Fog Lamp Switch

[EScanlon]

This is addressed to our members who don't reside in the U.S. as I've not met nor heard from anyone in the U.S. who has seen one. In fact probably Alan in the U.K. will know. Thanks in advance.

The Fog Lamp Switch, the one that is supposed to mount above the cigar lighter on 70 through 72 240 Z's, does anyone have a picture of what it looks like? Better yet, anyone have a spare one they're willing to sell? I'll pay the shipping!

Any information would be appreciated.

[240 in OZ]

Hey

There is a true 69 car on ebay.com at the moment that I believe once had the factory fog lights installed. One of the pics of the dash shows a small hole that has been neatly drilled in the cut-out above the hazard warning switch. It is very neatly done, hence I believe that it was done by the factory, and done to install the operational switch for the factory fog lights.

FWIW I live in Australia and have seen two 240z's here that have had the factory fog lights installed. They were both very low VIN#'s, and believed to be early 70 cars.

[EScanlon]

Do you have the item number? Maybe I can download and blow up the picture to see if it shows the switch.

Thanks

[240 in OZ]

I have checked through carfiche online and cannot find a part number reference to the fog lights or the switch.

Maybe you will have better luck than me. Check www.carfiche.com

[EScanlon]

I have the microfiche from here and it's a copy of the actual micrifiche. I also have a true blue microfiche. Neither one shows the items.

Thanks though.

[240 in OZ]

Do you have a copy of Wick Humbles book "How to Restore Your Datsun Z Car"? There is a schematic line diagram of the various wiring arrangements in there which shows fog lamps up the front.

He also talks about the factory installed switch for the fog lamps in the text. He mentions that with his car he moved the hazard switch to the upper cutout to accomodate the hazard warning switch. I dont believe there is a pic though. Also not sure why he had to do this?

Have you tried Charlie Osbourne at Zed Findings in Canada. He is pretty good with this kind of stuff and may have one in stock.

Check his website @ www.datsunzparts.com

May even be worth trying Eric at Z Parts @ www.zparts.com

Hope they can help you more than I can.

[EScanlon]

Wick's book references it but no pictures or drawings given.

The wiring schematic I have in several guises and that's how I was able to determine which wires both in front and inside the car to use to wire my fog lamps.

Yes, I am using the original wiring, and I've put my fog lamp switch where the two switch parking light switch goes in the console.

I'll be posting pictures soon.

So far, I've gotten pictures of what the Parking Light Switch on the console should look like, but no one, as yet has had a picture or description of the Fog Lamp Switch.

I'm still hoping.

Your point on Charlie is very good, he just may have one. I'll also check out the website you posted.

Thanks!

Enrique Scanlon

[HS30-H]

Here's some data from the Japanese Nissan Parts Catalogue ( Publication Number C-236 ) from 1972 which covers both the "early" and "late" types and references their changeover period.

The picture attached shows the drawing of the two types of Fog Lamp Switch.

Part no. 9 is the *25370-E4100 "SWITCH COMP. - fog lamp"

Part no. 10 is the *25370-E8700 "SWITCH COMP. - fog lamp"

Part no. 9 is the "early" type and no. 10 is the "late" type.

When the Japanese market got the chance to buy HS30 series L24-equipped cars ( October 1971 ) in addition to what they previously had, the factory changed over to the "later" type switch. This was apparently because the console changed, and the console changed because the "B" type transmission was phased in. All the Japanese Home-market HS30-series cars got the "B" type box from October 1971. The corresponding hole in the sheetmetal around the shift lever was different, thus the console design was changed.

Looks like the "early" switch was dash-mounted and the "late" switch was console mounted.

Good luck,

Alan T.

[EScanlon]

You've confirmed what I had deduced.

Since the "early" dashes, meaning the ones with the fuse / ashtray cover combination had the cigar lighter mounted through that cover, it didn't make sense for Datsun to have place a SECOND lighter in the dash. Even though some dashes apparently got drilled for that, it just looked odd. Why have a lighter on the dash, and another one less than 18" away on the fuse box cover?

The early console didn't have another opening other than the parking light switch hole for a fog lamp. This is probably why so many folks in the U.S. believe that the parking lamp switch opening is / was for a fog lamp switch.

When I was told that that opening was for the fog lamp, I wondered why there would be two instances of the word "ON" directly above the switch. As I investigated that, is how I discovered, with the help of this site and another site and of course, you, that that was for the parking light switch.

I've not yet run into an early fog lamp switch, although now that I look at the "later" style, I may have seen one in a boneyard and dismissed it (darn!).

Ok, at least the early switch can be "fabricated", meaning that there are various toggle switches that match the basic look of the switch.

Do you have any idea if the switch was illuminated? From the fact that the switch in the picture only has 2 terminals I would tend to doubt it, but stranger things have happened yet.

Also, do you know what symbol it had engraved on the handle? The hazard switch has what appears to be a double triangle, one inside the other, so it stands to reason that the fog lamp switch would also have a symbol on the handle.

Thank you again Alan, this has been extremely helpful. Now I can go out and see what I can do to manufacture, fabricate, or otherwise modify switches that I can find in order to at least have the correct appearance even though they won't be OEM parts.

Enrique Scanlon

[HS30-H]

Hi Enrique,

Glad that helped a little. Regarding your further questions; I think you are right that neither of the switches was illuminated. Looking at the wiring ( although its hard to tell from Nissan's sketch ) it just doesn't seem that they can be, and the only illuminated switch I know of on early S30-series Z cars was the rear window de-mister switch ( which was probably illuminated as a reminder to turn it OFF as much as anything else! ).

I should imagine that the toggle type ( "later" ) switch was pretty much generic in the Nissan lineup, and it looks very similar to the type of switches that I have seen in the C10 series Skylines that were contemporary to the S30-series Z.

I'm off to Japan next week for the Nismo Festival at Fuji Speedway, and there are usually lots of S30-series Z cars in attendance. I shall look through a few windows and see if I can see any symbols on any fog lamp switches.

Failing that, I know somebody in Japan who will definitely know.

Will keep you posted.

Regards,

Alan T.

[EScanlon]

Excellent, thank you.

Take your digital camera and get some photos of those items that may be commonplace in Japan, but for those of us in the U.S., non-existent, rare or in the "You have to be kidding me" variety.

Thanks again.

Enrique

[240 in OZ]

FWIW

There was a Nissan switch on ebay recently that closely resembled number 10, the later type, in the sketch. Dont know if it is still on there or not.