Dash Frame Clips, Door Trim Panel PAL Nut P/N's, other random bits of info

[Dmod1974]

I couldn't find this info anywhere so I figured I'd pass it along to save someone else some time and help pay it forward since this forum has helped me tremendously on my car.

All of the dash hardware kits come with screws, but not the U nut clips that they screw into that get stripped, damaged, or just go MIA.

There are two different kinds used: one has a range .025-.035", and the other .045-.062" - both are for #8 screws.

Auveco still makes both kinds, the P/N's are 821641505750 and 821641112927 respectively.  I got mine in packs of 50 from eBay, but plenty of other vendors sell this brand too.  I matched these up exactly with the originals I pulled off of my dash frame - they are identical.


I spent a lot of time trying to find the original PAL nuts for the door trim panels.  The original ones are very unique and "flat" whereas most have a recessed area that won't work due to the short stud.

Auveco makes these too; I believe the correct ones are P/N 3401.  These have a 5/16" hex and fit a 1/8" stud.  They should arrive this week so I can confirm 100% and take pics.  I had to buy them in a 200 pack, so I'll probably sell them off to other that need them since I'll have enough for the next century as it is.  P/N 3400 is the same but with a 1/4" hex which I believe is smaller than the originals.

I got around to repainting the arrows on my dash switch knobs and found colors that seem identical to the originals.

I settled on Testor's Sky Blue and Light Yellow.  I bought several shades in each color and these were spot on - at least compared to my original paint and the pics I've seen online.



I used a toothpick to get the paint in the grooves, and then a Q-tip wetted in Lacquer Thinner to clean the surface of overspray.  I still need to go do one more cleaning pass, but I think they came out pretty good for $4 worth of model paint!

Lastly, for oddball light sockets that are not reproduced, you can reuse the housings and insulators (if ok) on new wiring by crimping on these socket contact terminals.  I bought these specifically to redo my lightbar harness.  The sockets are great, but the wiring about 2-4" back is rock hard and the insulation cracking from corrosion and heat.  I created a duplicate of the original harness with new TXL wiring and splice, but with the original sockets and rubberized bullet connector.  These should also arrive and I'll confirm 100%, but they are identical to the terminals on my original harness.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/10-EA-AUTOMOTIVE-BULB-SOCKET-BRASS-TERMINAL-CONTACT-REPLACEMENT-REPAIR/142665080675?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Hopefully this saves someone some time and money for other things on these never ending projects!

[Dakota]

Great info.  Thanks for posting! 

[anlauto]

Are the U-nuts you mentioned silver or black ?

[ec_co]

with the extra 'bulk purchase' items, would you put together small 'add-on' kits? I'd buy one versus hunting down the parts and ending up with a ton of extras I'd never use.

[71383bee]

Agreed!  I'd love to buy a "kit".


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[Dmod1974]

Are the U-nuts you mentioned silver or black ?

Both replacement pieces are black.  On the originals, one type was black and the other silver.  I supposed one could paint or replate them if it was important to them.  The only other difference I can see is the silver clips have an "8" stamped into them and the new ones do not.  Other than that, there are no differences between them.  See below pic:



The removed originals are on the left, with one flipped over.  The replacement pieces are on the right - one flipped over as well.  The hole depth difference is hard to see, but the backsides are where the two designs differ greatly. 

Don't ask me why they used one in a certain area over the other, other than maybe they ran out and used clips from a different supplier or suitable substitute part.  Not uncommon at all today for non-critical or special requirement having applications, and I doubt it was back then either.

[Dmod1974]

with the extra 'bulk purchase' items, would you put together small 'add-on' kits? I'd buy one versus hunting down the parts and ending up with a ton of extras I'd never use.

Once I get my dash frame back and figure out how many I need I can certainly do that.  I won't have too much leftover though since I bought them in packs of 50.

If the door trim panel PAL nuts pan out I will definitely have plenty of those to sell off cheaply.  I don't see myself burning through 200 of them.

[Dmod1974]

I'm still waiting on my PAL nuts to arrive, but I did receive the socket contacts.  I think there were two different sockets used on these depending on year.  My used light bar harness had these odd crimped pot metal like contacts that I think were the cause of the weird harness hardening and corrosion at the ends.  The later years may have used these more traditional crimp contacts since that is what was in my car originally. 

See below:  I believe the top socket was used on earlier years and the lower one on later years.  The bottom one uses a smaller spring and doesn't need the spacer insulator.





Despite the differences between both styles, and the fact that these contacts are slightly larger than the original, they can be made to work with minimal effort if you want to retain the OE housings instead of the completely different ones used in the repro harnesses.

The suspect "older" style housings are not as deep as you can see in the previous pics, so you will need to drill out the wire passthrough hole a little bit to allow the terminal end to pass through it and not bottom out when putting a bulb in.  Once it's locked in, the terminal will spring forward and not stick out the back at all.



Old vs new crimped terminals.  After inserting the bulbs, I did verify with an ohm meter that the larger contacts weren't cocked and shorting onto the housing ground.  If they are, just take a small screw driver or pick and center it more.  It's spring loaded, so it won't move after you set it.  Worst case scenario if you mess up, you pop a fuse.



Finished light bar harness with new contacts, splice, and TXL wiring.  Yeah, the splice isn't OE but I don't like reusing 45 year old anything without going through it when it comes to electrical.

[Dmod1974]

FINALLY!  My replacement door trim panel pal nuts arrived.  Pics below.  I don't have originals to compare to, but going from memory these sure seem correct.  They definitely fit fine.  My replacement door panels needed some shaving on the backside and on the perimeter of the trim panel opening recess to get them to seat fully so the nuts could be started, but they're on!







And a pic of one of them installed with DMT Carbon Fiber overlays.  I'm normally not a big CF fan, but like these a whole lot better than woodgrain.