Window Wiper Switch Assembly

[johnstice]

My appologies in advance for asking a silly question. I'm in the process of reassembling my beautiful new 3/8" dashboard back from Randy Keller from parts in boxes.

How does the wiper switch go together? I've got the basic switch with a lower bellows, (2) thimble shaped things, a locking ring and a knob. Looking in the BB book it shows a picture of the unit with one unchromed thimble thing and a knob but the thimble looks to be backwards. I've tried to put the switch together every possible way using all these components and can't seem to figure it out. A picture would be wonderful if possible.

FWIW this wiper switch is different from the ones installed in my Europas.

Also my heater knob broke into 1 large and 4 small pieces around the base. Sue Miller advised replacements are not available. Has anyone had success in repairing one or producing a replacment? I was going to look at purchasing an Alumlite Super Casting kit to make the base of the knob. Has anyone had success using their kit?

Thanks for all help

John
36-6453

[garyeanderson]

Hi John

Does this help any

[johnstice]

Thanks Gary,

That's exactly what I've got and you're showing the un-chromed thimble opposite of what's shown in the BB book which is what I thought it should be. So I'm guessing that the un-chromed piece goes on the back of the dash? My problem is that there isn't enough thread for the retainer to engage the shaft with a 3/8" dash. Do the dashes have a relief to allow the switches to mount together?

John
36-6453

[garyeanderson]

Hi John

Check to see if you haven't got the choke and heater thimbles mixed up with the wiper switch. I seem to remember that there are different depth thimbles available. Its been 10 or so years since I put together the S4's so my mind is a bit vauge on the subject. as you can see in the photos the S2 and S3 dashes are full 10mm baltic birch plywood plus the veneer. I could not get in to see the S4 wiper switch in the Coupe but the photos are of the heater and choke knobs. Maybe someone on the forum has a more recent experiance with the S4 can chime in here.
S2 dash thimbles (my only Europa now shown under ignition switch )

S3 dash thimbles

assembled thimbles

bask of S4 dash showing heater and choke thimbles


I just did a double take of the S4 dash, I forgot the wiper switch is a rocker type (oops). anyhow I re-read your post and thought some more and I see you are doing an S3. obvious that you don't have the same choke and heater as the S4 but you do have the vacuum switch with the same mounting arangment as the wiper switch. take a look and see if those parts are not swapped.
here is the photo of the vacuum switch for the headlamps

S4 coupe dash heater and choke top center

[garyeanderson]

Hi John

A few more photos, with dimensions this time. The dash I measured was an original RHD S3 and was .454 inches thick, there was no steel plate like the
other photo of the S3 dash. As you can see in the first photo there are no extra threads showing on the wiper switch, it is not all that tight but I wouldn't
think there is another 1/2 turn before it was. The way I installed it, it was the first device installed in the dash. The dash is out of the Elan and face up,
the chrome thimble and nut is pressed in tight. The wiper switch and larger thimble come up from below and are spun until the first few threads are
enguaged and I pulled back to tighten. As you can see in the third photo the larger thimble is dimpled to accept the bump on the wiper switch.

Hope this helps...

Gary

[johnstice]

Hi Gary,

Thank you very much for the information. Your tip on checking out to make sure I was using the right adaptor paid off. It turned out I was using the chrome trim off a Europa which is a little shorter than the Elan piece.

Thanks for the great help

John
36-6453