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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Interior light switches

Now that longer hours of darkness are looming, I've been vaguely thinking of reinstating the door operated courtesy light switches.
The PO who restored the car left these out, and it's not obvious on my car where they were sited.
Please can anyone help with a photo showing their position?
Thanks!
Dominic Excell

Dominic

Inside the area of the A post there SHOULD be a small squarish metal box with a hole in it, the door closes against the switch that protrudes from it.

I think many A post repairers miss them out from what I've seen.

But they are only on some later cars anyway, Lara didn't get them in '66.

I don't know when the lights were fitted, Horler and some other answerer will be able to help though.
Bill1

78 has them
Dave Squire (1500)

The normal system has a pretty miserly little lamp under the centre of the dash. I fitted a couple of 3w filament lamps behind the dash where they are screened from view, but cast a good light down into the footwells. This gives a better light where its needed, without dazzling one as you get into the car.
Guy W

as my previous Spridget didn't have a courtesy light I actually know a (very) little about this and how dark a black interior is at night when you're out in a village with no street lighting

courtesy light came in 1970 (I had a '69 car) I'd only guess that you got the boot light at the same time

as the day has a 'y' in it I'm going to disagree with Guy and say the centre light hanging from the middle of the front edge of the dash gives plenty of light (even allowing for the modern equivalent bulb being 5w instead of 6w) without dazzling (but I've got brown eyes, don't need to wear sunglasses - and don't have cataracts)
Nigel Atkins

Yes Bill that "box" is in situ - but no switches attached. The rivnuts for the door check straps intrude into it a little way. I guess there's room for switches too if I can source some. I just missed out on a pair of N.O.S. ones on ebay tonight.
Dominic Excell

Dom,
unless you particularly want NOS (and then how old is old stock?) they're pretty standard items available from all the usual suspects plus one of Bill's favourites Leacy
Nigel Atkins

I have been trying to get my door switches to work on my 79. The usual fix is spraying WD into the push switches and woking them until they contact again. Can't get the WD in there without the red "straw" due to the way the door hangs over the push switches, and it looks like the only way to change them is to pull the door off the body.
Bob Ketcham

forget WD40 (and for using it as a good releasing/penetrating fluid) it won't deal with the possible corrosion in there - someone your side of the pond put about using something called something like (?) corrision-x(?)
Nigel Atkins

If the switch isn't working because the plastic plunger is sticking, then WD40 will do very well. But if it is corrosion of the electrical terminals or the point of contact with the metal of the body tub, then you will probably need to remove the switch to dismantle and clean those terminals and an electrical contact cleaner will work better than WD40. But oftentimes WD40 will sort out just a sticking switch.
Guy W

This thread was discussed between 01/09/2013 and 04/09/2013

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