Start Button

RWoerz · Jul 19, 2011

I somehow broke the wire going to the start button while I had the dash apart and before I ever had a chance to start the car. Anyway what SPF used was a pin type crimp on. I replaced the connectors with spade lugs but I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story.

The biggest problem was getting the nut on the back of the switch tight. I ended up making a custom wrench which worked very well. I'm not sure if any of the other switches have the same sized nut but if they don't I'll be making more tools. The other tool was one I made to adjust the coilovers. Handy in that you can use a long 3/8" extension.

steve c · Jul 19, 2011

Nice!

Steve P2125

PS: I too had to re do the start switch wiring

awatkins · Jul 19, 2011

steve c said:
Nice!

Steve P2125

PS: I too had to re do the start switch wiring

OK, I guess better go test mine.... sigh....

RWoerz · Jul 19, 2011

I thought I would be able to get a normal wrench on the nut but just could't. Did I ever tell you how much I hate working under a dash. Just be very careful while working in that area otherwise you'll be wondering why when you push the button nothing happens, then how to fix the damn thing and get it back together. You've been warned!

Mark IV · Jul 19, 2011

Early cars use the "Cobra" ignition switch which also has a "start" postion. Later cars require the start button. If you have the early setup you can either push the button or turn the key.

awatkins · Jul 19, 2011

Mark IV said:
Early cars use the "Cobra" ignition switch which also has a "start" postion. Later cars require the start button. If you have the early setup you can either push the button or turn the key.

That leads me to a question, ye historians of SPF evolution:

My car came with a 4 position ignition switch (1 = off, 2 = acc, 3 = ign, 4 = momentary start). However, IIRC, when I went in to add the blower motor relays both red wires went to one terminal on the switch, that is, the ign and start positions were unused.

The owners manual, on the other hand, states that the #2 position turns on the aux power (cigarette lighter) ports and #3 turns on everything else.

So, I assume my car is the exception: do your cars work as the manual describes?

(Also, of course, anyone with a 4-position switch like mine can bring a wire over from the starter button and thus activate the #4 position. Unless of course they've broken it off first :furious

.

RWoerz · Jul 20, 2011

My car is like yours the only thing hooked up was to the Ignition position. Of course start does nothing because we have "The Button" I did however hook my cars camera/DVR system to the Accessory side of the switch through a separate fuse panel I added. I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to have the Ignition on without the car running while I set up the camera/DVR system or previewed videos.

JIMMYMAC · Jul 20, 2011

Why not use the period correct and OEM Lucas switch ?.
SPB106 is still available with the spade connectors that you require.

awatkins · Jul 20, 2011

JIMMYMAC said:
Why not use the period correct and OEM Lucas switch ?.
SPB106 is still available with the spade connectors that you require.

Well, you're probably not going to like this, but there's one of those on my dash already: as the horn switch. Or is that also period correct?

But I like that idea.

But the answer to your question is probably that Hi-Tech chose the existing switch because it is flush with the dash surface and thus harder to close accidentally.

JIMMYMAC · Jul 20, 2011

awatkins said:
Well, you're probably not going to like this, but there's one of those on my dash already: as the horn switch. Or is that also period correct?

Just trying to help mate.
But your black horn switch is debatable. Most push button horn switches on MKI GT40's were white.

awatkins · Jul 20, 2011

awatkins said:
OK, I guess better go test mine.... sigh....

Well, guess what? Tried it, no voltage on the green wire. Remove dash panel, gentle tug on green wire, it comes right out because it was already broken off at the switch.

Next time somebody asks me if it's a kit I'm going to say "Yes, although someone in South Africa tried to assemble it and failed, so I had to do it."

My favorite is a friend of mine, not on the forum, who did his own SPF install, filled up with gas, fired it up and drove away only to get overwhelming fuel smell in the cabin.

Why? Because HI-tech forgot to install a fuel sender so he was driving around with gas sloshing around in a tank with a 2" hole in the top.

