Ignition switch issue
 

1974 914 1.8 Replace ign switch 3 years ago, never worked right... had to force the key at the end of travel, and it would finally click and engage the starter. Am replacing switch again, saw a note by contributor to project page on how to replace 914 ign sw that you need to put a little shim in there to get the switch to turn far enough (recommended paper, I'll use plastic or aluminum, don't want the paper dissolving). I bought the Pelican switch last time, and it looks really nice but is there an OEM or other switch out there that holds a tighter tolerance on the opening so no shim is needed? TIA.

There are two parts to the ignition switch...
the little white plastic switch that connects to the wires.....
it attaches to the key lock unit....
usually if you are having trouble with the ignition not turning on all the way or hard to get it to contact right at the end of turning it....it is the little white switch....they crack and split just enough to not make electrical contact...
if you are having trouble with the lock unit it needs a very good cleaning or the key has been remade so many times it is just not working anymore...the lock unit can wear out too...
I have never had to use any shims...or other creative things to make them work correctly
hope this helps....

it's the plastic part. I'm familiar with the failure mode, the old one cracked and I figured the new one would take care of everything. It worked but not perfectly, then as I said I read in the Pelican repair pages how several others have had to shim it a bit. The OE part is still avail at $50, so I guess I'll just get another one of these and try again.

Did the palstic part break again....
I've never had to do any shim.....but the new plastic ones definately don't seem to be as durable as the old ones...
They are a PITA to work on

I wonder if you could make a mold and make one out of something like methyl methacrylate, bone cement in common parlance, but maybe that would be too hard, just make it wear out the other part.

I would think you would probably be able to just replace the whole thing with a VW key and cylinder, and just have two keys, or three keys, depending on if you broke the key off in one of the doors.

I bet you could make Super Beetle window regulators work too, the rebuild kit to replace the little plastic bits of them are the same any way.

fixed it
 

replacing the electrical switch with the new one from PP did the trick, must be the one I got from them a couple of years ago was a bit out of spec. no extra bits and pieces needed, now all works fine. guess the moral is, if the part doesn't work right out of the box, maybe should ask for another instead of assuming something else is bad.

that's good got it all working again...