My 1937 Zephyr ignition lock seems to work perfectly except.......

My Zephyr ignition lock seems to do exactly as was engineered in that when I turn all the way one way the wheel locks and I can remove the key easily. Put the key in the next and turn it the opposite way and the steering wheel becomes free and I can turn the lever to "on" with no problem.

Now here's the problem: someone bypassed the switch and I've checked continuity on the original switch and ther is no continuity in either the on or off position. So what gives here? Is just the switch bad? Is it hard to remove? I can't wait to throw this aftermarket switch in the garbage. Thanks for all replies.

Someone else will have to weigh in on how to pull '37 switches, but I found every electrical switch could be (and had to be) opened and contacts cleaned on my car, except the ignition switch.

Thanks for the reply, that's exactly what I'm hoping to do on my '37. The thing works so wonderfully, I'd hate to tear it all apart just to get at the contacts. Maybe soemone has done this and can relate.

Look at the back of the switch .There is only two screws that holds the switch housing to the column drop once you get the wires removed. The contacts are probably burned and pitted causing a loss of continuity. Its not a hard fix. Next question is does any of the wires have power ? One of them that goes to the BATT terminal on the switch should be hot all the time. If its not then you will have to do some backtracking.

Thanks for getting back to me. Actually there are no wires going to the switch or coming from it. Someone, (love workmanship like this) just bypassed the switch all together and replaced it with a Radio Shack on/off switch.

I will check and see what the inside of the switch looks like and respond back. Thanks again.

Well I'm happy to write that the ignition switch is working perfectly, just as Henry intended. I took the switch apart and someone at some point had taken it apart and reassembled backwards so regardless of the position, the switch was never "closed". So I took it all apart, cleaned up all the contact points and then put it back together properly. It works like a million bucks.

Additionally, the wires that were used previously to hook up the Radio Shack switch were a mess, half falling off insulation, I could not wait to throw the whole mess in the trash.