Headlight terminal block

[Joe Flanagan]

My headlight terminal block is very rusty and I would either sanblast it or dip it in phosphoric acid but it's got this insulator material beneath the terminals and little square pieces of paper as well. It looks like the terminals are not removable. The square nuts seem to be soldered in place. Anyone have any experience with these? Should I just not take it apart and carefully clean by hand?

[greg g]

If you can just clean it up and paint it, the circuit passes through the wire conectors not the studs and nuts. So its important that the conector surfaces are clean and in good contact, and seperated electrically from the other groups. You could wrap some electrical tape between the lugs or maybe paint on some of that plastic stuff for plier handles to assure electrical seperation.

[Desotodav]

I had the same issue with mine Joe. I just cleaned them up gently with a wire brush attached to my drill and then painted the blocks - leaving the posts bare. The initial photo of mine shows that the insulator material originally rose up either side of the posts, probably to protect wires attached to the post from shorting? Cleaning them gently by hand worked for me.

Desotodav

[RobertKB]

You can also buy new equivalents. That is what I did for my '38 Chrysler as it did not even have the terminal block when I got the car.............that car was missing a lot of parts beside the terminal block................like a motor!

Edited May 22, 2011 by RobertKB

[BobT-47P15]

If you enlarge this pic to about 300-350 percent you can see the

connector block in the upper right. It does have the paper fins

between posts, as described. They are simply to prevent connectors

on one post from contacting those on the next. If careful, you can

live without them.

Hope this helps some.

[Joe Flanagan]

Thanks, all. I'll try to clean it up by hand.

[Tom Skinner]

Vintage Woodworks LLC sells them:

Phone 715/445-3791

$45 includes S&H for the set of 2 (2 block) and a (3 block). Total 5 post combo we use, may seem a bit pricey but.... thats your call.

Tom

[ptwothree]

A Dremel with a wire wheel should work well.....

[plymouthasc]

I restored the terminal block on my '41 P12. The terminal studs are like little carriage bolts.

The square washers on mine were press fit to keep the terminal steady when the wire connector and nut were removed. I was able to put a socket under the terminal stud, a nut on the end of the threads and tap the studs out.

I then replated everything and made new insulators with material I got from a model train hobby store and reassembled using a washer and nut to pull the stud back through the square retaining washer.

I believe what is pictured below is very similar to what they looked like originally.

Mark

Edited May 22, 2011 by plymouthasc

[Joe Flanagan]

Thanks for all that info. I didn't know it was possible to get those square nuts off because mine look like they're soldered or something. Will have to take a closer look.

[Rodney Bullock]

I have replaced alot of those over the years. They are sold everywhere, I chose to just replace them as I was rebuilding the engine compartment on the truck(1953) and I replaced the blocks on the Plymouth(40)At the time one of the chevy vendors had them 3 block terminals for 12.00 dollars aside. They make great connection and the turn signals can be incorp very easy. If you have lights that you want to add this make it butter:D

[alan32433]

You can find an exact replacement for your terminal at ynz yesterdays parts. I replaced mine also, and the one from ynz's is an exact replacement, no holes to drill. It cost $15

[Joe Flanagan]

Thanks Alan. Mine cleaned up nicely. If it gives me trouble I'll just replace it.

[Oldguy48]

If you don't require an exact NOS replacement, stop in at your local electrical distributor or perhaps Lowes, and ask for an "Ideal" terminal strip. You can get them rated for 30A, they are relatively inexpensive, and are of excellent quality.