65 horn toggle switch

[NC TRACKRAT]

Old age may be creeping in but, to my recollection, back in the '60's, the SCCA rule book required a horn.  In order to save weight and to stick a "finger" to the scrutineers, many resorted to mounting a plastic, squeeze-the-bulb bicycle horn on their racecars.

[texas swede]

The original toggle switch was made by Raydyot (U.K) and had article number S34. Supplier to Shelby was a company called Haan located at Santa Monica Blvd in Los Angeles. The switch sold for $1.95 in 1965. When I bought 5S275 in Feb. 1988 it was
missing the switch but a few years later I saw an ad in Hemmings. Randy DeLisio sold a broken original switch for $10.
I bought it together with the 4 original  front shock bolts. The only problem with the switch was a broken plastic track inside
which I was able to fix with a sleeve. I works fine and is in my car still. See pictures.
Texas Swede

[texas swede]

One more picture.
Texas Swede

[gbart14]

Thanks for the detail. Your switch has a metal stem and plastic threads. Later ones that I was told were replacements had the same metal stem but with metal threads - agreed? Both have what looks like a "B" logo on the back side plus they both have screw on connections. Does anyone know if the B is Bulgin switch co in the UK? Of interest for some is that Arcolectric made a very similar switch (also bakalite body and same orientation connections but push on or solder on vs screw on) and is now owned by Bulgin. Might Bulgin (or whatever the B company was) be the supplier to Raydyot? I discovered the Bulgin / Arcolectric connection because I am searching for the chrome bezel nut with correct imperial threads. Readily available present day Lucas switches are close but do not thread properly which leads me to believe they are metric threads. The all plastic switches like the Atzbach and one I have also have the exact same thread as the "B" switch and the vintage Arcolectric switch. So, there must be some proper fit chrome bezel nuts out there somewhere. I post this because some of you may be looking for a bezel nut that fits. My thread gauge says the threads on the B and Arcolectric are 32 TPI. My calipers say the outside diameter of the male thread is .456" and the inside dia of the correct nut I have is .425" which I do not find as a standard thread profile. Anybody know what the thread call out is? Thanks

[texas swede]

I believe the marking on the back is a R for Raydyot.
Texas Swede

[texas swede]

I checked on a spare switch I have with the metal stem and threads (threads I painted black)
It's an R on the logo mark in the back.
Texas Swede

[camp upshur]

My switch is exactly like Bo's. That is a 1965 GT-350 horn switch.

Later replacement?
That almost infers that it was a service part from SAI, would be interesting to document that.
There are correctly threaded bezels out there. I personally took my original to Bavaria some years back where it was duplicated along with spares.
Besides my spare. I have no idea where they ended up.

[Jbarela]

Thank you all for chiming in!
Question for you Bo, without more info stated is it a fact that the 65 shelbys came with two variations of the Raydyot switch? One being the plastic thread with metal stem and one with metal threads and metal stem? Wonder if its documented if there is two variations and when was the change over at SAI. Maybe a large lot was purchased with both variations and they were thrown in a bin and randomly placed on the cars? I cant find documentation as to what numbered cars have what switches.

[chris NOS]

no variations during production,  only plastic tread on original GT350 .

[Jbarela]

no variations during production,  only plastic tread on original GT350 .

So where are these metal thread ones coming from like Bo's.
So a metal threaded switch is incorrect for a 65 shelby then? Why do so many 65s have metal threaded ones?

[Bob Gaines]

no variations during production,  only plastic tread on original GT350 .

So where are these metal thread ones coming from like Bo's.
So a metal threaded switch is incorrect for a 65 shelby then? Why do so many 65s have metal threaded ones?

I believe the transition to the steel version was a evolution of the design . The plastic ones broke and were replaced with metal threaded version. The readily available supply of the plastic version ran out and more and more and were replaced with the less problematic steel threaded version as time went on . This is the most logical explanation IMO .  If someone has a better one I would like to hear it.

[camp upshur]

Jbarela: are you attributing steel threaded switches to Bo? No insult intended,  I might have missed something?

Bob Gaines: was there a change from plastic threaded, metal stemmed switches  during 65 production? Here too I may have missed that and need to be brought up to speed.

There have been all manner of ersatz switches feigned as original or replacement over the years (and I have even assisted in the replication of my original years ago as I've mentioned), but I have never seen a metal threaded original (yet).

THX, Steve A

[Jbarela]

Jbarela: are you attributing steel threaded switches to Bo? No insult intended,  I might have missed something?

Bob Gaines: was there a change from plastic threaded, metal stemmed switches  during 65 production? Here too I may have missed that and need to be brought up to speed.

There have been all manner of ersatz switches feigned as original or replacement over the years (and I have even assisted in the replication of my original years ago as I've mentioned), but I have never seen a metal threaded original (yet).

THX, Steve A

Hi steve, no of course not but things do read black and white sometimes I was just referring to the picture he posted. No insult taken we have all been on here to long for that. But thank you for asking that for clarification.

[SFM5S000]

no variations during production,  only plastic tread on original GT350 .

+1 Black plastic threaded was the only type/one used during the entire 65 GT350 run. Period!

Cheers,
~Earl J

[Bob Gaines]

Jbarela: are you attributing steel threaded switches to Bo? No insult intended,  I might have missed something?

Bob Gaines: was there a change from plastic threaded, metal stemmed switches  during 65 production? Here too I may have missed that and need to be brought up to speed.

There have been all manner of ersatz switches feigned as original or replacement over the years (and I have even assisted in the replication of my original years ago as I've mentioned), but I have never seen a metal threaded original (yet).

THX, Steve A

I can't say for 100% sure if any of the steel threaded versions were used in 65 production but I do not think so.