GT Interior light switch

[mattinoz]

The installation of my GT interior light is progressing well having just rebuilt the light fitting terminal posts and fabricated some "new" buttons for the slider switch. Thankfully I had 1 button as a reference to model the other 3 from. I was able to purchase a small plastic moulding from my local rubber shop (Clarke Rubber) and trim it's length then fill the hollow interior with an apoxy filler. A very workable solution and difficult to tell from the original.

View attachment 2390fabricated button
View attachment 2389 original button

I've now got 2 complete light fittings although they are clearly of different periods with one having a metal slider the other plastic. Now that I've received a pair of door switches from the UK the only question remaining is which door hinge screw postion did these switches occupy?

 

[alpine_64]

The installation of my GT interior light is progressing well having just rebuilt the light fitting terminal posts and fabricated some "new" buttons for the slider switch. Thankfully I had 1 button as a reference to model the other 3 from. I was able to purchase a small plastic moulding from my local rubber shop (Clarke Rubber) and trim it's length then fill the hollow interior with an apoxy filler. A very workable solution and difficult to tell from the original.

View attachment 2390fabricated button
View attachment 2389 original button

I've now got 2 complete light fittings although they are clearly of different periods with one having a metal slider the other plastic. Now that I've received a pair of door switches from the UK the only question remaining is which door hinge screw postion did these switches occupy?

Matt not sure which is the original door switch location (as in which srew they went in to) but, i dont thin k that lamp is the orignial GT one. They used those as an option on imps and other rootes cars.. IIRC the correct one for a GT didnt have a slider switch, it was operated by the doors alone..

that said.. the one you have is far more practical!

 

[mattinoz]

Thanks Michael, however I do take issue with you regarding the manual switch. The S5 Owners handbook says in part (pg12) Interior Lamp Switch (if fitted) Mounted on the side of the interior lamp. The lamp comes on automatically when either front door is opened. The lamp can be switched on by hand when the doors are shut......
Also the S5 wiring diagram refers to Interior Lamp and Switch (GT Models Only) The reference to a side mounted switch is a good clue, but as we all know things change and sometimes without printed material reflecting these changes.

Is it possible there was a change on the S5 GT as the S4 wiring diagrams refers to an interior lamp only, no switch?

You may be correct that my lamp is not the correct one but it does have the correct screw mounts and voids to accommodate the mirror bracket so unless Imps and other rootes cars used the same mirror mount then it may well be correct.
View attachment 2391

Anyway I like it, it works, fits correctly and looks the part.

 

[alpine_64]

Thanks Michael, however I do take issue with you regarding the manual switch. The S5 Owners handbook says in part (pg12) Interior Lamp Switch (if fitted) Mounted on the side of the interior lamp. The lamp comes on automatically when either front door is opened. The lamp can be switched on by hand when the doors are shut......
Also the S5 wiring diagram refers to Interior Lamp and Switch (GT Models Only) The reference to a side mounted switch is a good clue, but as we all know things change and sometimes without printed material reflecting these changes.

Is it possible there was a change on the S5 GT as the S4 wiring diagrams refers to an interior lamp only, no switch?

You may be correct that my lamp is not the correct one but it does have the correct screw mounts and voids to accommodate the mirror bracket so unless Imps and other rootes cars used the same mirror mount then it may well be correct.
View attachment 2391

Anyway I like it, it works, fits correctly and looks the part.

Matt it may be the case with the SV.. but from what i have seen the SCGT's didnt have the switch on the body of the lamp either. I will check some stuff tonight..

As i said the lamp was also an opional "interior lamp" and all of those had the switch as you have, as for the imps and minx etc.. yes they had the screw mounts for the mirror in the same spot. As i said.. either way, i think your version is more practical ;-)

 

[Rootes 66]

Michael
I've had a fair few of these lamps from IVa's and V's and they all have the switch, I don't recollect seeing one that hasn't. There are variations on the switches internals but external appearence they all look similar. The owners handbook for the IV & V both mention switching with the doors closed as an option and looking at the parts books all indications are the switch is present.
Might be another IV - IVa changeover mod as they went on to some IVa automatic ST
Pete

 

[alpine_64]

Michael
I've had a fair few of these lamps from IVa's and V's and they all have the switch, I don't recollect seeing one that hasn't. There are variations on the switches internals but external appearence they all look similar. The owners handbook for the IV & V both mention switching with the doors closed as an option and looking at the parts books all indications are the switch is present.
Might be another IV - IVa changeover mod as they went on to some IVa automatic ST
Pete

Pete to clarify,

The interior light was introduced on the S3 GT, and was standard fitment on all GT cars S3, IV and V. On all GT's it operated as a ""courtesy light" via the screw switches mounted in the hinges as the door is opened

When installed on a ST car they were likely to have been operated via the switch, as i mentioned i know as an option they had the switch on the light body (i have several of these NOS in the box) but they are an option, on the standard GT I am quite sure they are from the door only.. but if im wrong im happy to learn a bit more..

