Door light switches

[michael pavon]

good Morning everybody


I have a quick question for you guys,
hopefully somebody can help me here I am trying to install door switches to turn on/off interior lights, my question is if any of you guys have done these, what kind-brand-model switch should I look for? because the fiberglass base area is thicker this could be a tricky situation and also the gap between the door and post is unique.....anyhow it's always better to ask how to do something than to try to invent it all over again. ( at least from the time point of view :P )

as always have a great day!!

Mike

[Gumball]

Mike,

I thought about doing that and was going to use reproduction switches from a '65 / ' 66 Mustang - available at most restoration places. Instead, I just wired mine to the interior light position on the headlamp switch. These cars are small enough that you can just reach in and turn that on before or as you step into the car, giving you and your passenger some light to find and connect the seat belts.

[JIMOCO]

I met with another Cobra owner last Saturday and he had switches mounted on the frame that were triggered by the door. I believe he used an alarm switch on the frame and a small piece of aluminum angle bracket on the top of the hinge. His lighting was led strips on the bottom of the dash for the interior and bottom of the doors to light the ground. I have sent him an email to get the specifics because I am thinking of doing the same thing. I will let you know what I find out. In the meantime, take a look at these. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0148G6EEM...MQPQBXACMB2QP1

[edwardb]

Mike,

I thought about doing that and was going to use reproduction switches from a '65 / ' 66 Mustang - available at most restoration places. Instead, I just wired mine to the interior light position on the headlamp switch. These cars are small enough that you can just reach in and turn that on before or as you step into the car, giving you and your passenger some light to find and connect the seat belts.

X2 on this. I too thought about switches on the doors, but ended up using only the headlight switch. The real world is that we don't drive the car at night nearly as often as a DD. So having to reach in is no big deal. Another benefit of using the headlight switch is it can be turned and used any time while in the car. We use it occasionally when light is needed on the passenger side, like as a map light or whatever. Probably the best solution I've seen if you do go ahead with door switches is use the hinge to push a pin switch. Not the doors themselves. Separate subject, but I have found having a trunk light switched by a pin switch is useful.

[JIMOCO]

I agree with edwardb. My plan is to use the door switches to light the interior and bottom of the doors and also connect the head light switch to the interior lights only. This way I have the best of both worlds.

[michael pavon]

X2 on this. I too thought about switches on the doors, but ended up using only the headlight switch. The real world is that we don't drive the car at night nearly as often as a DD. So having to reach in is no big deal. Another benefit of using the headlight switch is it can be turned and used any time while in the car. We use it occasionally when light is needed on the passenger side, like as a map light or whatever. Probably the best solution I've seen if you do go ahead with door switches is use the hinge to push a pin switch. Not the doors themselves. Separate subject, but I have found having a trunk light switched by a pin switch is useful.

Thank you for the input, definitely i need to explore whats out there

Mike

[michael pavon]

Mike,

I thought about doing that and was going to use reproduction switches from a '65 / ' 66 Mustang - available at most restoration places. Instead, I just wired mine to the interior light position on the headlamp switch. These cars are small enough that you can just reach in and turn that on before or as you step into the car, giving you and your passenger some light to find and connect the seat belts.

Gumball,

Thank you for the input
have a great day!!
Mike

[michael pavon]

X2 on this. I too thought about switches on the doors, but ended up using only the headlight switch. The real world is that we don't drive the car at night nearly as often as a DD. So having to reach in is no big deal. Another benefit of using the headlight switch is it can be turned and used any time while in the car. We use it occasionally when light is needed on the passenger side, like as a map light or whatever. Probably the best solution I've seen if you do go ahead with door switches is use the hinge to push a pin switch. Not the doors themselves. Separate subject, but I have found having a trunk light switched by a pin switch is useful.

Thank you for your input!!

Mike

[Gumball]

... and to add, I also included a dash-mounted map light to the far passenger side of the dash. The light and switch came from the Moss Motors MG catalog and were originally intended for the MGA model line. The light is wired into harness in a way that it will only operate when the headlamp switch is on (both in parking light or headlight mode), which helps avoid the issue of someone turning it on by mistake and draining the battery.

[Norm B]

I installed door switches and used the function on the light switch. Because of the fiberglass body and the varying door gaps I made a tab to go on the top hinge and used a grounding pin switch on the tab on the 2x2 frame.

HTH

Norm

[Avalanche325]

I am another thought about it, but just did the headlight switch. I was going to mount everything around the hinge area. Then having to do tabs to actuate the switches was getting too messy so I never did it. Honestly, I don't miss it at all. I think I have turned on my courtesy lights 2 times in 7000 miles.

There are magnetic switches that might make for a cleaner installation than pin switches.

[DaleG]

Mike, I have a set I did not use; stand-alone: open door, footbox lights come on, close door, they go off. Painless 80181: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/prf-80181. Scoped it out and it will work with the roadster....drill a hole, adjust, wire, done. Use strip lights like supplied with the kit, but get blue ones.

I ended-up going with a digital ignition system that caters for automatically turning footbox lights on when you approach the vehicle with the key fob. The blue lights stay on (as in daily driver) until you walk away from the car.

You are welcome to the Painless set for $50, postage included. If they don't work for you, send them back (you pay return postage). If they work for you, then pay.

Cheers. Dale

[j.miller]

STEREO SHOP! You can do it with a remote on your key phob.just like an alarm...da Bat

[first time builder]

I made up brackets like Norm did and made aluminum light buckets to mount under dash and used extra dash light bulbs. They also operate with headlamp switch.

Kenny

[carlewms]

You can find the solution I used ....

http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...hts#post185177

I recommend using the hinge ... avoids any concerns about the door position. I did not wire them thru the light switch because I have other lights for map reading, etc.

[DaleG]

Carl's method is right on the target. Brilliant! Low $ too.