<VV> Intermittent headlights

[Dave Thompson]

When you replaced the switch, did you check the wire plug for corrosion?
Also, Check the high beam switch for corrosion. I've replaced two bad used
high beam switches in one year. I finally got a new one and no headlight
problems in 6 months.

Dave Thompson
63 Spyder vert (daily driver)
Westminster, CA

-----Original Message-----
From: Edelstein and Payne [mailto:eandp at mindspring.com] 
Sent: Friday, April 03, 2009 5:27 AM
To: virtualvairs at corvair.org
Subject: <VV> Intermittent headlights

Folks,

     Last night I was driving our 65 500 coupe and the headlights (and
presumably the tail lights) suddenly went out.  Pulling the headlight switch
in and out, and twisting the knob right and left had no effect.  They
finally came back on after just pushing the switch in and leaving it in the
off position for maybe 30 seconds or so, and then pulling the switch back
out.  Driving back home they blinked or flickered a couple of times but
stayed on.  I wanted to make them go off again so I could begin to track
down the problem, but twisting the headlight knob or wiggling it back and
forth did not make them go off.  Also, it does not seem like a loose
connection, because driving over rough roads did not make them go out, and
when they went out we were on a smooth road and had not hit a bump or pot
hole.  My son said he encountered a similar problem a couple weeks ago, and
again, pushing the switch in a leaving it for a while is what made them come
back on.

     I hate these intermittent kind of problems, 'cause you can't fix it
until it's broke.  Anyone got an idea of what the problem may be?  We
replaced the headlight switch a couple months ago, so that shouldn't be bad
(although if I can't find any other problem, I'm not opposed to doing that
again).  

     Thanks for your help.

              Travis Payne               65 Monza coupe
              Raleigh, NC                65 500 coupe