Headlight Switch

[Fletch777]

G'day
I am looking for a working headlight switch for '57 FE Standard Sedan as I have no panel lights. Does anyone know where I can get one or have a spare.
Thanks
Fletch

[Jonno]

Hi Fletch,
I think the only way to find an identical one would be to scour the swap meets/ebay. Air ride (http://www.airide.com.au) do sell a generic GM-type one which looks very similar and should work. They can also tell you how to wire it up
Jon

[craiga]

Fletch,

These light switches are very simple in design, and easy to disassemble and repair. Even if you have to make one good one from a few bad ones its not very hard.

Just carefully bend back the 4 tabs holding the brown bakelite cover and lift the cover. There are a number of small springs but they are under light compression so they shouldn't go everywhere. Now you'll see a black plastic slide mechanism, disassemble it all, clean it and the contacts on the upper section you removed first off, using a ink rubber, or 1200 wet and dry. Once its clean give it a very light grease (spray grease it OK) and reassemble, being careful to get the cover and the tabs back in place properly.

You'll also find that this switch has a tendency NOT to work correctly unless in a horizontal position, as its mounted in the dash. I learnt this from experience after trying a number of switches (original, repaired as well as NOS).

Good luck.

Cheers,

Craig.

[RET]

Tech Article #5 (printed in Sideplate Vol. 23 No. 8, August 2004) covered how to repair a light switch, and/or bypass the rheostat so that the dash-lights are on (without the dimming functionality) whenever the lights or parkers are on.

You should have this issue on your CD.  If not, let me know and I can email it to you.

cheers
RET

[craiga]

Thank RET.

Good one Jonno,

The switch from Air Ride does look very similar.



Even the mounting looks identical. Have you used one? If so, did you modify the knob shaft to fit?

They also have replacement dipper switches.



Cheers,

Craig.

[Jonno]

I haven't used one but saw them when picking up my wiring harness and was struck by how similar the front end looks to the FE/FC one.  I will be going back there in the next few months so can check then if the thread is the same.

Jon

[Jonno]

P.S. the one I saw when I was there had a longer 'back end' than that in the photo. I looked as though no modification to the shaft would be required. Maybe they don't have these any more?

[Ed]

Hi,

The headlight switches from Airride are close but no good, they are very much larger, and have a different pushrod swich shape.  Found this out after i ordered one, no dramas tho as Glenn gave credit on it.

I think it is better suited for an HQ.

ont he topic of light switches.

I wish to change my original headlight knob for something a little more in keeping with my new interior.

would I just grind the existing knob down to suit the new knob??  not even having a replacement yet, I wouldnt want to wreck a working item to have the top pull off every time i go for the lights.
 I'm assuming it probably would fit up with a grub screw or something.  Anybody done this?

Harko, I think the green meanie has a bullet light switch?

Cheers

Ed

[HARKO]

Dont miss a beat do you ED :) Yep it does and its just a grubbie.

[Fletch777]

Thanks Jonno, Craig, Ret, Ed & Harko. I will try the fix first and move on to replacement if needed. Your prompt reply is really appreciated.
Regards
Fletch