Repop light switch fix

[SAJ]

My old re-pop light switch flew apart internally. With misgivings, I purchased a new one. Sure enough the (original, I think) Bakelite contact plate was not being held closely enough in contact with the 3-bump brass connector. The symptom was that the lights would work if the switch lever was held to one side or the other of a detent position, but in the middle the brass bump was not contacting the dished contact on the Bakelite plate, so that steering wheel inputs caused the lights to go on and off -mostly off!
I saw that the bayonet female slot (upper part of the switch casing) allowed the male bayonet pin (lower part of the casing) to slide into it, then sideways along it and then about 1.5 mm outwards into the "lock " position.
Rather than enlarging the contact brass bumps with solder, or doing the same for the dished contacts, as others have done on this forum, I simply placed the upper casing on a steel mandrel about 2 inches in diameter held in a vice and used a small pin punch to flatten and remove the "outwards" locking part of the female bayonet slot. See the photo attached.
This causes the lower casing to hold the Bakelite plate about 1.5 mm closer in to the upper casing, gives a much firmer "click" to the switch and ensures the contacts are well made so the lights stay on reliably,
None of the other unusable switches had the deep "lock" pocket like the new rep-pop one I bought, and there is still enough locking action to ensure the casing halves cannot rotate undone.
SAJ in NZ

 

[J Franklin]

Good fix!

 

[Lowell Fast]

This photo does not show anything .

 

[J Franklin]

Take another look, closely this time to see the fix. Once you see it it'll all makes sense.

 

[Dollar Bill]

This photo does not show anything .

I believe arrow references modification

 

[SAJ]

Thanks Dollar Bill. The arrow points to the centre punch mark which holds the bayonet and switch halves 1.5 mm closer together, giving a crisp "click" to the switch action.
My complicated text explanation obviously doesn't tell the story as well as a simple red arrow.
I would like to be able to draw arrows on pictures but can't see how to do it on my tablet. How do you do it?
SAJ in NZ

 

[Dollar Bill]

SAJ, always glad to help. Thank your for posting another fix as this is an ongoing problem for a good many that have replaced their OEM light switch.

I use the free photo editing software called Photo Scape. You can also do a bit with digital images such as crop, add text, arrows and such with recent versions of MS Word.

 

[coupe1942]

I guess I must be a bit slow in the head bone area, but I read this post maybe 5-6 times and I still didn't quite understand what it took to make it work properly. It may have been that the part in the photo was show in the wrong position/orientation or that a better explanation would have been to separate the two metal halves of the light switch body to show exactly what was done, but I don't know.

I did turn, lighten and then crop the photo. I even enlarged the modified photos in the 3rd photo. I could see the place shown by the arrow later, but I still am not so sure I understood just how it all was done. I guess i am just more of a visual learner though. Finally I did enlarge the photo to see if that helped me to understand it with more clarity.

My issue was a bit different, as the two metal light switch bodies didn't join together well. The top metal shell is supposed to over ride the lower metal shell and then allow the male tabs to slide into the female grooves and lock down when pushed into place hard enough. For the repo unit I had, the two pieces simply would not join properly. The suggested fix of using a muffler expansion tool seemed to be worth a try, but I purchased some original light switch bodies and found one that worked okay so I never tried out the muffler expander trick, myself.

 

[msmaron]

Why didn't you seek out an original and avoid repairing a REPOP to begin with, just very curious on this

 

[coupe1942]

For me, there is no Model A owners near me, nor any swaps locally until certain time of the year. All of the vendors I looked at had the same repo unit offered. bert's said they had no originals. None of the vendors rate anything negative about the repo units as some used to at their online sites. No real complaints found to signify this particular part was a nono as a repo unit to use. A person I know who is at many of the car shows I go to has replaced his original with a repo unit and not had any issues at all. In fact, I visited with him Saturday at a car show and he showed me the repo unit once again in his car. Guess he was lucky in that regard.

As to original, I didn't even know there were different styles available until I had sought an original at the Swap area here. I also got some pms then as to the originals, too clarifying just what an original could mean when asking for such..

This is a good repair. I just didn't quite get it by what was originally said. I am much more a visual learner though.

 

[bnchief]

I got a new wiring harness from tyree harris I tried to put it in a new light switch body but not get the thing together reused my old body and still had quite a time getting together but did get it locked did not recall having. that much trouble when i did my 37 pickup.

 

[CarlG]

...there is no Model A owners near me, ...

Check with the Okie A's or the Sooners. There are Model A owners lurking around most every corner. When I bought my Pickup, I knew of no Model A owners in Alaska. Come to find out there are well over 150 guys/gals that own Model A's in Alaska, and additional folks are popping up all the time.

 

[msmaron]

As to original, I didn't even know there were different styles available until I had sought an original at the Swap area here. I also got some pms then as to the originals, too clarifying just what an original could mean when asking for such..

I would advise you as a model a person to get a copy of the Judging standard and restoration guide to assist you in knowing what is right and wrong for you car and year.. It will be very helpful for you..

 

[28Ca8149]

I put a new wiring harness in the car .Have trouble with the switch Can't get power to the bright lights .It seam as if the leaver is not going far enough to the right .Would it be that the two haves of the switch don't line up right . The two haves, the part that you have showed us where it twist together don't line up very good ??

 

[Dutie]

Hey SAJ thats a nice looking Roadster, Is that a cloth top. Dutie

 

[SAJ]

Yes Dutie that is a black vinyl top.
The car attracts a lot of attention from people who don't know what model As are supposed to look like, but the colours and white walls are completely non standard. I am about to fit Blackwell Excelsior Stahl radials, but I will leave the two whitewall sidemount spares on it. Firstly they fit the mudguard wells and the 550 19 radials won't, secondly I am too mean to replace them and last, I hope they will still look OK!
28CA8149, you should look inside the switch and be sure the part the upper spider engages is in the right position to make the correct contacts before plugging the two switch parts together. It is possible to engage the spider incorrectly into the slots. This can cause a direct short in one lighting position. Watch the ammeter when operating the switch to ensure this is not happening. I am not near any books or sketches at present to help you, but if you map out the live terminals and see where they connect to on the bakelite plate as you twist the light switch it will become apparent.
SAJ in NZ

 

[Dutie]

Absolutely beautiful.... SAJ you are so lucky

 

[Jeff/Illinois]

Nicely done. And, nice car thanks for sharing.

 

[SAJ]

Dutie if that is your car in your avatar that is beautiful too. I prefer the way the rag top slopes forward on a deluxe to the reverse slope on mine which is a standard. Do you have a bigger photo you can post?
SAJ in NZ

 

[CarlG]

... I am about to fit Blackwell Excelsior Stahl radials, but I will leave the two whitewall sidemount spares on it. Firstly they fit the mudguard wells and the 550 19 radials won't, ...

My 550x19 Excelsior Stahl radials fit the fender well quite well.