[Guest]

So I finally got the new ignition switch and the `on-off-acc' bezel in however,,,I cant seem to get a good enough grip on the bezel to lock it in place...this means as I turn the key to start the engine she will start but I can't shut her down using the key cause the switch assembly turns along with the key. Spinning round and round

Anyone out there in VMV land thats done this `minor' fix knowns what Im facing here.

Is there a sure fire way or at least a perferred way to get a good grip on the bezel to engage the switch sufficiently to lock in place?

Everything I can think of using just scratches up the dash and ends up not working anyway.

This leavs me having to pull the coil wire to shut down the engine which is not a very attractive alternative to getting this done right.

I would appreciate hearing from all you guys on this, so please weigh in with your words of wisdom or encouragement.
Your experience in overcoming this problem would be appreciated.

I love my Mustang and I love this forum

Bill in Maine
66'vert/302

 

[johnpro]

What keeps the switch from turning is the the 2 "notches" in the dash and 2 small plastic pins in the bezel that go into them. If the pins have been broken off of the bezel, or the dash is messed up so the bezel can't catch in the notches, it will rotate causing your problem.

On my '66 a PO had mutilated my dash, apparently trying to remove the ignition switch and having no clue as to what he was doing. The dash looks fine with the switch in place, but it has your problem of rotating. I opted for the easy way out, instead of removing the entire metal dash and re-welding one in for this minor problem:

I took a large hose clamp and put it around the base of the ignition switch. Then I used wire to wire from the hose clamp to dash pillars behind the instrument cluster. You need a wire (and it should be a fairly stiff wire and must be very tight) running in 2 different directions to prevent it from rotating either way. I've had mine set up like that for years now, and noone ever knows, since it's totally invisible until the instrument cluster is out.

 

[Guest]

There are slots in the dash that the tabs in the bezel fit into. I believe there is one small slot and one larger one to prevent the bezel from being installed upside down.

If you already knew all of that and are actually having problems getting all of the switch parts back together and in the slots at the same time then try removing the instrument cluster and doing it through there. You can push the switch from the back, turn it and hold the bezel all at once with the cluster removed. It takes about 30 seconds and you spare the hurt hands/standing on your head associated with doing it from below.