26 replies to this topic

[richmondclassicsnorthwales]

Fair enough - but again buy a Lucas branded and not a cheap switch, these have being known to fall apart while fitting them

 

Part number SMB241 amongst most other equivalents

[Spider]

I've fabricated and welded in brackets for the clutch pedal, similar to our factory brackets, but it does require removal of the pedal box to do this.

 

I've seen some that have been drilled and had a simple bracket screwed in, but there's very very little room to get a drill in there that this too would likely require pedal box removal to carry out.

 

I don't think the UK factory bracket will just 'screw in to' a MKI box as there's no holes for it.

 

There doesn't seem a simple way of skinning this cat !

[beardylondon]

thank you, I think you mean SMB421?

 

Fair enough - but again buy a Lucas branded and not a cheap switch, these have being known to fall apart while fitting them

 

Part number SMB241 amongst most other equivalents

[beardylondon]

Thanks.  I'm aware of the need to drill a hole, as obviously there's no hole on a Mk1 pedal box.  A right angled drill adapter should do it.

 

this thread is the only place I can find a clear photo of what the switch looks like close up, shouldn't be too hard to make up the bracket.

 

https://www.northame...ml#&gid=1&pid=1

 

Question when I touch the two wires together to activate the brake lights, they are way more brighter than usual, I guess more current is getting to the bulbs. Should I fit a resistor to stop the bulbs blowing?

 

I've fabricated and welded in brackets for the clutch pedal, similar to our factory brackets, but it does require removal of the pedal box to do this.

 

I've seen some that have been drilled and had a simple bracket screwed in, but there's very very little room to get a drill in there that this too would likely require pedal box removal to carry out.

 

I don't think the UK factory bracket will just 'screw in to' a MKI box as there's no holes for it.

 

There doesn't seem a simple way of skinning this cat !

Edited by beardylondon, 24 February 2019 - 07:10 PM.

[richmondclassicsnorthwales]

That's the one 

[beardylondon]

Just bumping this, is anyone good with wiring? When converting from hydraulic brake light switch to the electric brake light switch switch, should I wire in a resister of some sort? My thinking being, when I touch the two wires together, the brake lights are much brighter than normal, on the hydraulic switch.

[gazza82]

Probably find the circuit through the old switch was poor causing the voltage drop. You want them bright!

[beardylondon]

Yes I do want them bright for sure, just worried about new wiring blowing the bulbs!

[beardylondon]

So the short version is, if you haven't read the above, I wanted to convert my Mk1 from a Hydraulic brake light switch to an Electric brake light switch, as per the post 1976 cars. After finding out none of the parts are currently available to mount an electric brake light switch in car that never had one originally, my Dad kindly offered to make me a bracket. He thought rather than copy the original, which we only had one photo of, he decided to make something that would clamp on and be held by three 5mm grub screws. We used some scrap aluminium (hence the machined lines), which we bent to suit. Then tapped the 1/2" 20UNF thread for the switch and also tapped the threads for the grub screws and after some fiddling it all works as it should. We could of taken a bit more of the aluminium away and made it smaller, but it's not on show, so not an issue.

 

Using the grub screws obviously meant we didn't have to drill a new hole in an awkward position in the pedal box, or remove it. I used a genuine Lucas switch and the correct nut, both from eBay. For the wiring I used some 2 core cable for 12V, that already had a thin black PVC sleeve and ran the cable from the engine bay into the cabin.

 

Overall I'm very happy, as well has never having to worry about the old Hydraulic switch failing, the brake lights are much brighter. It's a win win as they say.

 

 

 

 

[InnoCooperExport]

Nice one! The hydraulic switches are a pain in the bum, we´ve had quite a few fail on my dad´s MGA over the past few years. The thinking in the MGA club seems to be that it´s silicone brakefluid that causes them to gummy up and become useless. Could be that other modern brakefluid formulations cause the same issue?

[KernowCooper]

Thanks all.

Looks like Lucas still make one, that’s probably the one to go for

Its only Lucas by name, made in the far east,Lucas as we knew it in the UK is long gone, tread carefully on Lucas branded stuff these days

[richmondclassicsnorthwales]

Made under licence - and what I find is the Lucas branded items do have a better quality about them - I know exactly what you mean though

 

I find items do last longer than a - cheap - non boxed item and have had no problems with quality or failure.

 

Nothing lasts like it did years ago, I still have valve radios from the 40,s and they are still working fine,  new items 4 years ago and branded - and knackered !

 

The UK make next to nothing now, can't even produce our own veg without produce of Spain Portugal, Kenya - you pick a country hitting the aisles

 

Great Hampton Street in Hockley and Lucas in Perry Barr - distant memories of a marvellous British marque

Edited by richmondclassicsnorthwales, 09 March 2019 - 09:15 PM.