Re: 74 Javelin dash light switch help

[Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>]

On Thu, 30 Jun 2005 farna@xxxxxxx wrote:

> You COULD rewire the dash lights, but most likely the switch is the problem. Go to a local NAPA store and ask them to pull out their switch catalog -- the one with pictures. You can likely match the switch with something that is currently available. You might have to change the connector -- cut it off and crimp spade terminals on -- but you'll have a new, working switch. I think the early 70s cars used a GM sourced switch though.

I'm with Frank -- new switch if you can find one!

If there's only two wires on the back of  the switch (not familiar
with this car) simply touch the two wires together.  If the lights
come on the switch was bad.

Car switches never last. The problem is that they're cheaply made,
and carry a lot of current. Operating it wears out the contacts,
the spark on open/close wears out the metal, the cheap grease
dries out, and once they get a big worn the resistance goes up,
theyt get hot when ON, and the heat accellerates all of the above.

I end up rebuilding pretty much all switches in my old cars. Even
NOS ones will have corrosion (the contacts aren't plated with
rhodium or other good metal like industrial switches, they're
usually bare copper) and the grease they assemble them with turns
to sand.

Because they're so cheaply and simply made, they're usually easy
to rebuild.  I can usually just carefully pry the tabs that hold
it together and not have them break off, for one last crimp
together at assembly.

A small file and 600 grit sandpaper, a thorough cleaning, and any
quality grease (not cheap silicone, it melts and runs; good
quality chassis grease is quite fine). You can usually hold them
together with your fingers to test, then carefully crimp it back
together.  If a tab breaks off (about 1/3 of the time) I clamp it
and epoxy the edges.

I just did the intermittent wiper switch for my 70 Hornet. The
donor was some mid-80's Concord. THe switch was intermittent, hard
to turn, and the pot for the intermittent stuff (turn left from
OFF) had a lot of bad spots. It just felt bad when you turned it.
It's now crisp, 100% reliable and better than new. Took about an
hour.

Headlight switches are total crap. They carry 10 amps or whatever,
and always eventually burn up. Since I don't have a resto, I just
wire in relays.

But even for a 100% restoration, it would not be hard to rig up a
relay for each headlight, that plugs into the headlight socket,
with a wire to the battery. All removable with no modification to
the car. Brighter lights and would instantly end wear to the

switch.