Should I add that to the fuel-smell-in-the-garage list? :furious:

Should I add "Non-period-correct starter button" to the "deviations" list? Or should I say "Non-period-correct starter button, also not connected."? :furious:

(BTW thank you Richard!!! That would have sucked on "engine startup day")

awatkins · Jul 20, 2011

JIMMYMAC said:
Just trying to help mate.
But your black horn switch is debatable. Most push button horn switches on MKI GT40's were white.

James -- I hope I didn't offend, I was kidding around; I appreciate very much the pointer and (as you'll see from a subsequent post) now need to go buy such a switch. $36.51 delivered from Englishparts.com. Thank you James.

BTW where was the horn switch placed, and would it look right if I painted the Lucas button white?

JIMMYMAC · Jul 20, 2011

Jeez Alan,
Pour a scotch a count to ten, it's only a couple of $15 switches.
Tell you what, I am on the trail of these and if I find some white SPBs I will send you one.
Although an original one shown to me recently is a wee bit of a mystery and didn't appear to be Lucas although very similar.
The best place for the horn switch is on the central tunnel. I would prefer my start switch next to the ignition key switch under the dash hood. (safer as you say)
Funnily enough to confuse us all, I think it was GT105 that had a white start push switch on the central tunnel.

awatkins · Jul 20, 2011

JIMMYMAC said:
Jeez Alan,
Pour a scotch a count to ten, it's only a couple of $15 switches.

Trust me....It's a long long list of things like this

awatkins · Jul 20, 2011

JIMMYMAC said:
The best place for the horn switch is on the central tunnel. I would prefer my start switch next to the ignition key switch under the dash hood. (safer as you say)

Hmmm. That gives me an idea: currently the key switch is on the "central console" below the dash (where Hi-tech put it). My console is now a little crowded because I put the fire system handle there as well (in a hole left over by a bright red cigarette lighter adapter aka power point). So (I'm thinking) put the horn switch on the tunnel and move the key switch to where the horn switch is now, next to the start switch. Then I'm left-hand starting which seems somehow more dashing.

And this is further off the subject but for another reason I was searching for a label maker and discovered Dymo still makes plastic embosssed label makers. Was there a standard set of legends (eg "Wipers") that was used when the dash was labelled this way? Or was that something the individual users did and so would (probably) vary from car to car?

JIMMYMAC · Jul 20, 2011

awatkins said:
Hmmm.
And this is further off the subject but for another reason I was searching for a label maker and discovered Dymo still makes plastic embosssed label makers. Was there a standard set of legends (eg "Wipers") that was used when the dash was labelled this way? Or was that something the individual users did and so would (probably) vary from car to car?

Alan,
I bought an old 1960's Dymo gun for ten quid on ebay. The adhesive tapes are freely available.
There were quite a few variations to the dash switch layouts on the racers as seen many of the books, so it's up to you.
The JWA parts book is a good reference for the road car.

awatkins · Jul 20, 2011

JIMMYMAC said:
Alan,
I bought an old 1960's Dymo gun for ten quid on ebay. The adhesive tapes are freely available.

I had not looked at pricing but did just now and I'm amazed:
DYMO Global

I guess they really want to sell those tapes.

JIMMYMAC · Jul 20, 2011

Alan,
This is the joker.
You will need a small font wheel.

vintage dymo-mite tapewriter | eBay

awatkins · Jul 20, 2011

RWoerz said:
I somehow broke the wire going to the start button while I had the dash apart and before I ever had a chance to start the car. Anyway what SPF used was a pin type crimp on.

Here's what I found when I took my switch out just now. They used a crimped-on, properly strain-relieved pin on the orange (supply) wire. The green (start) wire they simply solder-tinned the copper, shoved that into the terminal, and tightened the screw down. This is "Basic Wiring 101": a tinned multi-strand wire has a classical stress riser where the rigid solder ends and the flexible copper begins, and will always break right there after a little vibration or jostling.

So, Richard, you didn't break the wire, Hi-Tech did.

Why they chose to deal properly with one wire and not other is the big mystery.

So, here comes another user warning....

awatkins · Jul 20, 2011

JIMMYMAC said:
Alan,
This is the joker.
You will need a small font wheel.

vintage dymo-mite tapewriter | eBay

Oh dear. Aside from that one, how do I now if I have the right size?

Start Button

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