Mid Year Headlight Bucket Switch

[Mark]

How prone to problems is the switch that opens and closes the headlight buckets of a mid year? The chrome lever of the switch in my '64 seems very loose (side to side play and uneven up and down movement). For some time now I could only move the buckets with the car started, after waiting a few minutes, fidling with the switch and reving the engine a bit. Last night they quit altogether, with the left bucket closed and the right half open. I suspect the culprit is the switch. Can these be "rebuilt?" Alternatively, are the reproduction switches I've seen in all the catalogs any good? Thanks in advance for your help.

Mark

'64 327/300 convertible

[Bill W.]

Re: Mid Year Headlight Bucket Switch

Mark, Your switch is probably the culprit, it is easy to "rebuild", I did the one on my '66 last week.

Disconnect your battery, remove the switch and unplug from harness. There are two spring clips holding the switch togeather(one on each side). With the cover removed, you will see a pair of contacts that you can clean with a small file, don't remove much, just dress them a little, then clean with alcohol or contact cleaner. By carefully bending the tension spring you can eliminate the play you have in the switch. Good Luck, Bill

[Bill W.]

Re: Mid Year Headlight Bucket Switch

Mark, Your switch is probably the culprit, it is easy to "rebuild", I did the one on my '66 last week.

Disconnect your battery, remove the switch and unplug from harness. There are two spring clips holding the switch togeather(one on each side). With the cover removed, you will see a pair of contacts that you can clean with a small file, don't remove much, just dress them a little, then clean with alcohol or contact cleaner. By carefully bending the tension spring you can eliminate the play you have in the switch. Good Luck, Bill

[John Waggoner]

Re: Mid Year Headlight Bucket Switch

I would agree with Bill on all except dressing the contact points. These are probably silver plated, very thin. If you burnish off the silver you will be back rebuilding the switch often. If the contacts do not look burned just clean with a good contact cleaner. Check the tension on the internal spring to make sure that the contacts are closed tightly. If the contact is burned you can probably go to Radio Shack or some other electronics store and find a switch that is the same size and shape. Take the contacts out of the new one and replace the old ones with it. There are really only a couple of different configurations of switches with many different handles.


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[John Waggoner]

Re: Mid Year Headlight Bucket Switch

I would agree with Bill on all except dressing the contact points. These are probably silver plated, very thin. If you burnish off the silver you will be back rebuilding the switch often. If the contacts do not look burned just clean with a good contact cleaner. Check the tension on the internal spring to make sure that the contacts are closed tightly. If the contact is burned you can probably go to Radio Shack or some other electronics store and find a switch that is the same size and shape. Take the contacts out of the new one and replace the old ones with it. There are really only a couple of different configurations of switches with many different handles.


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[Gary Schisler]

Re: Mid Year Headlight Bucket Switch

I agree with John, do not use anything harsh on this switch. My 66 had a similar problem. All I did was take it apart and use one of the green nylon style pot and pan cleaning pads to lightly clean it all up. It is still working four years later.

[Gary Schisler]

Re: Mid Year Headlight Bucket Switch

I agree with John, do not use anything harsh on this switch. My 66 had a similar problem. All I did was take it apart and use one of the green nylon style pot and pan cleaning pads to lightly clean it all up. It is still working four years later.