BROKEN DINO TRUNK SWITCH

This is the rare and unobtainable trunk license plate light contact. Although it does look like a pin switch, it is not a switch but a contact piece to carry power to the license plate lights.

Years ago I asked a favor of a friend who is a fabricator and he made several of these up. He proceeded to create pressure molds, prepare the setup and spent a lot of time resolving the formulation and strengthening the material. When it came time to buy folks did not like the price and balked. Low production runs, mutiple mold fabrications and numerous formula trials increased costs.

In the end very few followed through on purchases and now he is disappointed in me for coaxing him into doing this task.

One left, you are going to hate the price. Try gluing it back together and MAKE SURE your trunk lid is shimmed correctly or the interference will destroy it again

Scott

 

Scott, is there a chance he would sell his mold work to Verell?

All of our cars are obviously low volume but something like this (and all his R&D) should be salvaged for the future.

Let Ricambi catalog it and Verell source it to them, like the Dave Helms fuel kits....just an idea.

 

Or fab a support bracket for a readily available component plunger switch/contact.

 

That is a Fiat Multipla 600 part.
http://www.ebay.it/itm/INTERRUTTORE-PORTE-FIAT-MULTIPLA-600-EPOCA-/390285867021?pt=Ricambi_automobili&hash=item5aded9b80d

 

nice find

 

+1

 

Now THIS I understand and have the shirt!

Both you and your friend did a spectactular job Scott, my thanks and compliments

 

Great idea but the molds fatigued and broke being no longer operational. I'm happy that he is still speaking to me.

The root cause is that the trunk lid was shimmed for panel clearance not for contact interference. If yours broke in the past then replacing it will probably result in only breaking the new one.
Most of us shut are trunk bonnet by dropping it which is quite forceful.

 

There are seven of those switches on Ebay Italy right now. Search: interruttore epoca
Better act fast!!!

 

If someone will send me a broken one I should be able to glue it together & use it as a mold pattern. Even better would be a NOS one of course.

I can reproduce it in a high %fibreglass polyurethane that should be strong enough. Fall back I can make an injection mold but the price would go up a lot.

Sounds like someone should investigate the trunk lid clearance issue. Perhaps the mounting could be cut down/trimmed 1-2 mm to reduce pressure on the actuator?

Another mfg. alternative would be to make the part out of lost wax cast metal with an insulating sleeve around the contact pin. Rugged but costly. I have a ferrari owner in Ireland who makes wonderful cast parts & would love a chance at this part.

 

I would caution you per the above history, that is exactly what was done prior. In reality you'll do what we did when provided with 75% of a good one; multiple molds rotated to get the opposite side symmetrical and try reinforcement samples.

ROOT PROBLEM:
The trunk lid post has a screw and lock adjustment but painters usually shim using the rubber edge blocks in the rain gutter to get the trunk lid level with bodywork and ignore the electrical contact platform. Then the first trunk lid slam that travels beyond the pin switch max cracks this part.

In reality this is the wrong application for the part. If you're not going concourse, snake a wire back near the hinge and follow the support up to the license plate light.

Let me know if I can help, I do have one complete part but it is a repro from our original and you've already stated how you like to make them from originals. Then again it could save you the rotation on mother metal iteration.

Scott
I've purchased multiple lights from your Dino marker light series so am sending an email to your email addy from there make communication easy

 

It's not a Fiat 600 Multipla part, but it's possible that it IS a Fiat 600D Multipla part. The illustration in the D parts book is not very detailed, but it's possible. The Fiat part number appears to be 4056942.

 

For about $25 you could modify and use the set-up from a 348 Spider.
143331 switch and contact 62535900. Synchro Scotty is right. The whole problem starts with the trunk lid.

 

Does anyone have the bracket which this switch is bolted/attached to? I bought a switch but do not have a bracket. Thank you!

 

You might want to get in touch with OMG Jon.

Regards, Alberto

 

Have switch. New

 

There are two ways that these attach -if your car has a mounting bracket it goes there otherwise it mounts directly to the plastic batchboard. Here is the photo I sent David Helms when he had the same with a Dino in the shop
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Hi Synchro,
Thank you very much. This is indeed helpful.

In batchboard in the photo is in much better shape than mine. Mine is broken, or chipped off, right where the switch should be. I really like the metal bracket shown in the photo as it seems more sturdy. Unfortunately, my Dino doesn't have that either and in any of the parts catalogs, blow up assembly pictures, I can't find a part# for such a bracket.

Do you know of any source that will custom make these brackets?
If not, then a good source for a new batch board?

Making a Dino factory "correct" or any vintage car for that matter is quite challenging! But fun!

I was lucky to find an original switch on eBay so at least the solution to having rear trunk lid license plate lights is 50% there.

Thank you again Synchro. Your help is truly appreciated!

All the best,
ccferrari

 

I think I have the bracket for you. Please pm

Regards, Alberto

 

Remember that these cars were hand built and panels, like the trunk lid, were specific to a single car. Fabricating a bracket and installing it in the same location as shown on my Dino might work but might not.

You need to ensure the trunk mounted contact striker mates with the switch (connector) for this to work.

 

I made a few
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30?

Regards, Alberto