May 29 2008, 09:18 PM

Gentlemen; I'm well into a major rust repair job on my '74/ 914/4 and I've decided to replace my wiring harness (since it out of the car anyway) with modern GXL automotive wire. I found a supplier for the wire that matches the factory color code, but I haven't found a source for the OEM VW connectors. Can someone point me in the right direction? Thanks!

Posted by: esp May 29 2008, 10:16 PM

You may be able to find the connectors at Tyco Electronics' site

http://www.tycoelectronics.com/industry/automotive/

However, I don't know if you will be able to purchase small quantities of connectors from Tyco or any of the big distributors.

Another option may be to replace just the terminals in the connector. You could crimp new terminals to the wires and insert the terminals into the old plastic housing. Similar terminals may be easier to find than the entire connector because the plastic housings my not be NLA.

Posted by: brp986s May 29 2008, 10:42 PM

not sure about this but auto atlanta used to advertise the connectors.

there are similar connectors on eagleday.com. maybe call them and see if they can locate them.

there is a place in england with a website named something like automotive wiring products.com Might be 'auto' or 'automobile'. I googled it recently

I used to get them at import car parts stores, but haven't tried that in years.

oh yeah, maybe member Jeff bowlsby still makes harnesses - use search

good luck

Posted by: championgt1 May 29 2008, 10:55 PM

Bowlsby harness. Look him up on a member search.

Posted by: ScottD914 May 30 2008, 06:53 AM

Gentlemen; Thanks for the guidance, I'll scope all the suggested sources. Shopping's easy! Once I have the parts I'll have to put on my wire-biter hat and get'r done.

Posted by: 914Sixer May 30 2008, 07:09 AM

If I remember correctly a company called AMP made the connectors from the middle 70's on. They were big in the telcom industry also.

Posted by: esp May 30 2008, 10:31 AM

AMP was purchased by Tyco International and later spun off into Tyco Electronics. I don't think that there were a lot of connector companies around back then, so there is a good chance that AMP made the connectors.

Posted by: TimT May 30 2008, 10:22 PM

http://www.eagleday.com

Posted by: ScottD914 May 31 2008, 08:56 PM

Thanks to all for your guidance. Tim suggested Eagleday.com! That's an impressive collection of products! Check it out! http://eagleday.com/

Posted by: AvalonFal Jun 1 2008, 09:09 AM

Try www.rallylights.com. They have the small uninsulated female terminals that have the barb on the back to hold them into the OEM plastic housings, if you want to reuse the housings. I just bought 25 of each size from them, so small quantities should be OK.

Paul

Posted by: MrKona Jun 1 2008, 12:43 PM

Someone mentioned a UK company. It is http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/VWP-onlinestore/home/homepage.php

Eagleday is great, and you will notice that they have many of the same products as Vehicle Wiring Products, but when I built a harness a couple years ago, I had two orders shipped from the UK, as the prices are better than Eagleday. Shipping was very reasonable. They only charged me $10 per shipment I believe.

You can find any connector you need to build a new harness except for the large plastic connector that fits into the fuel pump relay near the battery tray. You'll have to reuse yours, or if it's broken, find one from an old harness.

Before you go ahead and build an entirely new harness, you might want to strip off the old brittle casing on your current harness, simply inspect the terminals and wiring, make any needed repairs, and then recover the harness. It's a lot easier and cheaper! A little heat from a heat gun makes the brittle casing temporarily much more pliable and easier to cut off. This approach saves you a lot of time and expense, not to mention having to acquire an OEM ratcheting crimper for the terminals. I picked up a spare wiring harness earlier this year, took off the old casing, inspected it, and then put a fresh casing on it (fire-resistant Polyolefin heat shrink tubing). Replacing the injector boots is more difficult since you are trying to slide them over the terminals. In this case, I simply wrapped the terminals with a little electrical tape, put a little oil on the tape for lubrication, and the boots slid on right over them.

Some pictures of the recovered harness attached...

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Posted by: MrKona Jun 1 2008, 12:48 PM

Oh yah, and you will, of course need a tool to remove the terminals from the plastic connectors.

Bus-boys.com sells a cheap one that I've used. Item # ZVT-90601, Fuel injection harness pin tool. $2.95.