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Replacing the witches nose in-situ. BN1

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simon1966

simon1966

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I don't even want to attempt this without some quick guidance. My recently restored 100 has the control head and indicator switch back in the car as it has been since I have owned the car, 30 plus years. It has a later model trafficator switch. Here it is pre-resto.

SAM_0917 (2).jpg

Is it feasible to replace the switch for a witches nose (which I have in hand) without having to remove the entire control head?

Thanks much
Simon
 
roscoe

roscoe

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Whitch's nose is the pointy style trafficator lever found in the 100 series cars versus the one he has which I suppose is more like a round clown nose. Someone must have botched a rhinoplasty on his BN1 and bless his heart he wants to make it right.
 
pan

pan

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Sorry mate, but the stator tube will have to be released at the front of the steering box, and pulled through the wheel at least until you can access the screws that attach the control head to the flange at the top of the tube.
Cheers,
Alwyn
 
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simon1966

simon1966

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Thanks Alwyn, I had a feeling this was not just a simple pry off the horn button. I think for a while at least, I will be content with keeping my proper nose in a box on the workbench and live with the one installed so many years ago. I am fairly certain that back in the day in the 60's and 70's when my car was nothing but a cheap tatty sports car, that PO's kept it alive by raiding junk yards around Manchester. The non-matching windshield frame parts, the 4 speed box one of the cockpit surround parts all point to the fact that things were simply replaced with used parts rather than fixed. Probably the same for the control head.
 
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simon1966

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roscoe said:
Whitch's nose is the pointy style trafficator lever found in the 100 series cars versus the one he has which I suppose is more like a round clown nose. Someone must have botched a rhinoplasty on his BN1 and bless his heart he wants to make it right.
Click to expand...
This surgery happened at least 35 years ago and I suspect that the part was not to hand at the time. It is a minor detail, but one that I want to get right, just like the rear reflectors that were wrong and are now correct. They were a lot easier to replace thankfully.
 
nevets

nevets

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Steveg
That's a really good repair article. Would the process be much different for a non-adjustable steering wheel? I am considering replacing my repro banjo style wheel with a wood Moto Lita wheel. Thanks.
 
Editor_Reid

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I almost hate to say it, but I have seen a few period photos of Hundreds showing the chrome switch/lever as you have. One is from a period full-page ad, so it would not have been retrofitted - it was an ad for a new car.
 
steveg

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nevets said:
Steveg
That's a really good repair article. Would the process be much different for a non-adjustable steering wheel? I am considering replacing my repro banjo style wheel with a wood Moto Lita wheel. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Can't say for sure, but referring to the Moss catalog section: "Steering Wheels; Control Heads" - the trafficator portion looks the same
 
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simon1966

simon1966

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Editor_Reid said:
I almost hate to say it, but I have seen a few period photos of Hundreds showing the chrome switch/lever as you have. One is from a period full-page ad, so it would not have been retrofitted - it was an ad for a new car.
Click to expand...
Now that is very interesting Reid. To think that I might be considering replacing an original part of my car does give me pause for thought. You don't happen to have any of these period images to hand do you?

I have just had a quick read of the 2018 Concours guide and it states that a chrome switch like mine was seen on early 100's and that the black pointed beak came along with the non-adjustable steering column. I'll never know for sure, but would not be a shock to discover that my control head assembly came off a junked older car at some point.
 
Editor_Reid

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simon1966 said:
Now that is very interesting Reid. To think that I might be considering replacing an original part of my car does give me pause for thought. You don't happen to have any of these period images to hand do you?
Click to expand...

I took a quick stroll through the archives and didn't find one. Fortunately or unfortunately, "the archives" here is a big place and I'll take another look.
 
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