Rewiring, Need stuff, but where to get?

[Earlsfat]

Tried to salvage the tail light &rear side marker light sockets. The connectors (part that attaches to the wire - in the tail light and turnsignal soickets the look sort of like "D"s... kind like this "-----D" with the dotted line being the wire and the D being the connector, and the round part of the D is where the bulb contacts)

Does anyone know where to get the connectors? I've called radio shack, pep boys, napa... no dice.

Don't feel like buying the whole sockets. But looks like I may have to.

[Rally Sport]

Tried looking around junkyards yet? What about Year one?

[Earlsfat]

Originally Posted by Rally Sport

Tried looking around junkyards yet? What about Year one?

No junkyards yet... doubt I'll find a set of 36 year old connectors in junk yard that would be in better condition than what I had.

I checked (websites only, didn't actually call them yet) Year One, NPD, Classic Industries, Paddock, Summit, Jegs, Pep Boys, Napa... They all want to seel complete harnesses or rear harnesses - which is like $150. I want the friggin connectors, which collectively can't cost more than $20. I'm going to call the local Chevy dealer tomorrow and see if they can point me in the right direction.

Thing is, I can use the universal connectors, they would work, but they all have those big insluation boots around them, and they won'y fit into the original sockets. SO, for example, if I need to change a headlight, instead of unpluging the headlight socket and pluging it onto a new bulb, I will have to unplug and plug in 3 connectors for each bulb. Not exactly right, but works, and also leaves alot of room for problems to develop.

These are what I need (not the best pictures, but good enough I hope):

Tail light bulb connector - one side



Tail light bulb connector - other side - Note the tabs just after the D - they hold it into the socket


These are all over the place - different size of the same things, but note the tab on the middle one, they all have these and it holds the wire in the socket.

[wrightz28]

Why not splice them in to the new harness as previously discussed? And you can get the headlight socket off any GM all the way up through the '80s, or if you prefer new, should be in the "help" section at your local parts store.

[Earlsfat]

Originally Posted by wrightz28

Why not splice them in to the new harness as previously discussed? And you can get the headlight socket off any GM all the way up through the '80s, or if you prefer new, should be in the "help" section at your local parts store.

Well I would have done that, except the connectors are oxidized and brittle... (no wonder shit didn't work ). Almost all of them (taillights) were broken or broke when I tried to clean them off.

If I'm going to do this, I'm doing it all the way. If I'm going to have new wires, then I'm I'm going to have new connectors on those wires! I don't want to leave anything up to chance.

My wife just went to Pep Boys... They only had one or two of the spade connectors, and nothing else. Talk about sucking... What the hell are they in business for... imports? Maybe they should start selling cheeseburgers or underwear or someshit like that because tha last 4-5 times I went there to buy anything I came out of the store emptyhanded and pissed off. Idiots.

[wrightz28]

Well, I know it doesn't sound easy, but you're going to have to look around for an alternative that is compatable with the the housing for the socket in the lens.

[Earlsfat]

Yeah I know. I'm wondering if I might have any success looking for Corvette tail-light sockets... They were the same for 70-71 weren't they?