never do this again

John ED Renstrom

PCS Member
Super Site Supporter
we are trying to get the dash back together in the 58. struggled all day to day to get dash lights to come on. the rust and corrosion would not let the circuit in the switch work. so it's held together with screws lets take it apart! you get that last screw out you better be in a enclosed box. springs and things go flying.then it's one of those 4 hands and two levers to get back together with all the moving parts under tension. but apart you can clean it up and if you find all the pieces and hold your tongue just right you can have a instrument cluster that looks like this.
 

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Some Assembly (and Search and Rescue) Required...

This reminds me of the 14 way power seat adjustment switch that I tried to troubleshoot while still installed in the car. I took off the cover and- boing - just like Jack In The Box. The new owner is probably still finding mysterious springs and ball bearings in the interior.

The really stupid part is that a replacement switch for that vehicle was readily available (unlike your headlight switch, likely) and fairly inexpensive. Now I check replacement part prices before I pry things apart.
 
I'm guessing a headlight switch from one of the venders is around but thats one of those can't get today things. maybe a week from now if your lucky. Know of two in a yard 60 miles away and it's 0 out. not worth the gas and lunch to see if one of them is in the same shape as this one. with the heater out it is a lot easier to get to stuff then standing on your head and working through a slot. and we need to get the dash back together to get the glass back in so we can get the headliner in place and most of the interior back in before we put the doors back on. this old gal has presented a lot of challenges in repair and reassembly. but we are getting it.
 
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