While I wait for my first big parts order, I figured I’d tackle some small jobs. First up: the wiper switch.
The MGB wiper switch for the later years does triple duty: wipers, washer and overdrive control. I don’t have an OD, but the rest of the switch works. Except it’s floppy.
I decided that when a replacement is $110, I would try my hand at fixing the flop. All that could happen is I spend the dough. The best case is I save it. So here we go.
The stalk is held in place by a pin, which when removed reveals the innards.
The stalk moves in and out, held in position by a plunger and spring. The plunger is long gone—but lucky for me, the spring is not. So all I need is to make a plunger.
The diameter of the hole looks like it would take a screw. So why not?
After a couple of false starts, I ground the screw head down and chopped the shank to the right length. It fit like a glove.
I added a little lithium grease, installed the homemade plunger, and pinned it in place. Voila! The switch is no longer floppy, and it theoretically would engage the overdrive.
The last job was to clean the little knob for the washer control It unscrews, and cleaned up with a little steel wool and some polish.
And with that, I saved $110.
The turn indicator switch may be a lost cause, but those are much less expensive. But because it’s original to the car, I’ll still take a swing at it.
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