pop out switch cable installation

springerpete

springerpete

Well-known member
Have a '29 that I am going to install a pop out switch. I have looked it over and wonder how ever do you get the cable and the head bolt fitting thru the firewall and terminal box ? Looks like a very difficult job. Makes you wonder how it was done on the assembly line. Any suggestion are appreciated.
 
The hole in the firewall for the terminal box is fairly large.
Disregard the circled holes, they are from another post.

Bob
 

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springerpete said:
Have a '29 that I am going to install a pop out switch. I have looked it over and wonder how ever do you get the cable and the head bolt fitting thru the firewall and terminal box ? Looks like a very difficult job. Makes you wonder how it was done on the assembly line. Any suggestion are appreciated.
Click to expand...

It is definitely a PITA wrassling the stiff cable for a 29. Can be done.
 
Hi Bob: Sure would be easy to use the hole you suggested but that is for a manifold heater or the likes. The pop out cable goes thru the hole farther up the firewall in the middle where the terminal box is.
 
Take your time.
The space behind the dash is small but accessible.
Also make sure you do not over tighten the cable when screwing it in the distributor.
 
Another area of extreme frustration is to find that after having finally installed the Electrolock assembly - it no longer works! More than likely, this is because the cable backed out of the switch a little and the contactor no longer makes contact. The original design was for a "hand tight" fit into the switch. This appears to be inadequate. A good way to keep the cable from backing out of the switch is to drill and tap the switch for a #10 screw, install cable into switch, tighten screw. This is the procedure recommended in "How to restore your Model A", Vol 5.
 
I've never had the problem of the cable pulling out, but have seen original wire insulation go bad during the flexing when installing it. If you have the switch out for repair, it's best to install a new wire if the old one is original.
 
My question is a little off the subject but is for Bob C. Bob, what is the oval hole in the direct center of the firewall for? It looks like there was something fastened there with four bolts around the hole. The reason I'm asking is that I have the same hole in my '30 town sedan and it's covered on the inside with a piece of asbestos. I've had this car for 22 years and I don't know what the hole was for.
Marty
 
Marty, all model A's had this, it is the spot where the wiring terminal box is mounted on the engine side of firewall.
 
I did replace the wire in the Electrolock with a 12 Ga high temperature wire. It would barely go into the inner cable, along with the thin ground wire.
 
Bob C said:
What thin ground wire??

Bob
Click to expand...

Original popouts had the ignition wire inside a thin armored armored cable with a stiff bare wire (similar to a lawn mower throttle cable) running along side the inner cable, then both of these fit inside the heavy outer cable. I think my picture of it is somewhere in my old computer.
 
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