 

[Harrington Jan]

Sorry Mike,
On both of my S3 GT there are the sliding swich + door switch monted on the driver side on the bottom hinge. I've had one car from new.

 

[John Boggis]

Michael you are correct in that all GT Alpines were fitted with the courtesy light as standard. (see pics below) This is activated when opening the door and goes off once the door is closed... you then use the slider to switch the lamp on or off.
As far as ST models are concerned the courtesy light was not offererd as one of the Rootes dealer accessories. so any courtesy light installed on a ST model is not actually correct.

 

[Rootes 66]

John
Quote "As far as ST models are concerned the courtesy light was not offererd as one of the Rootes dealer accessories. so any courtesy light installed on a ST model is not actually correct."
If you look in your parts book you'll notice they were fitted as standard to Series IVa Automatic ST s from B94100487
Pete

 

[65beam]

GT light

the GT lights were available from the dealers. on another note,i would like to see a series 5GT. they were never sold here in the states.

 

[John Boggis]

John
Quote "As far as ST models are concerned the courtesy light was not offererd as one of the Rootes dealer accessories. so any courtesy light installed on a ST model is not actually correct."
If you look in your parts book you'll notice they were fitted as standard to Series IVa Automatic ST s from B94100487
Pete

Pete,a bit of a strange one this... I can see what you are looking at in the parts book but it says Series IV and V soft top automatic from 94100487.

Well we know that a series V was not available in auto so i'm a bit confused why they would offer it just on late series IV autos but not offer it as a Rootes accessory on ST cars...am i reading this correct ? what do you think they mean ?

 

[John Boggis]

the GT lights were available from the dealers. on another note,i would like to see a series 5GT. they were never sold here in the states.

Bob you may have been able to buy the roof lamps as a replacment part but they were never sold as a Rootes accessory. Pity they never sold the Series V GT in the states, as this model had a really good specification.

 

[Ed109]

My UK SV GT has the switch on the lamp (and the wiring routed through the windscreen rubber to answer another post).

Pushed one way, only the opening of the doors will actuate the light. If the doors are closed, pushing switch the other way turns it on.

That's a fine tip on how to remanufacture the rubber end stop.

Cheers.

 

[alpine_64]

Well this is interesting.. i can think of 4 SIVGT's locally that dont have the switch on the body of the lamp.. seems odd they all got replaced with that part.. but these things happen, and availability of parts of the last 45+ years will bring up changes..

I wonder if it was a different spec for our market.. ? Anyway.. i guess its time to replace the no switch one with a switchable one.. lucky i have them in stock

 

[65beam]

GT light

john,
you need to keep in mind that maybe 99.9% of the cars shipped to the states were bare bone cars with no add ons. many of the cars going to jacksonville didn't have heaters since they were intended to be sold in the sunny south. optional rootes items along with many aftermarket items were added on by the dealers. the cars were sent to distributors that sold the cars to the dealers. for that reason a lot of your reasoning doesn't apply to stateside cars. understand that anything could be added to a car when sold, making added on rootes items original to those cars if installed by the dealer even though they were not a factory installed item or were or were not in your factory brochure. this was probably true for all imports at that time. give some thought to the fact that what may have been right in your part of the world was not being done here in the states since dealers worked under a master dealer.

 

[John Boggis]

john,
you need to keep in mind that maybe 99.9% of the cars shipped to the states were bare bone cars with no add ons. many of the cars going to jacksonville didn't have heaters since they were intended to be sold in the sunny south. optional rootes items along with many aftermarket items were added on by the dealers. the cars were sent to distributors that sold the cars to the dealers. for that reason a lot of your reasoning doesn't apply to stateside cars. understand that anything could be added to a car when sold, making added on rootes items original to those cars if installed by the dealer even though they were not a factory installed item or were or were not in your factory brochure. this was probably true for all imports at that time. give some thought to the fact that what may have been right in your part of the world was not being done here in the states since dealers worked under a master dealer.

