1966 Stop Light Switch

[Larry M.]

I Have A 66 Coupe With A Build Date Of Dec 7 1965. What Stop Light Switch Is Correct For My Car, Metal Or Plastic? Thanks For Any Info.......

[Wayne M.]

Re: 1966 Stop Light Switch

Almost certain it should be the metal can, per pic.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1966 Stop Light Switch

Almost certain it should be the metal can, per pic.

Wayne-----


I agree; that's the one.

[Twan B.]

Re: 1966 Stop Light Switch

Are they also used for a '65 Corvette???

Twan
#44079
Dutch Chapter

[Wayne M.]

Re: 1966 Stop Light Switch



Yes; '65 AIM, UPC 12, Sheet B6, item 1 (the '509' shows as the optional part #) -- don't know how it would differ in appearance from the primary # 3825257.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1966 Stop Light Switch

Yes; '65 AIM, UPC 12, Sheet B6, item 1 (the '509' shows as the optional part #) -- don't know how it would differ in appearance from the primary # 3825257.

Wayne-----


GM #3825257 was never a SERVICE-available part so it must have been PRODUCTION-only. I'd say there are 2 possibilities:

1) The 3825257 and 1993509 are exactly the same. In other words, 3825257 is a Chevrolet part number for the Delco-Remy 1993509 switch, or;

2) The 3825257 is a switch sourced from a non-GM entity and manufactured to a Chevrolet specification (or, a non-GM entity specification referenced in the 3825257 specs). If this is the case, then the 3825257 is likely configured completely different than the 1993509.

[Michael H.]

Re: 1966 Stop Light Switch

Almost certain it should be the metal can, per pic.

Wayne,

Wasn't 66 the year that the plastic switch began to appear randomly?

[Jack H.]

Re: 1966 Stop Light Switch

My experience from the scrap yards is Chevy used two switch suppliers in the mid-60's. One was Delco Remy with the 199xxxx PN sequence and that switch was metal bodied (color of body and color of rear Bakelite changed over time from the late 50's).

I'm pretty sure the other switch with the Chevy PN was an externally purchased item with a plastic body. Why? The SAME switch was used in other Chevy passenger car applications beyond Corvette. I've just seen TOO MANY scrap yard cars with aged plastic bodied brake switches from that era to ignore their factory originality potential!

I know for sure the '65 AIM calls out both PN's with one designated [OPT] and the practice may have gone back to '64. This is despite the fact that many NCRS judges seem to DELIGHT in taking deduction(s) on cars equipped with plastic bodied stop light switches.

I don't know why it is but for some reason we simply don't seem to be able to understand that was often more than one source for a production part... When I campaigned my '65, the hot button was fan clutches.

Some judges swore the Eaton coil clutch was correct while others were equally convinced only the Schwitzer bar clutch was correct/original. All the while, the AIM books clearly and silently called out PN XYZ followed by [OPT] PN ABC... At least, today that monkey seems to be off our backs as all of the mid-year JG books now acknowledge two suppliers with different parts.

But, when we get down to other parallel sourced items like the brake switch and glove box lamp, we're still in the same old rut. We seem to want only ONE version of a part to be correct/original...

[Joe L.]

Re: 1966 Stop Light Switch

My experience from the scrap yards is Chevy used two switch suppliers in the mid-60's. One was Delco Remy with the 199xxxx PN sequence and that switch was metal bodied (color of body and color of rear Bakelite changed over time from the late 50's).

I'm pretty sure the other switch with the Chevy PN was an externally purchased item with a plastic body. Why? The SAME switch was used in other Chevy passenger car applications beyond Corvette. I've just seen TOO MANY scrap yard cars with aged plastic bodied brake switches from that era to ignore their factory originality potential!

I know for sure the '65 AIM calls out both PN's with one designated [OPT] and the practice may have gone back to '64. This is despite the fact that many NCRS judges seem to DELIGHT in taking deduction(s) on cars equipped with plastic bodied stop light switches.

I don't know why it is but for some reason we simply don't seem to be able to understand that was often more than one source for a production part... When I campaigned my '65, the hot button was fan clutches.

Some judges swore the Eaton coil clutch was correct while others were equally convinced only the Schwitzer bar clutch was correct/original. All the while, the AIM books clearly and silently called out PN XYZ followed by [OPT] PN ABC... At least, today that monkey seems to be off our backs as all of the mid-year JG books now acknowledge two suppliers with different parts.

But, when we get down to other parallel sourced items like the brake switch and glove box lamp, we're still in the same old rut. We seem to want only ONE version of a part to be correct/original...

Jack------


I agree. I should have said the metal switch was the MOST COMMON.

[Wayne M.]

Re: 1966 Stop Light Switch

Wayne,

Wasn't 66 the year that the plastic switch began to appear randomly?

Could be -- I see in Oct '66 P&A30 parts history that 1993509 was replaced in service on 8-66 by 3886906. Maybe the latter is the plastic one. What does the '67 AIM say ? To confuse the issue further, the '66 P&A30 (first issue, Oct '65) shows the '509' only up to '65, with # 1993353 for '66 Covette and some other trucks -- sounds like it was a short term replacement between the '509' and the '906', at least for service needs.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1966 Stop Light Switch

Could be -- I see in Oct '66 P&A30 parts history that 1993509 was replaced in service on 8-66 by 3886906. Maybe the latter is the plastic one. What does the '67 AIM say ? To confuse the issue further, the '66 P&A30 (first issue, Oct '65) shows the '509' only up to '65, with # 1993353 for '66 Covette and some other trucks -- sounds like it was a short term replacement between the '509' and the '906', at least for service needs.

Wayne------


I have an NOS GM #3886906. I'm almost certain it's a plastic switch. I don't know what the 1993353 is like, though.

[Michael H.]

Re: 1966 Stop Light Switch

Wayne------


I have an NOS GM #3886906. I'm almost certain it's a plastic switch. I don't know what the 1993353 is like, though.

The 3886906 sounds, numerically, like a number that would have been released around the start of 66 production. It doesn't appear in the 66 AIM though.

The two part numbers in the 66 AIM are the same as those in the 65 AIM, 3825257 and 1993509.

[Rich P.]

Re: 1966 Stop Light Switch

Wayne,

Wasn't 66 the year that the plastic switch began to appear randomly?

Michael,

I would say that I have seen metal in 65 and white plastic in 66 I don't ever recall seeing a metal switch in a 66 that I have ever worked on, (Not saying they were not used but maybe I have not worked on an early enough 66??). I know I have never seen a metal switch in a 67.

Rich

[Michael H.]

Re: 1966 Stop Light Switch

Michael,

I would say that I have seen metal in 65 and white plastic in 66 I don't ever recall seeing a metal switch in a 66 that I have ever worked on, (Not saying they were not used but maybe I have not worked on an early enough 66??). I know I have never seen a metal switch in a 67.

Rich

That's about how I remember it too. I suppose early 66's may have used the metal switch but i think the majority of the rest of the model year would have had the white plastic style.

[Jim S.]

Re: 1966 Stop Light Switch

That's about how I remember it too. I suppose early 66's may have used the metal switch but i think the majority of the rest of the model year would have had the white plastic style.

My May 1st 66 had the white plastic switch so thats what I used when I restored it .

From My Junk Yard diving days I pulled and still have a black plasitc one . I don't remember what year exactly it came off of, but it was off a sixty-something.(probably a 67 or older) Any thoughts ?

JIm