[DeTomaso] Brake Switch Frustration
Dan Mixon
tipo874 at comcast.net
Wed Apr 22 23:07:24 EDT 2009
Will,
The original '50's & '60's GM switches were metal. The plastic ones were
replacements. The metal ones are back in production. Danchuk is a high
quality manufacturer and retailer of '55, '56 & '57 Chevy parts.
http://www.danchuk.com/ItemForm.aspx?Search=116&Item=116
Dan
-----Original Message-----
From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com] On
Behalf Of wkooiman at earthlink.net
Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 20:36
To: John Taphorn; detomaso at realbig.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Brake Switch Frustration
John,
I'm coming in to this late, but I have a switch like you describe. It is a
plunger design. It is off when depressed, and on when not depressed. I'm
in New Orleans and not on the way to BBORR, so I'm depressed.
I made a simple bracket to sit on the driver's side of the brake pedal.
When the pedal is at rest, the plunger is depressed, so it turns the brake
lights off. And, vice versa. You get the picture.
It is a very simple design. It should be more reliable than the pressure
switch, plus it removes a potential problem from the brake line.
The part came from a GM truck, I think. I got it from a real parts store.
The same guy I used when I was 16 years old. He didn't even look up the
part number. He just walked to the proper row and pulled out the switch. I
miss these guys.
The switch is plastic. The stock brake pedal has a fairly stout bracket
with a rubber bumper designed as a "pedal stop". I originally planned on
mounting the switch on the same bracket as the pedal stop. Later on, I
decided to switch to Wilwood dual masters, which meant I was replacing
everything, so I made my own bracket.
I have the part number at home. I kept the box in case I ever needed it
again. I'll post it this weekend. If you find a real parts store, you
could just tell them you want a switch for a GM pickup. Keep changing the
year/model until they get it right.
Will.
-----Original Message-----
>From: John Taphorn <jtaphorn at kingwoodcable.com>
>Sent: Apr 22, 2009 8:39 AM
>To: detomaso at realbig.com
>Subject: [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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