sftamx1 Posted April 1, 2019 Share Posted April 1, 2019 When did spark plug wires change from flat ends held to the spark plug by brass thumb screws, to a bare metal 90° snap fitting? I am restoring a 1932 Terraplane and have the correct lacquered cloth plug wires, but not sure of which style plug fastener to use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted April 1, 2019 Share Posted April 1, 2019 Hard to see in the photo and it is a combo photo - re-touched artist rendering (perhaps there is a better photo in your shop manual or owner's manual), but looks like an un- insulated straight sleeve terminal. https://libwww.freelibrary.org/digital/collection/home/page/105/id/automobile-reference In the same period Auburn there would be a nut similar (not the same though) to this Pierce Arrow style and then the straight terminal would partially fit inside (see ebay # 230928903598 ) and allows the wires to be quick disconnected with limited force being applied: The Auburn (and a Franklin) would have a nut hex base verses the Knurling And those would be available via www.auburnsmidwest.com http://auburnsmidwest.com/catalog/spark-plug-tops-6/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted April 1, 2019 Share Posted April 1, 2019 I usually have this company make up my spark plug wire sets - they do stunning end crimping: https://brillman.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sftamx1 Posted April 2, 2019 Author Share Posted April 2, 2019 Thanks for the clarification on my question, problem solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Wetherbee Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 Saw this on eBay today showing the Auburn style spark plug nut. I never heard of them before and bought a pile of the Pierce style for my Pierce Arrow not knowing that they actually did go on a Pierce... thanks to John and this discussion thread I now know about them, how cool is that? https://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTIQUE-SPARK-PLUG-TOP-TERMINAL-NUT-VINTAGE-EXTENDER-UNUSUAL-UNIQUE-09/153443750739?hash=item23b9f5d353:g:Y4AAAOSww7NcqmkR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sftamx1 Posted April 8, 2019 Author Share Posted April 8, 2019 Are you referring to the Auburn Automobile, or the non related Auburn Spark plug company? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Wetherbee Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 I am only going by John’s post, but he states that Auburn and Franklin used an extended nut similar to a Pierce Arrow one shown - he is referring to the car companies not a plug manufacturer. If the chassis picture in his thread is of your Terraplane it too appears to use one of these styles of extenders. You’re original question was what style fasteners to use, and it appears that you need a set of these. As for the two you show, the knurled one and the clip on one, and a multitude of other ones also pictured in the eBay link overlap through the teens, twenties, and later but I don’t think that knurled nut will be right for any 30’s car. If you use the clip on plug top with a straight plug wire end only a handful of people might ever know if it’s right or wrong. Good luck with your car, I’ve always been a fan of their styling. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFitz Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 Not sure about your Terraplane's use, but Franklin started using those brass socket "Spark Plug Extensions" in 1930 - exactly like those shown in Mark's picture above. So they were available at least that early. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Man Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 Lots of independents in the 1930s used these connectors, Auburn, Graham-Paige, Franklin, Pierce-Arrow most likely Hudson? They are brass and screw on the spark plugs. They use the same connector as the distributer, so both ends of the spark plug wire are identical. Not sure why they are so hard to find today. There is a Auburn gentleman who makes them. I am considering making them. As far as I can tell (looking at original Graham cars) all Graham cars used them 1928 to 1941. My guess is the new snap on connectors are just easier. You would think the connectors had a name at some point? Interestingly when I mentioned them to my old mechanics, they all remembered them (but they are now all in their 80s). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Wetherbee Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 Grahams picture above shows why I bought the set for my Pierce before I even knew that they were used - they seem to take your eyes up and away from the modern spark plug beneath them in my opinion. Gives a more period correct look without trying to find NOS plugs which are ludicrously expensive. My set was on eBay and I paid around $10.00 for 15 connectors, a far cry from $8.00 each which I don’t think I would have paid until I was looking to show the car seriously... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 Auburn also used then with what technically would be a straight snap on terminal, but with the brass adapter verses the terminal on the left in your first picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curti Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 That is a great picture John ! The pix above that Graham Man posted looks to be an Auburn head as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Man Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 There must be advertising pictures out there, original ones? From the little research I did the 33 Terraplane looks to use the same as John mentions above. You do know Dillenger had his girlfriend Billy buy a 1934 Terraplane, it was his most common used getaway car. He was driving a Terraplane in Chicago when he eluded police away after visiting the doctor on a late night call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 1 hour ago, Curti said: That is a great picture John ! The pix above that Graham Man posted looks to be an Auburn head as well. I saw that picture someplace before Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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