Hi guys. I was just going to change my 2 door ajar switches. I unscrewed the one on the passenger side, and it came out fine, but then the backing plate fell down into the body cavity. I believe the rivets had broken although the heads were still present. On the drivers side, I can't even unscrew the switch, as the rivets have broken, and the backing plate just spins with the switch. I have removed the body mount access panels, and I can get one whole finger in there behind the switch. The birdcage seems to be in the way from the backside. Is there any way to access these that I am not aware of, or am I going to have to cut a hole in the door jamb fiberglass, reattach the plates, and repair the hole? It sucks that small things like this always give the biggest headaches, but I really want EVERYTHING to work on this car! :smash:

On a side question....I have some parts I am having a hard time finding. I am looking for the seat belt grommets that go into the carpet next to the seat, and also an original style 69 handbrake with the chrome trim. Anyone know where to find them?

Thanks :cheers:

AC

 

I didn't realize there was an access hole from the #3 body mount to that switch, but it's there, all right. In fact, mine has a rubber grommet, actually a 1" piece of heater hose in the opening. Removing that grommet opens the hole up to about 1" diameter, but it still doesn't allow more than one finger behind the switch. As far as I can tell, once you are past the wall of the body mount cavity, there is nothing like the bird cage blocking the area around the switch. I can feel my plate easily without obstruction, but a "feel" is all that is possible.

AC, it seems the real problem is getting the loose plate out of the bottom of the body cavity. I think I would do a whole lot of "fishing" before I cut open that fiberglass door jamb.

Get yourself one of those little bar magnets like those in the end of small instrument screwdrivers, attach it somehow to a piece of strong twine, and go "fishing" for the plate. However you attach the magnet, make sure its secure (do a little proof testing), because if you lose the magnet down there, it's going to stay as long as the grass grows and the rivers flow. One thing you need to check before you get too far is the power of the magnet; i.e. is the selected magnet strong enough to lift the plate?.

If you have a small flexible mechanic's magnet tool that will work, so much the better. Expect to have a little frustration "diddling" if that plate is laying on or against the birdcage. If the magnet doesn't work, and I wouldn't give up on it quickly, a last resort 'fish' tool could be made from a coat hanger or stiff wire with a "hook" on it. The odds of hooking it with a piece of wire are REALLY a long shot. I haven't looked at it real carefully, but you may find the "fishing" easier if you remove the interior rear quarter panel trim, and "fish" from the top for more of a straight line shot.

When you manage to 'fish' the plate up to the switch hole, use your finger through the body mount cavity hole to line up the switch hole in the plate with the switch hole in the fiberglass, and stick a Phillips screwdriver through the switch hole into the body mount cavity to keep the plate from falling back down. Then take a nail (8 penny should work), and align one of the rivet holes in the plate and the fiberglass. Using your pop-rivet tool, hold the plate in position from the rear with your finger and install the first pop-rivet. Do a little shopping and find pop rivets that are close in appearance to the original pop rivets, and has proper length to grip the plate AND the fiberglass. Once you have one pop rivet in place, install the second pop rivet using the same procedure.

I can't see any reason why it won't work. :D

Parts...seat belt carpet grommet; I have no information on this part...Park brake handle; NOS? You can fagettaboutit. They are extinct as far as I can tell. Look for a mint used (also on the endangered list and almost impossible to find). No repro available.


[Modified by Chuck Sangerhausen, 10:25 PM 7/23/2002]

 

NASTY LITTLE JOB!! Not just for you, it happens to everybody. Not quite sure what you mean by access panels. Jack up the car, remove the rear wheel and remove the 3 x 4 inch plate in the front of the rear fender well. That will get you in there. Gives you plenty of room, more than a few "fingers" worth. As ChuckS said, try to fish it out. You MIGHT have to remove the interior quarter trim panels. Be careful unscrewing these switches, as often, you'll spin the wiring harness and break it. Then you get to repair the wiring too. You'll also need to buy a set of those "fish hook" wiring connectors for the switches. Original switches have an SX logo on the end of the plunger.

Nobody repro's the carpet grommets. Many people don't know what you're talking about when you ask for them. Your only choices are to rummage the flea markets, where you can usually pick them up for about $10.00 each, or you can try calling some of the used parts dealers. The catalog places don't have them. Buy any color you can find, as they can be dyed to match your carpet. These grommets are rubber, and are fairly big. They're about 8-9 inches long and 2-3 inches wide.

NOS E Brake handle??? I've been looking for one for years. No such animal. It's tough if not impossible to find a used one in good or even reasonable condition. I investigated trying to have the plastic chrome re-done. Couldn't find a place to do it. Best "deal" I could find was a place that would plate the ENTIRE black plastic handle, then I would have to "black out" the non-chrome areas. The cost to do the entire plastic handle was about $250.00 as I recall. Hope this helps. Chuck

 

Thanks Chucks :D

Chuck G, I have the 3 x 4 plates out, but there is still part of the birdcage in the way of the switch. There is a little hole in the birdcage that you can get one finger in. This is a pic from inside the body mount opening.