Bob
What you need to keep in mind is that every car that went to the US is listed at the archive centre here in the UK with its build and specification. The way the Rootes dealerships worked here in the UK were no different to those in America. All Alpines had very few optional extras available from the factory, everything else including heaters etc were Rootes dealer accessories, fitted by the dealer. I enclose an extract from an article that Ian Spencer wrote some time ago, which gives an insight into how cars could be delivered from the factory and the Rootes optional accessories that could be fitted at any time afterwards. This was the same procedure in the UK as the US:

Ian Spencer: Optional Extras & Special Accessories

"Believe it or not, there is a slight difference between Optional Extras and Special Accessories. Optional Extras were available at extra cost and were provided by the factory with a vehicle order. Special Accessories, featured in the Rootes Special Accessories Brochures, could be purchased or ordered from the dealership at any time before or after the car was delivered. Some Optional Extra's were also considered Special Accessories, like the hard top, heater and radio, BUT Special Accessories aren't to be considered Optional Extras. Special Accessories were only available through a Rootes dealership. A vehicle arriving at the Rootes dealership was not loaded with accessories. It was up to the dealer to add accessories to a car at their own discretion, prior to putting a vehicle on the lot.

Rootes Optional Extras (To be specified at time of vehicle order. Factory installed.)

Hard top (Standard equipment on GTs)
Overdrive Transmission
Radio (Ecko, Pye, Radiomobile)
Heater (Standard equipment on GTs)
Wire wheels
Road speed tyres
White wall tyres
Auto transmission Series IV


Special Accessories (To be purchased or ordered through Rootes dealership. Dealer installed.)

Ammeter kit
Anti mist panel or Demister kit (Hard tops only)
Automatic boot lamp
Auxiliary control panel
Auxiliary fog lamp
Auxiliary driving lamp
Axle kit (Disc wheels) 25 spline
Badge bar
Badge bar mounting bracket
Badge clip, screw fixing
Badge clip, pillar stud fixing
Battery charger
Bonnet flash or motif
Boot floor mat
Blower kit
Brush on paint
Cigar lighter
Cockpit cover (tonneau)
Door / wing mirror, convex glass
Door / wing mirror, flat glass
Electric clock
Engine oil cooler kit
Fire extinguisher, 8oz.
Fire extinguisher, 16oz.
Gear lever lock kit
Hard top (Standard equipment on GTs)
Heater and demister kit (Standard equipment on GTs)
Interior cleaner
Interior sunvisor kit (Standard equipment on GTs)
Lamp carriers
Liquid polish
Luggage grid
Map pocket
Micro-element air cleaner
Mud Flaps
Multipurpose cushion
Owner's handbooks
Parking light
Petrol tank locking kit
Radiator blind
Radio (Ecko, Pye, Radiomobile)
Radio antenna wing mirror
Rear seat cushion
Rebound wing mirror, convex glass
Rebound wing mirror, flat glass
Reverse lamp kit
Safety belt, 3 point
Safety belt, lap strap
Seat covers
Switch kit, driving / fog lamp
Tool kit
Tyre inflator
Under bonnet lamp kit
Windscreen washer
Workshop manuals"

 

[65beam]

GT light

john,
you need to open the parts book and go to the SPECIAL ACCESSORIES section. complete hardtops ,radios, heater,etc,etc, were available thru dealers. you did not have to order the cars with these items. just go to the dealer and buy the item. it was that simple! you could order GT steering wheels, GT dash, anything that you wanted for these cars.

 

[John Boggis]

john,
you need to open the parts book and go to the SPECIAL ACCESSORIES section. complete hardtops ,radios, heater,etc,etc, were available thru dealers. you did not have to order the cars with these items. just go to the dealer and buy the item. it was that simple! you could order GT steering wheels, GT dash, anything that you wanted for these cars.

Bob, you are saying exactly what I have just said in my last post !!

Hardtops, radios, heaters are all on Ian's list and could be purchased anytime from dealers as a Rootes accessory. A GT dash or steering wheel were not Rootes accessories. Now you may have been able to buy them from the dealers parts department but if fitted to an ST Alpine the car would not be correct.

 

[65beam]

GT light

john,
you have done it again! someone asked which screw to remove to mount his door switch and you have taken it to another level of how his light is wrong and not correct. you have gotten this thread clear off track! i personally use one of the upper screw holes since there are more screws and better support of the door and it keeps the wiring higher in the car. i think it's great that he wants to add this light. i have them in all the cars including the harringtons. also think about adding footwell lights. for someone wanting to go a little farther ,do what i did with my fastback. go to your local chevy dealer and order a rearview mirror for a mid 90's corsica with twin map lights with individual switchs for each side built in. it's real easy to mount to the original mirror stem and the wiring is the same as for the rootes light. is that far enough off the original question? not factory ,but neat.

 

[John Boggis]

Bob, When someone asks a question in the Factory Original part of this forum(which this is) it means they want to know how a car was put together at the factory. I think I answered the original question by posting two pics of the factory fitted original parts concerned.

Bob, I don't know why you comment on this part of the forum. you are clearly not intested in having your cars factory original by the comments made in your last post and the way you restore your cars.