Firemedic1966

Still in the process of "shaking down" the 62 I bought a few weeks ago. Everything works as it should but the brake warning light. When I was looking under the dash I noticed the tan wire with receptacle for fuse block...I figured I would take a chance, disconnected the battery and plugged it in. It lights up! (Yes, I already know its supposed to flash by use of a 257 bulb) but it was lit up...but here is the odd part. It lit up without the ignition on so the PO must have run into the same situation. I disengaged the parking brake and the light stays on. Went ahead and pulled the plug out of the fuse block. I took the switch apart and it looks simple enough...the pin on the switch was a little stiff, so I cleaned it up etc and got it to actuate just fine...But my question is how does the switch work? I noticed how it clamps to the e-brake tube...but what actually makes it work? Am I missing something on the parking brake rod that actuates the light? I know my description isnt the best...but someone else probably knows exactly how it works

Thanks in advance!

C-1 Generation 2

When I bought my 62 it didn't have the switch. This past year i noticed that you can now buy the switch now so i bought one along with the flashing bulb. It did take a little trial and error to get it to work properly. On my 62 I sometimes have to rotate the parking brake handle a little to the right to make the light go out.

Frankie the Fink

With the ignition on and parking brake applied the switch is closed and making the circuit due to the nub on the shaft NOT being under the switch's brass tang and the light flashes.

When you push the brake handle in, the nub on the shaft pushes the switch's brass tang upward breaking the connection so no light.

The nub that turns the switch off so there is no light goes into a hole in the parking brake handle's shaft and is available in repro form:

http://www.zip-corvette.com/58-62-pa...-stop-pin.html

Installation can be tight but a slight tap with a hammer to get the pin started in straight followed by some gentle squeezing with channel locks (with the jaws taped for protection) will get 'er done...

chris ritchie

The switch is usually worn out. Those switches used to be an expensive item. But now they are being reproduced. See:

http://csofmdwest.readyhosting.com/s...roduct120.html

Many times the pin that actuates the switch is missing. This pin is pressed into the parking brake shaft. See:

http://www.zip-corvette.com/58-62-pa...-stop-pin.html

As you have said, the bulb is the 257 type which does the flashing. Not the switch.

Adjusting the switch on the parking brake shaft can be a little fussy. But it's do-able.

I forget now where the circuit gets its power. (See the wiring diagram.) But the circuit is only energized when the key is in the "on" position. The light should not be flashing when the car is off.