Removal of light, wiper and other switches

noneckjo65ghia · Post by **noneckjo65ghia** » Sun Feb 23, 2003 9:53 pm

I am stumped. Do I need a special tool to remove the switches from the dash board?

67TXGhia · Post by **67TXGhia** » Sun Feb 23, 2003 10:19 pm

What year do you have? Mine came off by unscrewing the bezel

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1967 Karmann Ghia Coupe starting body-off restoration.

BorisSobad · Post by **BorisSobad** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 8:15 am

I've a 64 Ghia. Needed a special tool that looks like a two prong fork. Couldn't find it for sale. I took some brass tubing and filed a third on one side down an 1/8 inch and did the other side the same. I then filed the teeth left over to fit better into the slot. Hope you can follow that.

Post by **Marc** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 8:25 am

Someone here (I've forgotten who) suggested cutting & notching a canopener to make the tool - sounds like it'd be ideal to me.

noneckjo65ghia · Post by **noneckjo65ghia** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 8:28 am

Thanks guys, I'll try both.

kubelkid66 · Post by **kubelkid66** » Mon Feb 24, 2003 9:18 am

so thats how you do that...
I used a Drill...Lmao...Mest them all up.
Well As My Boy Homer Simpson Would Say.."DOH!!"

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Kubelkid66
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pocketrocket · Post by **pocketrocket** » Sun Feb 15, 2004 10:45 pm

Looking for the tool to remove the dash switches I,ve got them.on special for only $19.95 + 4.00 shipping. They work great it was used in article in DB&HVW mag sold about 200 just off that article. Thanks DB&HVWS Check out my web site under tools. Rocky

Greg Rickard · Post by **Greg Rickard** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 6:47 am

I used two small blade screw drivers clamped into a pair of pliers (to hold the blades firmly in place). I rotated the bezel just enough to loosen it, and finished spinning it off by hand. I removed three bezels that way, did not scratch the bezel or my dash. Installation in reverse.

Very low tech, it was free, and best of all it worked.

Goodwrench · Post by **Goodwrench** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 12:54 pm

Mine is a reworked golf divot tool. A two-pronged spike tool for golf shoes works too but the metal divot tool fit in the slots just right after spreading them just a bit. It's not like you're removing something torqued to 50 ft pound or the like!

andy · Post by **andy** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:55 am

i used a pair of needle nosed pliers

Gheezer · Post by **Gheezer** » Sat Feb 21, 2004 12:14 am

A buddy of mine used to be a VW Mech. and he gave me an original removal tool for those things. Very cool.

sideshow · Post by **sideshow** » Sat Feb 21, 2004 7:21 am

Here is my 5 cents;
Get a US Nickle, notch it enought to clear the threaded post.

I used a cut off tool for mine, but a hack saw and file would also work.

Banzai KG · Post by **Banzai KG** » Thu Feb 26, 2004 12:34 am

noneckjo65ghia wrote:I am stumped. Do I need a special tool to remove the switches from the dash board?

I have the special tool if you would like to use it. If you would like, you can check out my KG as I have many of his machined knobs, window cranks and live here in Sunnyvale.

John Copello who's a machinist repro's the special tool, has 3 different sizes on one tool shows his booth at many VW shows here in the Bay Area as well as SoCal.
John Copello is also a Ghia guy, he has a '58 KG coupe that he's restoring.
He also makes some very cool stuff, such as using the stock window cranks...he machines the knobs out of aluminum and attaches them on the stock window cranks, you can get polished or powdercoated black, off-white, or grey knobs. He guarantees the window cranks he sells, if the window crank breaks, bring to his vendor booth/or send the broken window crank and he'll replace/ship with no charge.

You can also contact John Copello, more info:
Copello's Machining, Manufacturing, & More
16880 American River Dr.
Sonora, CA
(209) 536-1449
[email protected]

D. Thomson · Post by **D. Thomson** » Sun Mar 07, 2004 8:03 am

I used two lengths of heavy nylon string, about 18" long. I looped each piece around the knobs, from each side of the knob (so that when pulled, you'll get even pressure on the knob). Holding the four ends of the nylon string in my hand, I gave it a good tug (directly away from the panel).

The knob will pop off in your hand without damaging it.

This procedure is kind of hard to describe, but if you'll send me an email address I'll send you a photo of the process... it's really quite simple and doesn't require a lot of time or money buying and fabricating a tool.

Good Luck!

D. Thomson · Post by **D. Thomson** » Sun Mar 07, 2004 8:05 am

Just a clarification. The method I described is for removing the knobs, not the switches... You'll need the tool for that.... sorry for the confusion...

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