Indicator switch

[Hugo]

Can anybody shed any light on the US spec turn signal switch? Screwed into the end of the stalk is a white plastic insert, with a chrome cap. On the inboard end of this plastic insert is what looks like a copper contact, and in the end of the stalk there are two contacts, one of which goes to a purple/black wire and the other to ground. This looks like a horn push, but nothing moves. The end cap screws in & that's it. I haven't yet checked with a meter to see whether I have continuity across the two terminals. I presume there is something missing somewhere? Any ideas?

[golfnut324]

Hugo - Check this thread to see if it answers some of your questions:
https://forums.jag-lovers.com/t/flasher ... ire/351372

"On the inboard end of this plastic insert is what looks like a copper contact, and in the end of the stalk there are two contacts, one of which goes to a purple/black wire and the other to ground."

When you press in on the stalk the copper contact at the end of the plastic insert provides continuity between the purple/black wire and ground causing the horn to blow.

[Hugo]

Thank you - the pic shows a spring, which I don't have. The only way I can see this working is if the entire shroud on the end of the stalk presses in and slides over the thinner part of the stalk. But mine doesn't. Nothing moves. The end cap is screwed tight into the shroud on the end, so that's not going anywhere.
I just put my meter across the wires and I do have continuity, which suggests that the whole thing is pushed in and stuck in. If I try to pull it out, the whole stalk tries to pull out of the housing, but I think that is what I need to do.

[golfnut324]

Yes, the entire shroud needs to be able to move, via the spring, in and out which makes and breaks contact. You might be in business with a spring?

[Hugo]

No such luck - apart from the missing spring, nothing moves at all. It is obviously stuck in, since I have continuity, but if I pull on it the whole arm starts to come out of the housing.
Least of my problems right now though ;)

[Gfhug]

Hugo, this might give you some help: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=9828

I did take the indicator arm and horn switch to bits. The sliding button on the end is for the horn. It can be fixed, like all these small items it can be fiddly and you'll have to source a spring of sorts to fix it. The button slide in to make contact to sound the horn.
I might have a photo of it, somewhere

Geoff

[Hugo]

It's absolutely stuck fast. Weird. I could get it apart if I want to but I'm not even sure I like the switch - looks cheap and the button is a bit rusty. I might put a series 1 lever on there & put the horn somewhere else. We'll see. I'm a loooong way from that stage yet! And going backwards.

[Steve Marshall]

I just put a push button on the dash to function as a horn to get through the MOT - as a temporary palliative.

Seems the test isn't prescriptive about how the horn is operated.

54 new S2 indicator stalks/switches have been on back order at Barratt's dating back to October 2016, despite several illusory availability dates. I called them today and they promised to call me back with the latest imaginary date, but no luck.

[Hugo]

I don't even like the switch - it looks like something off a Ford Cortina. I prefer the earlier type - much more elegant.

[288gto]

I don't even like the switch - it looks like something off a Ford Cortina. I prefer the earlier type - much more elegant.

And there you have it Hugo,

You can buy another new Lucas indicator stalk for £20 or so and use just the push button stalk part to repair yours. Have a look at mini or MG ones.

As regards the centre push type I'm trying to work out how to convert one to work with a small wireless transmitter key fob. That way with a removable steering wheel the horn will still work when not actually in the car. Of no practical use whatsoever but a neat party trick.

Simon

[Hugo]

Haha I like the way you think.

[Steve Marshall]

Strangely, Barratts have put a video on Youtube about making these switches in house- apparently uploaded 2 weeks ago.

Seemingly they are handcrafted by some of Europe's loveliest women, the exact way Lucas used to make them.

[Hugo]

No beautiful women on mine - I think you're getting confused with the advert for Slovakian brides that comes after ;)

[Steve Marshall]

BTW thank for the help, I extracted my speedo from beneath (as suggested) instead of following my original plan of removing the windscreen, top dash etc, so enabling me to access my temporary horn push button and reconnect it to my new indicator switch.

Barratts never called me back (of course) and while googling on the part number, I found that Holden apparently had just a single one in stock, and they actually did!

I think I phoned them last November when their computer said they had one, but it couldn't be found. It must have turned up in the wrong bin on a stock check I suppose.

While I have to agree with Hugo that it is an unlovely thing in itself, it does work so relatively well that I get a little frisson every time it self-cancels.

[Hugo]

I couldn't face the prospect of looking at the ugly Series II indicator stalk, so I bought myself a Series I stalk on ebay. The black plastic knob wasn't all that great, so I sanded out the imperfections and dunked it in POR 15. Then spent the next half hour waving it in the air so the runs in the paint all cancelled out. Looks absolutely beautiful now, if I say so myself. Sometimes little things matter. Now all I have to do is figure out how to make my horn work.

[Steve Marshall]

Hugo

Doesn't the S1 have a flasher function on the stalk? That could be pressed into service to operate the horn, it's not as if you are actually going to be giving way to anybody, in an E-Type. Or have a push button in the hole to the upper right of the speedo like I had (could be supplied FOC). That's the original reason for this thread, I wanted to get behind the speedo dash to disconnect it.

Or bluetooth enable the push(?) in the middle of the wheel.

My next task is repairing the flimsy ABS shroud which has suffered 50 years of abuse, several lumps missing. ABS is great, you can weld it so easily with Acetone, make a putty with acetone, then re-polish it with the vapour of - guess what.

Steve

[Hugo]

Hmmm . Bluetooth - there's an idea. I'm intrigued by your comments on acetone / ABS. I thought the shroud was just good old plastic? What's the difference between plastic and ABS? ABS is used in a lot of modern body panels & they say it can't be repaired when they crack, but I've stuck lots of them together by fibreglassing from behind then filling the crack in the front.
How do you polish something with 'vapour'? I'm intrigued.

[Steve Marshall]

Hugo

Try https://www.matterhackers.com/articles/ ... -polishing

It's americanese for vapour.

For something as thin as that shroud I would want to temporarily stiffen it up with something during polishing, and I thought papier mache might do the trick.


Steve

[JagWaugh]

For something as thin as that shroud I would want to temporarily stiffen it up with something during polishing, and I thought papier mache might do the trick.
Steve

I suspect that the paper would become an integral part of the shroud once you exposed it to the vapour.
Soft wire held with silicone caulking?

[mark10337]

I just sanded with progressively finer wet and dry to 2000 grit and polished mine with a plastic chrome polishing paste. Came up a treat and looks better than NOS.