Porch light

[mitsy]

i have a 1964 tradewind, it has a light on the outside beside the window, where is the switch suposed to be, i replaced the bulb already! Thanks!

[silverleeper]

That light is sometimes referred to as a scare light. Try this tread http://www.airforums.com/forums/f449...wer-27089.html. This might too. http://www.airforums.com/forums/f37/...tch-28549.html

[overlander64]

Greetings misty!

Welcome to the world of '64 Airstream ownership!

Originally Posted by mitsy

i have a 1964 tradewind, it has a light on the outside beside the window, where is the switch suposed to be, i replaced the bulb already! Thanks!

The switch should be a little toggle switch between the front edge of the entrance door and the jalousie window. You may find that the scare light has a ground or loose wire issue as well -- mine had both recently -- cleaning and renewing the connections solved the problem.

Good luck with your Tradewind!

Kevin

[mitsy]

hey Kevin, I took the toggle switch loose, the wires seem to be so short i was afraid to pull on them to see if they were any longer, if i do get it out, how do i replace it?

[overlander64]

There is a possibility that the switch may have already been replaced at some point in the past which might account for unusually short wires. When I had my switch out, it had close to three inches of wire stuffed into the wall behind the toggle - - it took firm, gentle pressure to coax the wire through the tight opening. Should the wire be extremely short, you might try attaching a short length of additional wire with a crimp connector. Another option would be to use a replacement toggle switch with leads rather than one with screw terminals. Examples of the two can be found at this link:

Toggle Switch with Leads
Toggle Switch with Screw Terminals

The new switch goes back into the opening by reversing the steps used to remove the existing switch.

Good luck with your projtect!

Kevin

[robwok]

Originally Posted by overlander64

There is a possibility that the switch may have already been replaced at some point in the past which might account for unusually short wires. When I had my switch out, it had close to three inches of wire stuffed into the wall behind the toggle - - it took firm, gentle pressure to coax the wire through the tight opening. Should the wire be extremely short, you might try attaching a short length of additional wire with a crimp connector. Another option would be to use a replacement toggle switch with leads rather than one with screw terminals. Examples of the two can be found at this link:

Toggle Switch with Leads
Toggle Switch with Screw Terminals

The new switch goes back into the opening by reversing the steps used to remove the existing switch.

Good luck with your projtect!

Kevin

Kevin, is it actually possible to pull that switch through the litle hole? It seems like the only way to get it out would be to pull the interior skin, and that would mean drilling rivets, which I'm trying not to do as it would ruin the zolatone look.

[DanielB]

You might want to invest in one of those pen light 12v tester gizmos if you don't have one already. They really come in handy.

[overlander64]

Greetings Rob!

Originally Posted by robwok

Kevin, is it actually possible to pull that switch through the litle hole? It seems like the only way to get it out would be to pull the interior skin, and that would mean drilling rivets, which I'm trying not to do as it would ruin the zolatone look.

It has been a few years since I had my switch out, but if I remember correctly, it was necessary to remove the round retainer ring, then drill out approximately six pop-rivets to loosen the interior skin enough to access the switch itself. Before trying to remove the switch, I would try the following:

• Check for a blown fuse or bad fuse in the 12-volt distribution panel -- the panel should be behind a panel on the univolt that is held on with one small setscrew.
• The problem on my coach turned out to be a bad socket in the scare light fixture itself. New scare light fixtures are readily available from most any larger truck-stop accessory shop.
• The toggle switch would be the last place that I would stop in the search for the culprit.

Good luck with your investigation!

Kevin

[robwok]

Originally Posted by overlander64

Greetings Rob!




It has been a few years since I had my switch out, but if I remember correctly, it was necessary to remove the round retainer ring, then drill out approximately six pop-rivets to loosen the interior skin enough to access the switch itself. Before trying to remove the switch, I would try the following:

• Check for a blown fuse or bad fuse in the 12-volt distribution panel -- the panel should be behind a panel on the univolt that is held on with one small setscrew.
• The problem on my coach turned out to be a bad socket in the scare light fixture itself. New scare light fixtures are readily available from most any larger truck-stop accessory shop.
• The toggle switch would be the last place that I would stop in the search for the culprit.

Good luck with your investigation!

Kevin

You are the epitomy of helpfulness Kevin. I already tried replacing the light. Since my batter is completely dead, and I've already ordered a whole new panel and converter, I'll hook all of that up first, and decide to drill out the rivets as a matter of last resort. Thanks for the feedback.

By the way, do you know if they sell zolatone touch up kits, or do you have to just try to match with some sort of flat acrylic?

[overlander64]

Greetings Rob!

Originally Posted by robwok

By the way, do you know if they sell zolatone touch up kits, or do you have to just try to match with some sort of flat acrylic?

It is always a pleasure to be of assistance to another Airstreamer!

While I have never run across Zolatone touch-up paint, there is one possibility that can be something of a long-shot. There are a couple of companies that produce "spatter paint" touch-up kits for the multi-color paint utilized in the trunks of many cars of the 1950s and 1960s -- sometimes, these touch-up paints can be very close to the colors found in our Airstream Zolatone colors.

Good luck with your investigation!

Kevin

[Aviator]

You may want to try Eastwood.com for the automotive splatter paint. This is the source I used when restoring my Mustang with a splatter paint trunk.