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MG MGB Technical - What's the trick ?

I have to replace the headlight switch on a very very early B. I suspect it will be a pig to get at.

Have the experts here any tips or tricks to make the job easier?

The car does have a radio fitted in the dash (the lower console is the old octagonal speaker type), and I'm not sure if removing the radio will give me access to the back of the switch. I suspect I can't get at it from underneath because of the metalwork behind the console.

D-Day is Saturday, so any tips before then are greatly appreciated. All this is so much easier on an MGA.....

Thanks
Dominic
dominic clancy

Dominic - Removal of the radio will give you easy access to the light switch. If I remember correctly th every early MGBs light switch is a toggle switch at the bottom of the dash where it is relatively easy to access with the radio removed. To make the job even easier, make yourself a spanner out of the appropriate size of metal tubing, with both sides ground down to produce to tips that will fit into the slots of the nut holding the switch in place. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

The light switch is a 2 stage pull towards the top of the dash. I would remove the radio, its easy to get out, there is bracket on the RHS (viewed from front)but its easy to get to. If you have in in line fuse thewhole thing then unplugs (you may need to undo the controls to free a front plate. Hopefully you will not need to remove the oil/water guage, its a fiddle to do,
The switch knob is either attached with a grub ssrew or a spring clip. It may be beyond detaching so ensure you have or can get a replacement before starting
Stan Best

Dominic
Disconnect the battery first.

Tim
Tim Hodgkinson

Stan, Dominic said his car was very early. In that case the light switch is not the push-pull knob at the top of the dash. In that position should be the washer plunger. As David said, the light switch should be a toggle next to the ignition key slot below the radio aperture. According to Clausager the change of light switch type and position was made in May - June 1966.
Mike Howlett

I converted my '67 to the toggle switch after the original pull switch failed in '74. It was on backorder, at the time, so I installed the earlier toggle switch which I prefer anyway.Removing the radio made the job a painless procedure. There is a tool that engages the 2 grooves in the front of the switch which is an invaluable item to have when doing this jog. I bought mine many years ago, but Moss now carries them. RAY
rjm RAY

Here is a trick. Tie a piece of string around the knob or toggle, Take off the chrome holding ring. Push the switch back and hold the string. Leave enough string so you can get the switch out the bottom. Replace it and tie the string back on. Pull the switch back up. It may take a little fiddling, but you can get the knob or toggle back through the hole. Put the nut back on and your done.
Bruce Cunha

Thanks for the tips. The hard part was getting the radio out - the special key was not to be found, and it took an hour of hunting around the radio shops to find one. Once the radio was out it was a ten minute job.

The trick with the string would not work, there's no room at the bottom of the dash to get something that size, and once the radio is out (and its DIN mounting cage) access is easy.

The new switch however was a piece of cr@p. The toggle had fallen off in the bag that it was sealed inside the carton. I wouldn't have fitted it if the owner hadn't wanted her car back with lights asap. It wasn't even a Lucas marked switch, and I fully expect it to fail under guarantee.

I have a tool that works fine for the MGA pull switches, but the hole up the centre of it is too small a bore for the switch toggles. I'll have to drill it out for the guarantee repair!
dominic clancy

This thread was discussed between 23/08/2010 and 29/08/2010

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