1941 Park / Turn Signal electrical connector assembly

[Scott Anderson CLC#26068]

As context, I've had my turn signal /parking lights apart in order to clean the lenses from behind. Turns out that the housings had rust in them from an ill fitting workaround from when the car was restored. The original flanges that held the light bulb and the connector to the wiring had been replaced with a modern style socket that leaked.

Investigating what the original setup was (this is my first '41) I've gotten the two flanges that I need but the electrical piece (consisting of a brass casing, the phenolic with spring loaded contacts on the front and wires extending out the back) that goes in the rear of the flange are shot. They don't appear as much of a stretch to rebuild but I don't seem to be able to get mine apart without damage. Further I'm told that they're not rebuildable but I haven't found them for sale either.

So, what have others done?

Photos, for which I apologize in advance for the quality of, are attached if helpful.

Thanks everyone
Scott

[Steve Passmore]

I re-built mine on my convertible back in the 90s Scott. Too long back to remember exactly how I did it but looking at your picture it doesn't seem too imposable.  The Bakelite insulator is usually held in there by crimpings or the insulator has to be turned up at an angle to remove, they have small springs behind them.    I usually make a new insulator out of thin sheet Bakelite I have here and utilize pop rivet ends to make new contacts and solder new wires to them.

[gary griffin]

Try Rhode Island, I am pretty sure they have the single contact units and maybe the dual also. They have an online catalog.

[Scott Anderson CLC#26068]

Steve and Gary,
Thanks for taking a moment to reply.

Gary, I did try Rhode Island (first actually as I've been pleased with dealings with them in the past) and they don't have such. Really figured they would as they sell separate fog light and headlight packages for the 41, in addition to the full wiring harness. By phone they said no, but I did send an email query with photos just incase a picture was helpful if I used poor terminology somehow.

Steve, this sort of rebuild is what I had in mind. Encouraged by your reply I'll keep digging on mine to get the insulator up and out. Alternative 'mad scientist' plans could be buying a new insulator piece with the contacts and wire attached (easily available here) and fitting it to the flange somehow but I'd prefer the rebuild way as you note.

Thanks again,
Scott

[harry s]

Scott, I just got back from the GN in Milwaukee, great show, lots of beautiful cars. I may have some of those connections. I will look as I unload  in the next couple of days.     Harry

[Paul Phillips]

Scott
If you decide to try the rebuild route, a couple of resources to check are YNZ Yesterday's  http://www.ynzyesterdaysparts.com/pdfs/p4_Alt_Misc.pdf For a double contact rebuild kit that should give you the phenolic bits and Restoration Supply http://www.restorationstuff.com for a double contact terminal and spring kit.  Should be about $10-12 total for enough parts to rebuild both sides.

If you need something else, I still have these lights apart on my resto project and could take pix or other research.

Hope this helps!

Paul

[Scott Anderson CLC#26068]

Paul, this is very helpful thank you - I will follow up.

Harry, thank you for the offer but I do have one other such assembly, also in original condition needing a rebuild. It's just...how...

This weekend at our local (PNW) CLC annual picnic, I brought the piece for the president and mapmaker to take a look at. He about gave me a heart attack when he pulled straight up on the contact/spring part but it came out cleanly.

So, that for disassembly combined with your links for parts brings me to being optimistic. Housings and original wing nuts are now media blasted, run through vibratory tumbler to soften the mild steel finish and then satin clear coated so I'm getting there.   

[Paul Phillips]

Sounds good Scott.  Remember to be careful to maintain the ground path as you refinish these parts.  Paint is a great insulator!  If you have access to a plating shop, you may want to have the flange and lamp shell done in clear zinc, which will look much like the original cad plating.

Paul

[Jay Friedman]

I would like to second Paul Phillips' recommendation of getting parts from the Restoration Supply Company, Escondido CA.  I recently restored the electrical components of my '49's 2 tail lamp assemblies using their parts.  I found it easy to identify exactly which parts I needed from the illustrations in their print catalog with one exception.  In that case, two electrical sockets they sell looked similar in the illustrations and I couldn't figure out exactly which one I needed, so I bought both.  The cost, however, was minimal so this was not a problem and I'll probably find some use for the one I didn't use.

[Scott Anderson CLC#26068]

Paul, probably the holiday weekend approaching isn't the best timing on my part to contact them but the person answering the phones at Restoration Supply is completely blank on the double contact terminal and spring kit thing - I called because I downloaded it but didn't see something which seemed like that. No other (read technically competent) help available. I do see the pigtails but don't think that's what you've in mind. When you have a moment, would you mind please letting me know the item number from their catalog?

Heck while I'm here, regarding YNZ, I assume #59 what you had in mind - yes?

Thanks very much,
Scott

Scott
If you decide to try the rebuild route, a couple of resources to check... YNZ Yesterday's  http://www.ynzyesterdaysparts.com/pdfs/p4_Alt_Misc.pdf For a double contact rebuild kit that should give you the phenolic bits...Restoration Supply http://www.restorationstuff.com for a double contact terminal and spring kit. 

[Paul Phillips]

Scott
The YNZ #58 was the phenolic kit I had in mind, as it is for the double contacts you will need.

For Restoration Supply, download their 2014 catalog ang look at p-8 under Pigtails. 4 of ELE 360 will give you contacts & springs, along with wire you may end up de soldering. ELE 223 may give you a usable phenolic, but since it is not pictured, I was looking at the YNZ option.

YNZ also has what they call a light contact #23 which will be the same as what Restoration Supply has in the pigtail kit. I don't find the contact spring at YNZ, but they may have it somewhere.

Hope this gets you to a solution!

Paul

[Scott Anderson CLC#26068]

Thank you, Paul. Very clear. Just needed to be guided. BTW when clear coating the electrical connectors, (of course they were originally cadmium!) I did mask off the contact portions. It's really just the bracket portion if you will, that which holds them to the light bucket themselves, that had the coat of clear. 

- Scott

[Paul Phillips]

Scott
I don't remember a ground jumper wire for these lights, so if that is correct, the ground path is a series of mechanical connections - bulb base to bayonet barrel of the bracket to the wingnuts & studs on the light housing to the bezel to the grille to the core support to the frame.  You will want to be sure this path is not blocked by the clear coat.  You can use star washers to help transfer contact from a screw thread to a mounting surface if there is already clear coat there.  Or if you end up with a weak ground path, add a jumper wire with ring terminals from the core support (maybe at the horn bracket) to the wingnut of the bracket.  Sorry this is so wordy, hope it makes sense.

Paul

[Steve Passmore]

When I'm restoring a car or building a harness these days I always run a complete earth circuit through the system to a point inside the hood and the trunk. Customers are not pleased to see me scraping off their new paintwork to make grounds.