Topic: Great Source for Automotive Electrical Connectors
I've long looked for high-quality automotive electrical connectors with little luck, settling on Weather Pack connectors for lack of other good choices and vendors. Finally, I found a source at PRI last December and am using their product as I wire up the new car and thought I should share it with the community. I have no affiliation with the company other than being a satisfied customer:
They stock the entire range of Deutsch automotive electrical connectors, from the really expensive mil-spec type and the also-spendy AS line (which you've seen used in F1 when there are a lot of simultaneous electrical connections, like mating the entire engine harness to the chassis), but also the more affordable DT series. They have a good assembly-order process on the website, so if you need a 8-cavity plug, it will automatically put all 10 pieces that you need to complete that connector into the same order. (They have a ton of other wiring products too, including the best split-loom I've ever found, far better than the common consumer electric type. They also have one that looks like cotton tape if you're restoring an older car)
Caveat is that these connectors are about twice as expensive as the venerable WeatherPack connector (a 6-cavity Deutsch DT is $15.41 versus $8.95 for a 6-cavity assembly from Pegasus). But I've never had great luck getting the WeatherPack pins and sockets to line up 100% of the time and they always feel cheap and flimsy and not so weathertight, whereas the Deutsch connectors have a very positive locking system, feel very durable, and have substantial rubber seals at every point of connection.
Anyway, I thought I'd share since some of you are probably in the same boat. Cheers.
PS If you go this route, do yourself a favor and buy the crimping tool. It's WELL worth the money to get a very solid 4-way crimp on these connectors.
Mandatory disclaimer: all opinions expressed are mine alone & not those of 24HOL, its mgmt, sponsors, etc.
