Power Door Lock Switch Retainer?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,323
Likes: 142
From: Green Valley Arizona
Power Door Lock Switch Retainer?
This is with regards to my '81; the reproduction power door lock switches have a clip on the sides that appears is supposed to hold the switch in the door panel....yeah right!....that's not going to work.
Sooooo....has anyone come-up with a backing plate or some method to hold the switches in the door panel?
Thanks,
LannyL81
Sooooo....has anyone come-up with a backing plate or some method to hold the switches in the door panel?
Thanks,
LannyL81
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,633
Likes: 3,100
From: Shamong, NJ
There's nothing wrong with the repro power lock switches you have.
The power lock switches snap into a stamped steel retainer, that goes on the back side of the door panel. Without the retainers, the switches won't stay in the panel. If you have an 81 AIM, you can find an illustration of the retainer and it's installation on UPC 12H, Sheet 19.
I don't believe that the retainers are being reproduced, so if you're missing them, you'll have to look for used ones.
The power lock switches snap into a stamped steel retainer, that goes on the back side of the door panel. Without the retainers, the switches won't stay in the panel. If you have an 81 AIM, you can find an illustration of the retainer and it's installation on UPC 12H, Sheet 19.
I don't believe that the retainers are being reproduced, so if you're missing them, you'll have to look for used ones.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,323
Likes: 142
From: Green Valley Arizona
gbvette62: going to have to disagree with you a bit; the AIM shows that originally the power lock switches were two pieces, the switch portion and the retainer portion...both of which went on the front side of the door panel.
The reproduction switches are a one piece design with these side clips that are supposed to hold to the door panel....they will not.
I thought I could bend these clips away from the switch so that they would hold the switch from the back side of the panel, but afraid I would break off the plastic tabs that hold the metal clips to the switch in doing so.
Need to come-up with a retainer that fits on the back side of the door panel for these reproduction switches.
The reproduction switches are a one piece design with these side clips that are supposed to hold to the door panel....they will not.
I thought I could bend these clips away from the switch so that they would hold the switch from the back side of the panel, but afraid I would break off the plastic tabs that hold the metal clips to the switch in doing so.
Need to come-up with a retainer that fits on the back side of the door panel for these reproduction switches.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,633
Likes: 3,100
From: Shamong, NJ
You're right about the switch and retainer going in from the front. It's been quite a while since I took one of those apart, and didn't didn't look at the illustration in the AIM all that closely. I just happened to remember where it was in the AIM, since I had just been looking at that section for something else recently.
When you talk about the "clips" on the sides of the switch, are you referring to the little spring steel clip on each side of the back of the switch? If so, I'm pretty sure they're on the OEM switches too, and I think you still need to use the stock retainers, with the repro switches. It seems to me that those 2 clips hold the switch to the retainer, and then the retainer holds the switch into the door panel?
When you talk about the "clips" on the sides of the switch, are you referring to the little spring steel clip on each side of the back of the switch? If so, I'm pretty sure they're on the OEM switches too, and I think you still need to use the stock retainers, with the repro switches. It seems to me that those 2 clips hold the switch to the retainer, and then the retainer holds the switch into the door panel?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,323
Likes: 142
From: Green Valley Arizona
You're right about the switch and retainer going in from the front. It's been quite a while since I took one of those apart, and didn't didn't look at the illustration in the AIM all that closely. I just happened to remember where it was in the AIM, since I had just been looking at that section for something else recently.
When you talk about the "clips" on the sides of the switch, are you referring to the little spring steel clip on each side of the back of the switch? If so, I'm pretty sure they're on the OEM switches too, and I think you still need to use the stock retainers, with the repro switches. It seems to me that those 2 clips hold the switch to the retainer, and then the retainer holds the switch into the door panel?
When you talk about the "clips" on the sides of the switch, are you referring to the little spring steel clip on each side of the back of the switch? If so, I'm pretty sure they're on the OEM switches too, and I think you still need to use the stock retainers, with the repro switches. It seems to me that those 2 clips hold the switch to the retainer, and then the retainer holds the switch into the door panel?
Time for me to begin searching.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,323
Likes: 142
From: Green Valley Arizona
Has anyone got a picture of what a power door lock switch retainer looks like (other than what is in the AIM)?? I have not been able to find anything.....ARRRRGGGHHHHH......
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,633
Likes: 3,100
From: Shamong, NJ
http://www.ebay.com/itm/corvette-power-door-lock-switch-1978-1982-used-original-/361223060052?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item541a927a54&vxp=mtr
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,323
Likes: 142
From: Green Valley Arizona
Okay...I took a look at both ebay auctions; now why did these not show-up when I did a search on ebay?????
rastafford3164 - sure looks like that would work and I might be able to duplicate it.
gbvette82 - thanks...so that is what they looked like.
Thank you....time for me to get busy with some sheet metal.
rastafford3164 - sure looks like that would work and I might be able to duplicate it.
gbvette82 - thanks...so that is what they looked like.
Thank you....time for me to get busy with some sheet metal.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 5,339
Likes: 546
From: Central Texas
Uptmor's Corvette Parts (txvetteparts) on Ebay has a lot of hard to find C3 parts that aren't listed on his website. Shoot him a question about what you need. He usually responds quickly. I've been there in person. I'll bet he has those clips.
Just found these on the Willcox Corvette website...
http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...ducts_id=27516
Just found these on the Willcox Corvette website...
http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...ducts_id=27516
Last edited by Street Rat; Feb 23, 2015 at 07:52 AM. Reason: add link
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,323
Likes: 142
From: Green Valley Arizona
Thanks for the info...will contact txvetteparts and see what they have. I did not check Willcox as I checked Corvette America which he gets most of his parts from. Wow...$20 each!.....seems a bit high for this piece.....oh well....
Thanks again.
Thanks again.