'32 headlight switch

A

alumcantandthd

Senior Member
Question: Is there ANY way/procedure, to remove and replace, 'successfully', the contact 'points' in the housing that goes on the bottom of the '32 steering box?

I have included a picture. I would like to chrome the 'bail' and both those housings.

Thanks.
 

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You will also want to remove the spring backing up the contact plate as plating will likely destroy it or at least weaken it to the point of uselessness, which I learned the hard way. (Sorry, but I've never taken one apart.)
 
YES! I was intending to remove everything in there. Just mentioned the contact points because they are the most visible.

Grinding the rivets to 'split' that housing apart won't work. I was hoping one of you '32 guys knew how to dismantle anything pertaining to those cars in yer sleep, could give me some 'pointers'.

Nobody on here has taken one apart and put it back together?

"Somebody" has assembled the ones the aftermarket suppliers sell! Only they are reluctant to 'give up' trade secrets.

Does anyone know of anyone who sells 'ready-to-go' already chromed, '32 headlight switch housings?

Thanks.
 
alumcantandthd said:
Does anyone know of anyone who sells 'ready-to-go' already chromed, '32 headlight switch housings? Thanks.
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Don't think that would be an item with much demand. It is in a location that is not that prevalent and is not original, so there is not going to be much of a market. I have not seen one for any V8 years. Might check with the Model A folks, they are similar.
 
jim1932 said:
couldn't you get close to the same effect by polishing the heck out of it?
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Yes that is an idea. But it will tarnish after a while, (in how long,?) and will probably look worse than it is in it's original state right now. There is some rust pits, in 'both' ends.

Might check with the Model A folks, they are similar. Never thought of that. I guess that is why you make the 'big bucks' (wheeee)

So those headlight switches 'were' a 'carryover' from the Model A's to the all new 32's? I thought other than the 4 cly motor, 'everything' was new design for the '32 line up? Oh well. I'll post up there and see what they say. Thanks.
 
The basic design of the headlight switch is the same all the way up until they switched to the dash switch, 1940. On polishing the housing you have, you could always clearcoat it. What are you installing this on? In most installations it is difficult to even see it.
 
JSeery said:
The basic design of the headlight switch is the same all the way up until they switched to the dash switch, 1940. On polishing the housing you have, you could always clearcoat it. What are you installing this on? In most installations it is difficult to even see it.
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Thanks. That is an idea, i'll look into, if I can't get the back housing apart (and back together) for chrome. ANY heat resistant 'rattle can' clearcoat?

What am I installing this on, you ask? Where it normally goes. On the end of a '32 steering box.
 
Here's an idea. How about powder coating it with some of the chrome powder coat that's available? Sure, it's not real chrome, but it is, I guess I would say "passable", and the switch is down in an out of the way place, and hard to see. I did a bunch of brackets on my race car and they came out looking good and fit in with the overall scheme of things quite well. The only worry is whether the internals would stand up to 450 degrees for 20 minutes in the powder coating oven.
 
tubman said:
Here's an idea. How about powder coating it with some of the chrome powder coat that's available? Sure, it's not real chrome, but it is, I guess I would say "passable", and the switch is down in an out of the way place, and hard to see. I did a bunch of brackets on my race car and they came out looking good and fit in with the overall scheme of things quite well. The only worry is whether the internals would stand up to 450 degrees for 20 minutes in the powder coating oven.
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Not a bad idea,,,,,,,Thanks. Unless, 'your' powder coater's chrome is different from what 'my' powder coater uses for chrome.

I had some stuff done in 'chrome' to see just what it would look like. Not much different from ol rattle can 'loom-num' color paint. (hate to use the 'term' in a derogatory meaning. Since it originated here in WV during the coal mine wars of the 1920's, and is total opposite of Jeff Foxworthy's meaning) The powder coat 'chrome' I got done looks to "redneckey"
 
alumcantandthd said:
Not a bad idea,,,,,,,Thanks. Unless, 'your' powder coater's chrome is different from what 'my' powder coater uses for chrome.

I had some stuff done in 'chrome' to see just what it would look like. Not much different from ol rattle can 'loom-num' color paint. (hate to use the 'term' in a derogatory meaning. Since it originated here in WV during the coal mine wars of the 1920's, and is total opposite of Jeff Foxworthy's meaning) The powder coat 'chrome' I got done looks to "redneckey"
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I do my own powder coating. There are two basic varieties of powder coat chrome. The first is just that; a powder that you apply in one step like regular powder coat, and a second that is a two pass process. It's kinda tricky to do, but the results are better.
 
tubman said:
Here's an idea. How about powder coating it with some of the chrome powder coat that's available? Sure, it's not real chrome, but it is, I guess I would say "passable", and the switch is down in an out of the way place, and hard to see. I did a bunch of brackets on my race car and they came out looking good and fit in with the overall scheme of things quite well. The only worry is whether the internals would stand up to 450 degrees for 20 minutes in the powder coating oven.
Click to expand...

That is a valid concern, IMO.
ANY ‘insulating’ material would most likely be done in, at that temp.
 
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