• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

TR6 What holds this TR6 headlight switch in place?

Share this page

Looks like that could be a picture of the back of my dash when I took it out. My car's PO must have replaced the switch at some time and had wound black tape around the sides, top, and bottom until it fit snugly in the opening and stayed in place.

Thinking that that just was not acceptable I ordered a new switch and found I had the same problem as the PO had. Realizing that I would have never known the difference if I had not pulled out the dash I got out my black tape and until I wrote this no one would ever have known. Besides it works perfectly.

But, I too would like to know the answer to this mystery.
 
Great response! Laughed out loud a few times on this
one.

I'll have to wait to see who else will weigh in on
this baby.

2wrench
 
I am not very familiar with TR6's, but that is a common BL switch. Also without a y/m for the car, it is hard to be specific. That type of switch was held on by one of two ways:

1. A framing plastic piece that went in the front of the dash, into which the switch was snapped (part number 148437)

2. A rectangular metal framing piece screwed to the back of the dash into which the switch snapped when inserted from the front. That may be the remains of a metal retainer broken to the right of the hole in your picture.

You REALLY need a parts manual for your car, as it includes assembly diagrams for everythin on the car. You can get one on CD with a shop manual from the Heritag Motor Centre:
https://www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk/shop/technical-publications/triumph-tp/index.html
 
Yeah, thanks. Actually got a manual. Figured if vendors
couldn't find the part, no use for me to go looking.
I do see a box looking item, but it is not showing
available from Moss; Vicotria or TRF, so not much
good. Guess I have to get creative.

Appreciate your time and trouble,

2wrench
 
I concur...black electrical tape is the only solution to aftermarket light switches. But remember, this is an unfused circuit, where all the amps from your battery are sitting right there in your dash. I put some heat shrink tubing pieces over each Lucar connector to stiffen them a bit, connected them outside the dash, carefully wrapped the connectors in place, wrapped the housing for the tight fit, then re-inserted.
 
I was very interested in the response because I have the same issue, the PO had put electrical tape around the switch to attempt to hold it in place, but it keeps creeping out. I guess I'll wrap some more on, because the switch works fine, and I have bigger fish to fry like why the spedo doesn't work!
 
The little metal plate on the back of the dash is typically a JY item.
 
This might help some. It's from the Rimmer Bros. web site.

"The original 'Clear Hooters' manufactured switch was the subject of a factory recall in the United States. The replacement that was fitted by the dealers was a 'Lucas' item. The 'Lucas' switch has a larger body than the 'Clear Hooters' so the steel retaining plate that is screwed to the back of the wooden dash was either filed larger or replaced with a plate having a larger switch hole. The 'Lucas' switch has an integral non detachable escutcheon."

The recall also affected Spitfire and GT6 models from 1969 on. If I remember correctly, the modifications required to fit the Lucas switch in place of the Clear Hooters switch were slightly different for these cars. From what I can see in your picture, there's virtually no retaining plate left, which would explain the need for electrical tape!?
 
Wow, I remember that. The original Clear Hooters switch broke in the plastic, & the improved Lucas version required a different plate. I got a replacement plate from a jy.

I also remember going to the BL dealership when it broke, about 1977 or 1978, showing them the problem, & they sold me a new switch while trying to sell me on having them install it. Never a word about the recall, which I found out about around a year later. Behavior typically reported of dealerships for any cars in the US.
 
Back
Top