Help identifying mystery switch
 

Could someone help me identify the function of this push-pull switch beneath the oil gauge on my '72? The owner's manual doesn't label it on the control layout diagram. Is this something someone added long ago? I haven't attempted to trace the wire yet. Hoping someone knows the answer. It doesn't seem to do anything.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1440294879.jpg

Not factory.

I suspected it wasn't factory. It's definitely a vintage switch though.

Some disassembly reveals that when pushed in, it connects the brown wire to the brown with white dots wire (the two poles in the foreground of the photo) and when pulled out it connects the two red with black dots wires (the poles in the background)

The wires look factory. Without tearing the dash apart it's hard to see where they go.

Any ideas?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1440276698.jpg

Perhaps a license plate light 'stealth' switch. :-) When did they start putting license plate lights on?

Haha interesting guess. It doesn't affect the license plate lights though so that's not it. My car has no fasten seat belts light/buzzer. When was that added? I can't imagine why you would need a switch to disable that though.

if the part # finish with "007", it the Ejection Seat Switch...

A '72 should have a fasten seat belt light to the left of the rear window defrost knob. There was some wiring under the seats (2 wires, black and blue/) that were part of the system.

The wiring in your pictures is factory, so that switch probably does something...

JR

People used to put in switches that would disable the car from starting, so that's one likely possibility. You might track the wires and see if you can figure out where they go.

JR

Rear wiper? Wire colors seem correct for one.

Ah, yes my COA does show the rear wiper option but it's been removed. I forgot about that! There's a really good chance that's what it is. Thanks!

I think he nailed it. I think that's a factory switch, too. Not many cars from that era had that option.

I think that's the same switch that Porsche used on the RSR to switch the ignition systems.

JR