I purchased a toggle switch knob kit for my dash switches because the plastic had badly deteriorated. I removed one switch, broke the old material off the switch handle and attempted to install a new knob. Unfortunately it does not simply push on as I had hoped. Does anyone know the secret to installing the new knobs on the switches? I don't want to damage the switch or destroy the new plastic piece by attempting to force it on. I just need to know the proper method needed to do the job.

 

They should push on Ted, I assume from your post they are too tight ?

Jaguar did not list the switch knobs as a separate part no as the switches were fitted/changed complete and not as knob only repair. Pretty sure they were all Lucas switches, Lucas themselves no longer exist, thee are only companies out there all over the world that use the Lucas name under License this does not ensure Lucas quality parts, just the name and the famous green livery on the boxes !

Unfortunately reproduction parts are not always as original, some of the plastic re-productions are made in the far east, how far out are they ?

 

Jon, Thanks for the response. I finally managed to get a knob on the switch I removed from the instrument panel. As you mentioned, the fit is very tight. I put the switch and knob in my large vise and carefully forced them together. I biggest fear was damaging the switch, but it survived the installation. The fit seems to be rather good. Now I just have to remove the remaining five switches and hope I have the same success.

 

Great, they are tight, glad you succeeded, good luck with the rest.

 

some olive oil will help them go in / on.

 

I used a small drill bit and bored them out a very small bit and was able to push them on by hand.

 

There are also other uses for KY Jelly, and it's water soluble so it will easily wash off with a damp cloth.


Stu

 

yes, but if using olive oil, make sure it is extra virgin.

 

I tried all three recommended methods for installing the knobs (olive oil, K-Y jelly and drilling the hole larger). Of the three methods, the olive oil seemed to work best. It provided sufficient lubrication to minimize the force required to install the knob. The K-Y wasn't as effective, but I am not suggesting using olive oil in place of K-Y under certain circumstances. I used the drill on only one because I was afraid of going too large, but it still worked well. The drilled knob required much less force. Just for the record, the olive oil I used was extra virgin. Thanks to all for the suggestions and I hope others who may wish to restore their dash switches with new knobs will benefit from this thread.

 

I just replenish the lost plasticizers in Bakelite parts with products like Armor all. There is something about Bakelite that modern plastics cannot reproduce.

though Bakelite will dull, it has a nice patina.

Walmart now has their own "Armor All" product which I like better than Armor All. It leaves a nice satin gloss in black Bakelite parts used in Jaguars.

 

Unfortunately there is no product on the market that would have saved the switch knobs on my car. The car sat for 33 years, rotting in the hot California sun and an occasional rain that seeped into various parts of the car. All of the interior plastic parts had nearly turned to dust. I had to fabricate new knobs for the turn signal switch and the overdrive switch because the originals were nearly gone. None of the knobs on my car were made of Bakelite, otherwise they would have survived. I think they may have been cellulose. Like you, I am usually successful at reviving old Bakelite parts. I will try your suggestion on my next project.

 

I could be wrong in that the parts are made of Bakelite, but it is a form of Bakelite that Lucas used in the 1950's-1960's, maybe cellulose is correct.

Funny, my S type was originally exported to, and lived its life in California where it was well preserved since arriving in San Francisco in 1964. A Black Plate California car.

 

Bakelite takes on a brown shade when it reacts with UV, this is the phenol acid and doesn't break down the Bakelite, Bakelite will break down with mineral based oil.

Cellulose I think is affected more from UV so you may have something there Jose, Bakelite is generally pretty stable.

 

I sent Brent an upper stereering column Nacelle which was from a 1964 S type MOD and the outer visible surface was very dull-flat, it refused to take any polishing, nothing, nada. So I painted it and it regained it's beauty. I was impressed at the durability and stability of the material that Lucas made them of, but dissapointed at the surface finish.