Light switch finally failed

So after over forty-three years of ownership, my rotating light switch finally broke upon rotation last week. The classic failure. Like everyone, I had the choice of pulling apart the switch and sending the stalk to Verell to cast a new part onto the stock. Having fixed my other stalk big ends in the past, I thought I would give the DinoParts replacement part a try. They shipped the part to me in lighting speed.

Upon inspection, I noticed that the Top coper ribbon contact point is wrapped in the opposite direction than on my original part.

This may be old news but I do not remember any discussion on this.

My original is wrapped with the top contact ribbon wrapped counterclockwise looking at the end of the stalk.

The DinoParts replacement is wrapped in the clockwise direction.

The plastic knob it has two internal rectangularly ridges cast into it which allows it to press down the top copper ribbon when you rotate it in either direction provide you are turning in the direction that the top copper ribbon is wound.

So here is my question-
On my US Dino when the lights are off the word "lights" with the headlight Icon faces the driver. To turn the lights on I rotated the switch away from the driver and the arrow faces the driver.

With DinoParts replacement the contact ribbon is wrapped in the opposite direction. This means that the lights are off when the arrow faces the driver. Turn on the lights you rotate the switch toward (oddly enough in the direction of the arrow) the driver and the word "Lights" and the headlight Icon faces the driver.

Do the European cars have the arrow facing the driver when the lights are off and the word "lights" facing the driver when the lights are on?

I have looked at many pictures and often see the arrow showing on Euro cars-- but have also seen them with the word "lights" facing the driver. Have no idea if the lights are on or off in the pictures.

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Thank you Kevin--I have a few photos of Left-hand Dinos with the arrow showing-- but I had no way of knowing if the lights were on. You confirm that they were.

 

Hi Brian-

I will probably remove the copper ribbons off of my original stalk and put them on the DinoParts piece. I know I can fabricate new ribbons and wrap them like my OEM set if the OEM set gets mess up during removal.

I was into the instrument panel anyway to lube up my speedo cable so I pulled the switch assembly out to take a closer look. Not sure why DinoParts wrap their ribbons opposite then my OEM ones-sent them an inquiry. Decided to hear other Dino owner's opinion of the DinoParts before I make a permanent fix. I made a simple temporary fix using safety wire- -cutting two grooves into the plastic pieces that were left for wires to lay in. A little filing and smoothing and I put the assembly back in knowing I can modify the DinoParts piece or send the stalk to Verrel for a more permanent fix later down the road.

It is a bit strange to me-- I see that DinoParts has been offering this part since at least 2009 when it was black but the ribbons were still wrapped the way they do currently. Seems no other buyers had any issues with the direction of the wrap.

Thanks for the response-- hope you are doing well.

 

For everyone's information, Stefan of DinoParts made a new run with the contact leaves wrapped in the same direction as my OEM switch.