[DeTomaso] Brake Switch Frustration

[Charles McCall]

	Dear John,

While acknowledging that I know absolutely nothing about the stock brake
switch, are you sure the problem is the switch? 5 failures, all in the same
car or from both? I'd respectfully suggest that it's an installation problem
rather than a problem with the switch itself. Could the geometry be off on
your particular car which means stressing part of the switch until it
breaks? Do you have an usually heavy brake foot? ;-)

I've had no problems with the switch on 2 different Panteras and many years
of ownership (and other problems) and it doesn't ring a bell as being a
candidate for the "top 10 Pantera flaws" list, or something that has come up
on the list often. 

The fact that you are pioneering a solution 35 years after the introduction
of the model suggests that it isn't a problem that affects a lot of cars or
that the problem isn't in the switch per se. 

Just food for thought...

Charles McCall
1985 DeTomaso Pantera GT5-S #9375
"Raising Pantera Awareness Across Europe"
http://www.poca.com/index.php/gallery/?g2_itemId=2323
-----Mensaje original-----
De: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com] En
nombre de John Taphorn
Enviado el: miércoles, 22 de abril de 2009 15:39
Para: detomaso at realbig.com
Asunto: [DeTomaso] Brake Switch Frustration

I am giving up on the stock Pantera brake switch.  I've got five of them in
a drawer that I have accumulated during my years of Pantera ownership.  I
had another fail recently.

I've tried to stay true to the original brake light design and dutifully
have called a Pantera vendor to replace each one that failed.  However, I am
throwing in the towel and going to an alternative that would be more
reliable.

I have disassembled the switch units to try and find a consistent failure
point, but I have been unsuccessful determining a single culprit.  As one
may know, this is a part in which the inspection process is one way. After
you cut it open, there is no reassembly.  That is a shame, I could probably
make a few that would work from my inventory.

I imagine others must have taken this journey before me and switched to a
non-fluid pressure mechanical method.  I would appreciate your lessons
learned.

It appears to me that a practical approach would be to mount a switch
through the chassis panel that on my car is in the footwell about an inch
above the brake pedal arm.  It seems possible to mount a switch in that
location that would be depressed when the pedal is at rest and be released
as the pedal is actuated.  Thus, it would offer no continuity when depressed
and continuity when released.

Is anyone using this set-up?  Also, if so, do you have a switch part number?
It would certainly save me time going through the NAPA parts catalogs.

Of course, I am open to other approaches as well.

Thanks
JT
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