Interior light door switch

[10DJM]

Hi Guys I've just had my '73 Targa Dinitroled and found that the interior light had stopped functioning on opening the drivers door.
Suspected the door switch which the bodyshop had taken out to complete the rustproofing. I checked the ground wire that
comes from the switch only to find it in the footwell disconnected.
How do you feed this wire back through the bulkhead/door pillar to reattach to the switch?
Cheers
Duncan

[inaglasshouse]

Suggest the following approach:
1) Drive to bodyshop
2) Ask them to fix what they broke
3) Go for a coffee or two
4) Return, enjoy the good-natured banter about how much they enjoyed doing it

If you don't fancy that, the only "trick" I can suggest is to make sure you are threading the wire through the correct hole in the side of the footwell. It's very high up on the inside of the side panel of the footwell, near dash level (so above the height of the door switch). If you straighten the wire first, and thread downwards and toward the back of the car through the correct hole, you will find that it miraculously appears through / near the switch hole. Near enough to grab with tweezers anyway.

[redrobin911]

Suggest the following approach:
1) Drive to bodyshop
2) Ask them to fix what they broke
3) Go for a coffee or two
4) Return, enjoy the good-natured banter about how much they enjoyed doing it

If you don't fancy that, the only "trick" I can suggest is to make sure you are threading the wire through the correct hole in the side of the footwell. It's very high up on the inside of the side panel of the footwell, near dash level (so above the height of the door switch). If you straighten the wire first, and thread downwards and toward the back of the car through the correct hole, you will find that it miraculously appears through / near the switch hole. Near enough to grab with tweezers anyway.

On my SWB 911 there is a grommet forwards of the a pillar up high under the dash, but on the inner panel, you can remove the grommet for he wire then try and wriggle the wire back through the a pillar hole or alternatively use a wire (coat hook - thingy) from the hole in the a pillar and fish back to the grommet hole - tape the wire back on a pull through. not as tricky this way.

[10DJM]

Problem is, as this is a Targa, there is additional bracing layer with minimal access in the footwell where the heater pipe passes through.
Getting a borescope so hope to be able see things a bit better and check where the wire is supposed to go.

[redrobin911]

Problem is, as this is a Targa, there is additional bracing layer with minimal access in the footwell where the heater pipe passes through.
Getting a borescope so hope to be able see things a bit better and check where the wire is supposed to go.

here you go - this is the right side above the carpet line in the right footwell looking under the dash - should be able to see this easily by just looking in. I had to replace my heater tubes and you can see new heater tube and the grommet and the wire going into the back of the a pillar. From the grommet (shown) to the hole in the front of the A pillar is no more than 2-3" so not difficult. I can't remember if the same on a LWB but see no reason for them to be significantly diffferent. As said remove the grommet poke a bit of wire through the hole and you should find the opening on the A pillar. Tape the cable to the wire and pull through.

[10DJM]

Yea.. problem is that grommet ,if there is one ,is up behind the extra bracing in a Targa (referred to as a Gusset plate in PET).
Access is particularly poor especially with the heater tubes passing through.
Looks like I'll have to disconnect the tube to get any access at all. PITA.

[10DJM]

Success!!
Manage to get a good view of the task in hand utilising a small endoscope purchased on ebay (£13) and manipulating a wire through from the door pillar hole and fishing for it with an adapted coat hanger wire.
Not easy, so be very careful when replacing door switches..... keep a hold of that wire!
Duncan.