Hi,

Dale, I think you answered this for me already, but I just want to make sure. Dale and I were talking about overdrive switches, and he say he knows someone who has.... somethink like a (oh-geez, the word escapes me right-now) a switch that goes on when you press it, then off again. Would this work for an overdrive? I'm trying avoid the problem of switching it on, then forgetting to switch it off again when I gear-down - otherwise the next time I shift up, I go from 3rd to overdrive (5th).

Thanks, James

(How many more posts until I am promoted from "Canadian Tire Bolt-Ons"? I'd like to be "Creative Engineer-Genius.")

At 50 posts you change.
The overdrive question, can easily be done with a switching or locking relay. I am not sure if the set-up from a 200 series will bolt on (Dale, Craig or Matt could tell you) but wiring one in from scratch would not be overly difficult

You can wire it the same way as a later 240 with a relay as Ian has described. I happen to make the switch. The proper switch mounts to the steering column and has a long arm and plastic paddle that matches the turn signal stalk. They are NLA from all suppliers, so I started to custom fabricate them last year (only made one for myself...sort of got busy with other projects). The ones I make have polished stainless stalks so they never peel and I also have dust proof boots for the switch body itself. I could make a momentary contact one if you like. I'll need a few weeks of time to get all the stuff sorted out.

Fifty posts, then-what? I WANNA BE A CREATIVE ENGINEER GENIUS!!!

Overdrive switch, mmmmmmm. I don't mind just buying one myself, Craig, you have enough to do, but thanks for offering. And I guess a relay too - I did not know the relay part. Geez, I think the last one I had I just wired it into a spare heater switch. And the one before that a toggle. I'll look it up in the Haynes manual and see if there is a relay in there.

Yessss and then there is the momentary contact question, DAAAALE? Hmmmmm. Doesn't make sense: drive down the hwy, switch-on overdrive. Flip switch off, overdrive goes off. I don't see a momentary switch working. I have an illuminated pull-switch (and I already drilled a hole in the dash for it), I think I'll just use that, even though it is (shrug) plastic.

Creative Engineer Genius (part-time)

The momentary switch utilizes the wiring and relay setup from the later 240 series cars. I'm not the electrics expert so some can explain how it works it better than me.

The momentary switch is used to activate the switching or locking relay, as Craig said this set-up is used in later 240 model cars. We used this wiring on Dale's car for the high beam which uses the momentary switch on the turn signal.

What I was trying to say is that you can't just buy the correct switch...no one sells them. I believe I'm the only person still making them one at a time.

Okayee, relay it is. I also see there is a relay for the horn. Is that it (the little silver box) beside the rad? I KNOW I did not use a relay for the horn(s) last-time I did this (and it sounded great if I say-so myself), but I guess switches burn-out, and relays are made not to. Same goes for the overdrive; just lucky in the past, I guess.

Craig, I'll use my switch with a light and a relay off of another vulva (oops, Freudian slip).

Thanks all.


Part-time super-creative genius engineer