OK, let's not start with the cheap shots... My 51 Champion has a foot-button starter, just behind the clutch pedal. I made and installed some custom carpeting over some Dynaliner foam sound-deadening material to reduce the noise level in my Champion. Now, it is very difficult to depress the starter button - I still can, but the depth of the surrounding foam/carpet results in the button almost being flush with the surrounding material. I relieved out some of the foam to make a depression, but I was wondering if there is a common method of "lengthening" the button (let the jokes begin, I can take it). Of course, I could weld a home-made extension, but if someone has figured out an easy method, I could save some brain cells here. Any ideas?
If you have a friend with a lathe its a 15 minute job to make an extension with a counterbore just large enough to slip over the existing dimmer switch and attach it with some epoxy----Heck, you could even make it out of BILLET!!!
The "big box" stores usually have those rubber caps for chairlegs and walkers/canes and so forth in drawers. Maybe one of those would be the right size to slip over the button.
If you have a vernier micrometer, or even a standard mic', measure the outside diameter of the switch and email me how much additional length you need---I'll make you an extension in aluminum or steel (your choice) and send it to you.---Brian
Wow, Brian, very generous. The OD of the " mushroom cap" of the switch is 0.875 (7/8"), and is 0.375 (3/8") deep. Basically, it is a standard bright light foot switch. If this were to be epoxied on it might need a slightly larger ID to accomodate the adhesive - I'll let you decide. Let me know how I can compensate you - I'll PM my address and you can reply that way. Thanks again.
Paul---I'll have it done this week. No charge, just that you will have to pay the shipping and any stupid customs fees. I will put it down as value less than $5 to keep the customs creeps out of it. How much extension do you want above the top of the existing cap?---Brian
"OK, let's not start with the cheap shots..." Dammit Paul, that's the only reason I clicked on this link!!
Brian, 1/2" extension would be perfect - any more than that would possibly interfere with clutch operation. I PM'd my address but you'll need to give me yours when you get the total $ so I can send it. Thanks again! Fish Tank - Go ahead take your shots, I know you are dying to!
Okay Paul---Here is your extension---well, the beginning of it anyways. I hunted around in my scrap bin untill I found a peice of 1" dia. steel that was left over from building a crankshaft for a model steam engine. I'm heading into my lathe room as soon as I have posted this.---Brian
Here it is with one end driled out to 3/4" dia.---Now I will use a boring tool to open it out to 0.878" dia. x 3/8" deep.
I have some spare floor-mount starter switches, both Delco and Autolite. They are large lug units (to switch directly to starter without a solenoid). They both are 2" deep from button to mountin flange and have a 2" spread on their mounting holes. The Delco has a 1" button and the Autolite has a 3/4" button. If you're interested, PM me.
YEAH!!!! Isn't the H.A.M.B. great? With pictures too!! So much talent and so many willing to help. Mike
If I owned a vehicle with the starter switch activated by the clutch or gas pedal I would mount a push button swith on the dash hooked to a ford style solenoid as I would forget its there and everytime I shift or floor it I would activate the starter.
Thanks again to everyone who responded, and especially Brian. The amount of helpful info on this forum and the deeds to match are awesome.
Paul---I sent it off today by mail. Cost at my end was $7.00---Don't worry about it. We'll write this one of as Canadian/American relations.---Brian
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