I already have the interior panels off (along with the rest of the interior), but there is metal in the way there too.



Here is the damage the spinning backing plate caused.



:eek:

I think I will try Chuck S' magnet trick to get the backing plate up. On the driver's side, both rivets are broken also, but since the switch has yet to be unscrewed, I can use it to turn the backing plate to line up the holes and pop in new rivets. After the new rivets are in, there should be enough strength to get the switch unscrewed. I am not worried about the wires, as I am replacing the rear harness. For some reason, the driver's side switch pin was smashed sideways, and neither switch has worked as long as I have had the car.

On the carpet grommet issue.....what a bummer! I have my old used ones, but they are SO wavy they aren't really usable. I have a late C3 parking brake handle in there now, but it's currently missing it's button since it one day went flying out after I replaced the brake. It was a whole 6 months old. :rolleyes:

Thanks again guys. :cheers:

AC

 

I recall being able to get my mitts/fingers in through the access cover....the 3x4 plate, and getting to it that way. But, I'm a dentist in my real life, and I'm pretty good with my hands (no pun intended) The damage you show in the door jamb is the typical "spin the nutplate" damage you see. I had to repair both of mine...drivers and passengers side.

Regarding the grommets, could you heat them up with a hair dryer and remove some of the waviness? They're pretty heavy chunks of plastic. Chuck


[Modified by Chuck Gongloff, 6:11 PM 7/24/2002]

 

AC, I don't recall the harness wires to the switch passing through the body mount cavity like is shown in the first of your pictures...Is that the way it supposed to be?

Even then, I believe I would make several applications of penetrating oil to the switch threads over a several day period before I attempted to unscrew the switch. Apply just a few drops each time to avoid soaking the fiberglass inside and out with oil; it could cause you problems later if the car is repainted.

 

I think I remember having some difficulty fishing the switch though as well. I used the wheel well access. The magnet suggestion sounds like a good one. As far as removing the switch from the loose plate...
How about lining the plate up to where it was originally rivited. then drill out one of the broken rivets. Then stick a drill bit though to hold it while you loosen the switch.

 

Chuck S, I am sure that is the way they were mounted from the factory. There was still factory blue overspray on the rivets and switch, and the tape for the wire I believe is original as well. I actually had the camera upside down when I took the pic inside the body mount opening. It looks like they are two pictures of the same grommet. They aren't, they are two seperate grommets. The wire first goes through the grommet in the second pic, then passes through the body mount cavity, then through the second grommet in the first pic (imagine the picture flipped around), THEN to the body. There are two metal pieces with grommets in them. They are on either side of the body mount. The plate fell between the outer metal piece and the fiberglass body. That cavity is very small, and it will be hard for me to fish the plate up into position, but I think I have to. I can't put a new plate in through that hole....it's too small.

AC

 

A C, I am very interested in this thread. I need to replace a shot driver's side door ajar switch, too. Hope things go smoothly for you from here on out. Thanks for the information.

 

Hey guys....



and



Woohoo! :cheers:

I used the flexible magnet to retrieve the backing plate. That took about half an hour to retrieve (with one drop of the plate in there as well). I then stuck a screwdriver through the center whole like Chuck S said. Then I stuck my finger in through the backside and held it there until I could screw in the old door ajar switch to hold it from falling down. I then drilled out both rivet holes, as there were still pieces of the rivets in there. After that I put in new rivets, and that's it! The drivers side was easier, as all I had to do was drill out the old rivets and install new ones to hold the plate strong enough for me to get the old switch out. I am now all set for new switches (and later paint)! :D

AC

 

AC, Your certificate identifying you as a FCR "Certified Jamb Switch Replacement Technician" is in the mail...NOT! Congratulations. :D :D

Looks like the right side switch hole got "wallered out" a little. Before paint, you may want to consider removing the switch (again?), stripping the area around the switch hole, grinding the damaged area, masking off the rivet heads, and applying some little pieces and mat and resin over the damaged area.

Before I applied resin, which could ruin the switch threads, I believe I would carefully apply grease to fill the threads. Don't get ANY grease on the surrounding fiberglass, or your new repair won't stick. You will probably have to re-drill the switch hole afterwards, so better figure out how to locate the center of the hole, and buy a proper size hole saw (I think you can get one that small).

After the hole is re-drilled, hand sand the area to smooth and blend the repair until it is invisible. A little body filler may help. You could simply use body filler on the damaged area, but I am not sure the body filler would stay for the long haul.

 

Like BlueL36, I'm interested in this thread as my passenger's door ajar switch has ceased operation and since I'm not all that delighted with having a red light glowing from my console, I'll be looking at this procedure sometime soon. Very soon. :cuss