308 Door jamb switch

I was in the same boat as John/Tifosi2011 who recently posted this thread about fixing his NLA door switches. http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=341395&highlight=door+switch

The problem these switches seem to have is that there is a phenolic/fiberglass washer that gives up and lets the terminal tab just fall off. I took a different tack than John in putting the switch back together.

This is the one switch that was still together on my car. When that little bit of brown stuff cracks it is all over.
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This is how I found mine. The terminal tab was still attached to the terminal on the end of the wire, the switch is separate and the phenolic washer is mostly gone. The washer was held on by a peened over edge of the aluminum pin. I would eventually file off the peened over part but it came in handy to use as a funnel for a drill bit.
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This operation uses two tools you are less likely to have: a 2-56 tap and a #50 drill bit. You will also need a 2-56 screw between 1/8 and 1/4” long and it would be good to have a #2 or #3 washer. This is all tiny stuff, about 1.75mm screws for those on the metric system. I first drilled the end of the pin about 1/4” deep and then tapped it.
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I then filed off the peen until the pin, spring and body all came apart. The little plastic washer is pretty important, don't lose it or file it down and damage it. It has a stepped shoulder that holds the terminal tab centered and away from the pin. After the filing I used the tap to clean out the hole again.
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This is the proper orientation of the terminal tab on top of the plastic washer.
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The 2-56 screw holds the terminal tab onto the pin, but it has to be electrically insulated from the terminal tab. I used a Tupperware lid and cut out a plastic disc then drilled out a hole for the screw. This is a home made plastic washer. I also put a metal washer between the plastic washer and the screw head. It gives the plastic washer a bit of reinforcement and keeps the screw head from getting pulled through the plastic.
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I used a little #0000 steel wool to remove grime and over spray from the switches.
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Hey, look at that!
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Stay tuned for my next chapter entitled either “Why Is There A Hole In The Door Right Where The Switch Goes?” or “Why There Is A Piece Of Sheet Metal Gaff Taped To My Door."
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Sorry, I didn't see this until the thread got bumped today. There are supposed to be plastic "bumps" that go in the holes to push the switches down when the door is closed. One of mine is missing so the switch is never depressed. The other side must have lost or broken its plastic bump and a PO taped a piece of metal over the hole so that it would push the switch open when the door is closed. Probably driving around with the interior lights on gets annoying. I forgot about this. I will see if these are still available next time I place a parts order.

 

Probably a dirt problem. But beware of pulling the pin, it ruins the fragile phenolic washer even faster.

 

In case anyone else finds they are missing the plastic plugs that press on the switches they appear to be part number 40127409 and are less than $10 from the usual sources. They will be on my next parts order.