That annoying 1970 headlight switch reinstall

[70mstang]

Just trying to reassemble the headlight switch on my '70, does anyone have advice for reassembling it? I can't seem to get the threads on the retainer screw to catch the switch itself. I can assemble it very easily away from the dashboard, but as soon as I include the dash, the switch is positioned too awkwardly, it just won't grab. Even without the upper dashboard and gauge cluster, I still don't seem to have enough visibility or mobility to fix this.

 

[dmck]

Now you know the origin of the proverb... "patience is a virtue"....

Had a similar 'blissful experience' in my '69... my neighbours are used to the bad language by now.....

 

[horse sence]

It usually threads right in about the second you are ready to give up ,sort of like break lines !

 

[70mstang]

I did eventually get it together, had to try it at just the right time of day when the sun would shine through the hole, I tried it with a headlamp and a work light, but the lighting angles just didn't work. Sunlight at 4pm in the summer though....

 

[7991LXnSHO]

I did eventually get it together, had to try it at just the right time of day when the sun would shine through the hole, I tried it with a headlamp and a work light, but the lighting angles just didn't work. Sunlight at 4pm in the summer though....

What did you have to sacrifice to the old gods of Detroit while performing the assembly ritual at 4PM?
I find some bloody knuckles or scrapes are often enough. I skip the mead afterwards, so you might have better results.

Congrats!

 

[WORTH]

If you can in these situations, find something that fits the threads fairly close, like a pencil, and hold the switch in place ,slide the pencil threw the threads and visually line it up straight, them pull the pencil and try to thread in the nut.

As for the previously mentioned brake lines, slide the nut back a bit on the tube, hold the tube firmly against the flare, and gently slide the nut until it touches, then move the tube around until the nut slides in a little. When it's out of alignment the nut will be away from the threads. When you get it lined up it will slide in just a bit. And it should thread in very easily.