Wire Terminal Splice

For those who obsess about exactly how their 356 left the factory!
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Steve Douglas
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Wire Terminal Splice

#1 Post by Steve Douglas »

I'm looking for a part number or source for the 3 wire splice terminal block found in the headlight bucket, I know they also came on early VWs. There are smaller two wire ones that came with Blauplunkt radio kits.
The cars shipped to the US didn't have sealed beam headlights installed, just wires coiled up. A three "pole" screw terminal block was used to to connect the wires to a US style plug and the Sealed Beam light Bucket. One of mine melted and I replaced it with a standard clam-style terminal strip. I would like to find two originals if possible. Can not find a part number for Porsche or VW.
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Jim Karaba
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Re: Wire Terminal Splice

#2 Post by Jim Karaba »

Radio shack sells a modern version of that. They come in a strip of say 10 or 15 and you cut off as many as you want (single, double, triple, etc.).

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Martin Benade
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Re: Wire Terminal Splice

#3 Post by Martin Benade »

I thought the European bulbs used the same plugs as sealed beams. I have never seen a terminal block there, but I mostly know the later cars.
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Steve Douglas
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Re: Wire Terminal Splice

#4 Post by Steve Douglas »

I thought that both US and Euro were the same too, the US plugs were the standard 3 prong, but heard some Eruo delivered cars had a different plug. My 59 was factory delivery with US spec lights and bumpers. The 54 VW was also factory delivered, and it had the same splice blocks.

Jan Kolm
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Re: Wire Terminal Splice

#5 Post by Jan Kolm »

This has been discussed before.

Early Euro lights had screw connectors on the lamp sockets, so no connector was used.

The Hella sealed beam connectors had spring-loaded terminals that connected directly to the factory harness.

Often, the dealer used U.S.-made connectors (e.g., Cole-Hersee sockets w/cloth-covered pigtails) and connected them to the factory harness w/butt splices, wire nuts, terminal blocks, or whatever else was available.
Jan Kolm
356 Registry #1066
1960 1600N Coupe

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Martin Benade
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Re: Wire Terminal Splice

#6 Post by Martin Benade »

Any idea what years would have had screw terminals originally that the US dealer had to deal with?
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Mike Wilson
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Re: Wire Terminal Splice

#7 Post by Mike Wilson »

I found some wiring splice blocks/terminals in eBay but I'm sure an electronics store will have them although not brown but rather white. I had found some previously on the Samba but I didn't see any listed this morning.

Mike
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'63 B coupe

Jan Kolm
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Re: Wire Terminal Splice

#8 Post by Jan Kolm »

Martin Benade wrote: Sat Mar 23, 2019 7:29 am Any idea what years would have had screw terminals originally that the US dealer had to deal with?
The B/C parts book lists the plug as P/N 644.631.107.03 and is fitted to all versions.

Using VWs for comparison, I would guess no later than 1955 for the screw terminals on non-sealed beam bulb sockets.
Jan Kolm
356 Registry #1066
1960 1600N Coupe

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David Green
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Re: Wire Terminal Splice

#9 Post by David Green »

YnZ includes them with the harness kits so maybe they will sell them separately.
https://www.ynzyesterdaysparts.com

David

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