Replacement Fuse Clips for the Fuse Block ??

[Wycked69 20]

Does anybody have a source to buy replacement clips for the fuse box ?? I've looked at the Scott drake clips and the ones sold by CJ's. Seems awful expensive ($45) for just 10 clips by Scott drake. A review on these on CJ's website said they break when you try to crimp the wire and strongly advised not to buy them. At $36 a set from CJ's, I'd be highly miffed as well.

 

Surely someone has found a source to buy these from an electrical supplier or something. Any help would be appreciated.

[LindenBruce 27]

Well, you could solder the wires to the fuse holder. It would be a much better connection that's for sure. B.

[det0326 179]

Does anybody have a source to buy replacement clips for the fuse box ?? I've looked at the Scott drake clips and the ones sold by CJ's. Seems awful expensive ($45) for just 10 clips by Scott drake. A review on these on CJ's website said they break when you try to crimp the wire and strongly advised not to buy them. At $36 a set from CJ's, I'd be highly miffed as well.

 

Surely someone has found a source to buy these from an electrical supplier or something. Any help would be appreciated.

 

+1 on Bruce's post I would try soldering also, You may have to use some flux paste to get good flow. Anytime you mention the words 1964 1/2 to 73 mustang all suppliers are going to gauge you, sad but true.

[Midlife 814]

I have used fuse clips by the 100's. Tell me what color wire you are interested in, how long the wire is, and I can provide a reasonably clean clip (sand-blasted) for a couple of bucks plus $2 shipping.

 

The repro fuse clips are nasty. They are chrome plated (not factory correct); the metal is brittle such that you cannot crimp them (even with professional tools) without the tabs breaking off. Save your money. I have not found exact reproductions, but have found solitary clips that accept rivets. I use those for the ACC accessory buss extension (diagonal fuse location) for the three prong plug.

Edited January 26, 2014 by Midlife

[maxum96 32]

Midlife is your man when it comes to vintage Mustang electrical wiring and associated parts. I bought a refurbished wiring harness from him. Not only only has it worked great, but he sent me a chart listing what color wires go to what items.

[BuckeyeDemon 211]

i just replaced my clips. i was having a problem with what appeared to be some issue on the back side between the copper plate and the fuse terminal. it was intermittent. twist the fuse terminal and it would connect. perhaps it was the surface that contacted the fuse, but i had screwed around with that too much (small wire wheel on a dremel).

 

i decided to replace them with a set i picked up from NPD (i'm guessing they are all the same).

 

i wouldn't call them nasty. they appear to be nickel plated. i don't know what the factory finish was. possibly tin? the rivets and plates are horrible, but those can't be used on a 69 anyways.

 

in any case, i removed the rivets from the repops and reused the copper plates. i used 4-40 screws/lock washers/nuts/etc to hold them together. i think this is probably much better than the factory rivets.

 

the clips are a little thicker than the originals. my terminals looked horrible and had a lot of corrosion. i soldered the wires onto the terminals. i used a grinder to knock down a little of the crimp area since i wasn't going to crimp them. a 197 flux helped solder the old wires.

 

i had thought about alternatives, such as phosphoric acid, but was concerned about neutralizing it properly (i.e. between the copper plates and terminals or wicking up the wire). i didn't want future issues with corrosion related to that (if i didn't neutralize properly). i have a media blaster (and a spot blaster), but stripping off whatever was left of the plating didn't seem like a very good long term solution (i guess i could coat the terminals with something like a dielectric grease, but that's an insulator).

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Wycked69 20]

Thanks guys, the CJ review said they were absolute crap and if you guys have had the same experience, then at least I know the review was not due to a result of someone not knowing how to properly crimp.

 

The condition of mine look a lot like buckeye's. I have 2 that will need replaced but I can take them from a '70 harness I have.

 

After reading buckeye's idea about blasting the originals it got me thinking. I have access to a glass bead blaster with fine bead. I could blast the originals and pick up some copper sulfate or nickel sulfate and try the home brew way of electroplating them. I have a DC variable power supply so if I can get some chemicals for around $30 or less, I'll see what happens.

[jmlay 80]

I do not have access to my wiring harnesses at the moment. What gauge wires are in the fuse block, 18-20 or 10-12? I may have a more cost effective option.

[Midlife 814]

I do not have access to my wiring harnesses at the moment. What gauge wires are in the fuse block, 18-20 or 10-12? I may have a more cost effective option.

Both.

[BuckeyeDemon 211]

i think about every wire was a different gauge in mine (instrument lights were the same). one of them had two different size wires going into one clip.

[jmlay 80]

I have not called to esquire further but these "GM" clips look the same, PN 18-90 & 18-91. AS I understand it there is a 25 piece minimum so this route would not be economical for a single car but could be if a purchase was split between multiple cars.:

 

http://delmarwire.com/prod09.htm

Edited January 31, 2014 by jmlay