What is the switch for? I found it under the passenger carpeting, and the green wiring goes into the same harness as the overdrive wires. It's a spring switch, ie when i push one end of the bar it will spring back when i let go. I know i should know it, but I don't...
looks like the reversing light switch to me. It should be attached to the transmission tunnel behind the hole for the gear lever, if memory serves correctly, and be actuated by a spring that attaches to the gear lever. I did upload a picture of my transmission tunnel with switch attached when Gary S asked a similar question some years ago - but the picture seems to have disappeared! I'll try to find it and re-upload it here. Hope that helps!
I think your car does have a reversing light - unless you've changed it since you acquired the car! The number plate light attached to the bootlid illuminates the numberplate from below - but also has a lens facing directly rearwards....which is, of course the reversing light! Now that you know about it, you have yet another job to add to the never-ending list!
Those Peerless boys thought of pretty much everything you could require on a car!
So, does it work when you actuate the switch - or is further diagnosis required? And if it does work, does it provide worthwhile rearward illumination?
I can't currently access the photo I uploaded for Gary S some years ago, as my previous PC is playing awkward. I can take a picture of the switch on my transmission tunnel to show you the location (though yours should have two bolt holes behind the hole for the gear lever to indicate the correct position). I had a look at my transmission tunnel yesterday - and I'm sure there was a spring attached to the switch when I photographed it previously, but it's not there now. So unless I can regain access to the photo I took before, I'll have to leave it to someone else here to guide you as to what you'll require!
I managed to get my old PC fired up - and located the photographs! And my spring isn't missing but is attached still to the gearbox selector shaft (so that's a relief)!
I'm afraid that the last image is not as sharp as it could be, and doesn't show the attachment to the selector shaft very clearly. Let me know if you need a clearer photo and I'll head out to the garage to take a better focused image. I can also obtain some dimensions of the spring at the same time, if that would be useful? (I am of course assuming that my spring is the original fitting, which it may not be - perhaps other members will have further thoughts?)
Tom, this is really interesting. I know I don't have a switch on my transmission tunnel and I'm fairly certain I don't have a spring hanging from under the selector either. I'm sure I'd be able to find both or suitable alternatives but how on earth does a spring hanging from the bottom of the selector mechanism attach to a switch attached to the top of the transmission tunnel?
From your photos, I cannot see how that would work nor do I understand the purpose of the spring. Is the reversing light switch activated by the gear leaver itself when put in reverse?
Any help would be much appreciated as I had no idea a reversing light was part of the original set up. I've looked at my wiring diagram and see that there is indeed a reversing light however, my car was partly dismantled on purchase and I now believe this (along with many other small parts including the throttle and choke linkage) has probably gone missing.
the spring takes "the give" in the connection between the switch and the sector.
I think I made a little bracket for the switch and mounted it on the tail of the gearbox so I can take the tunnel off and leave it all connected. annnd yes, they seem to have hooked the spring on the inside of the gearbox tunnel to the
switch on the outside to the tunnel! I'm guessing it was under the "witches hat" gear stick cover and under the carpet.....very refined!
Thanks Nigel for the additional explanation - your refinement of the arrangement with a bracket does sound a great improvement....have you by any chance a pic with the transmission tunnel off? Having to disconnect the two wires and then get the spring unhooked does sound a pain - not to mention the unexplained lump under the carpet!
I braved the icy conditions in the garage to see whether I could take a photo that would explain matters better, Mike. My spring, I now find, has broken in the past and been wired into the selector shaft (so not much good for accurate dimensions - too cold out there tonight for such pastimes in any case!). The switch is a Lucas switch but I couldn't find any other identification to help narrow down the search. A quick look online seems to suggest that it's a Lucas 22B switch available on eBay for £13.25 here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/99-0725-TRIUMPH-T120-TR6-T90-T100-T110-LUCAS-TYPE-REAR-BRAKE-LIGHT-SWITCH-22B/112837956033 (though I think that's actually a repro one).
Here's a better photo of the spring and its attachment:
And here's a picture of the transmission tunnel in situ with the spring lining up with the switch (I'd have to say that I prefer the look of Nigel's carpeted version above though, and wish mine looked like that!).
Great pics, gents. I'll visit the car and check what I have. Pretty sure there's no spring but will look for evidence of mounting holes on the tunnel cover
Mike, I had a look on the Holden Vintage and Classic website but couldn't locate the switch last night. It would appear that the correct designation of the switch is 5033234 - and a search on the Holden site for that number brings up this item: https://www.holden.co.uk/displayproduct.asp?pCode=5033234/R - so that's another source of the switch (with possibly more reliable quality?).
Gents, I don't think I used that type of switch,....I used....a non standard one
i found one at an auto jumble that just had a leaver arm which was easier to connect and BTW the wired on spring is the correct factory fitment, mine was the same and all the "other" cars I have owned/looked at ...ha haa
Tom. Thanks for the additional link. You're right. I think the Holden switch will probably be of a better quality so I'll go for that one.
Nigel. Non-standard switch? A slippery slope, my friend
Now, what were you saying about my non-standard heater??
Might as well add a quick update. Handbrake is now working perfectly after a bit of lateral thinking and I'm currently in the process of constructing an 'A' frame jig on which I hope to manufacture my new one. Then it's on with the gearbox re-build which is why the above was of particular interest.