Lancia Motor Club

I always seem to come on here when I have a naïve question to ask; one that every other Aprilia owner can answer. I hope that this is a nice easy one.

In the centre of the dash, there are two small tumbler switches, one for wipers and one for instrument lights, I believe. One of the switches has broken leaving us with no wipers. How the devil do the switches come out of the panel? There is a knurled ring in the front but sunk too deep into the metal panel to be the way to unfasten the switch. It probably goes without saying that I will be one switch short if it cannot be repaired; do any of you have one to spare?

Andy and Stuart Tallack

Sorry, but you have to undo the knurled ring.  I use a pair of surgical forceps but fine pointed pliers should do it.

Thanks. I shall try, but there is really nothing to get hold of. The knurled ring seems to be sunk into the panel. The switch is no longer needed for the wipers but it seems a pity not to have it available for use.

Stuart

I have to admit that I'm not familiar with the Aprilia.

I did have a look at some panels in the net. I have the impression, that the 4 small switches are fitted to a metal sheet or structure behind the visible panel and the lot is held in place by the large nuts of the ignition switch and the trafficator switch. Aprilia owners please confirm. Thank you.

Karl

I confirm what Kari has suggested, I have loosened the ignition switch and the the metal panel will flex away from the dash with the switches. I also think the Indicator switch is the other item that secures it.
Looks like a fiddly job.
Mike

Thank you, Karl and Mike. I have just checked and you are right. I shall be able to continue with my tidy up the wiring exercise. At some time in the past, the car has been rewired quite nicely. Unfortunately, no part of it was taped to make a harness and a few stray unattached cables were included as though someone changed his mind about how to do the 'harness' while half way through the job. That has made it awkward to trace the cables which are almost all black or black with a white trace. The cables in some cases were too thick or two cables were fitted where one should be with the result that the ends of the wires are mashed into a tangle by the grub screws. A jpb half well done!

Thanks again for the help.

Stuart

I should add that the way the switches are held in is an endearing Lancia eccentricity. Another is the choice of screw thread for the four machine screws holding in the removable panel above the differential. Since 8-36 UNF fits pretty well, I assume it should really be M4.5. I have long regarded M4.5 as the unicorn of screw threads; I never thought I would see one. Actually, I probably never will see the male thread as nobody seems to do them.

Once again, thanks for the help with the switches.

Stuart

Just looked at my first series car and there is not a separate panel!

David,

Ours is a First Series (1937) and there is a separate panel behind the central part of the dash panel. It is held on by the ignition switch and the indicator switch securing nuts. Once those are removed, a push on either of them will see the other four smaller switches recede a little into the dash panel. It does seem odd, but is a similar idea to the way the instruments are held into their panel. On the Lancia. the rim of the instruments is behind the panel and the instruments are held in place by screws holding the usual stirrup arrangement on to the back of the dash. On other cars, the rim is on the outer side of the dash and a simple stirrup holds the instrument in place.

Thank you, Mike and Karl for the information on the switches.

Stuart