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MG MGA - Another 'crappy' part!
| While I have only had the MGA a few weeks, I have been replacing various obviously worn parts.... Fortunately a lot of new parts have been put on the car by PO's.... Yesterday, I took the car to a local show, and when I got home, I decided to test the lights...Not only did they not come on, but the switch fell apart...The plunger came right out of the dash! Looking at the switch and plunger, it was very obvious that they were new parts...Still all nice and clean and shiny....Then, looking at the end of the plunger, I could see that the peened-over end had just disintegrated.... I think I am going to attempt to fix the switch so it won't happen again.... Sad that someone spent good money on such a POS! The funny thing is, I'm sure most of us old-car nuts would spend a few dollars more to get first-class products.... There will always be folks that only shop price, but many of us want quality first.... When I was in retail, we always went for quality, and did our own thing, and let the "discount" shoppers go elsewhere. You can't be everything to everyone, and there has to be a niche for better products. Sorry for the rant. Edward |
| Edward Wesson 52TD |
| Edward, If you decide to buy a new one have a look at the one Cecelia offers in her 'NOS Locators' outlet. From the description (see Ebay item number 200930036492) it looks to me to be a well made item and at a very fair price too. I've bought a few items from NOS Locators 1. a dashboard mirror which was far better quality than the previous one I had bought from Moss 2. a pair of Lucas style wing mirrors with which I was very pleased and 3. a pair of door strikers which actually fit correctly unlike the Moss ones I had planned to fit but which turned out to be unusable. My own headlamp switch has seen better days and I'm thinking of getting a replacement soon from Cecelia. Some people say her returns policy could be improved but as I've not had to return anything yet I'm 100% happy . ................................Mike |
| m.j. moore |
| M.J. That is the identical part to the one I just salvaged.... Look closely at the image below... In the center, you will see that the end of the shaft is peened over...That's where mine broke away, and the shaft came out of the cylinder. How I repaired it, was to silver braze a 6-32 screw into the hole, where the shaft was peened before, and then used the original fiber washer, along with another nylon, and then metal washer, stacked, and finally a lock nut. It is back and working again... Edward  |
| Edward Wesson 52TD |
| Here is another image...On this angle, you can also see that the three posts are held onto the plastic, by folding the ends over.... I had to remove two of the posts to get the barrel connector out, then drill and tap the ends (3mm .50), for small screws to reassemble. Edward  |
| Edward Wesson 52TD |
| Well another shattered illusion for me! I'll have to keep a lookout now for an original Lucas item but I can't see the Ebay price being less than £50..........................Mike |
| m.j. moore |
| You know, it looks like a quality part....But , with just a little more thought by the engineers, and it would have been... Instead of peening the washer on the shaft, just machine about 1/4" of threads, and put on a lock washer and nut.. Hard to beat the old-fashioned General Motors-style push-pull switch, that was made of heavy ceramic, with a built in rheostat, and fuse...You can still buy them, but they are now made in 3rd world countries. Edward |
| Edward Wesson 52TD |
| Cecilia has been a very good vendor. She also trades under Scarborough Faire. Call her. I have never had an issue with this vendor, and restored my MGA Coupe largely with parts from her. Ten years later when I needed to renew my front brake lines they remembered me and I still got excellent service. Ira Spector |
| Ira Spector (PA) |
| Ira I disassembled the switch, and remade it so it won't come apart....Don't think I need another switch...Time will tell. Thanks Edward |
| Edward Wesson 52TD |
This thread was discussed between 02/06/2013 and 15/06/2013
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