Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

The V-8's are notorious for having problems with the headlight dimmer switch. But it need not be so. As a evening project you can remove and repair the switch with no new parts and a minimum of basic hand tools.

I watched it and found it insightful. Thanks for putting it together!

-Kevin

Good video Spud.

One thing. The nut for bezel that can come loose. And if it does not to much that can be done to secure it.

You might want to add that ...

If it u. Boob. Going to link I. My blog.

Thanks Kevin and Riki.

Riki, you are saying that the nut can pull off the rest of the bezel?

Spud

The nut turns and if turned to tight the nut will pull bezel off.


Look at back of bezel.. all the bezels are made like that.

Hh56 may have a picture.

I pulled one off years ago. And could never get it hold.

The Back piece is pressed in.

Only photos I have are not very clear but Riki said it all. There is a thin pressed in plate that retains the nut in the bezel. The plate can get pushed out and has so far been very difficult to reinstall so it stays in place well enough to retain the nut.

Appears to be a tiny recess in the casting and when nut is inserted a plate must have been pressed into the recess and the casting then peened or pressed to fold the casting recess edge over to retain the plate. The plate is maybe 1/16 of an inch away from the dash and if nut is tightened too much the force pushes the plate out of the recess and bezel falls off. That pushing action seems to take the folded over edge of recess that held the plate with it.

The recess is not of a standard size to retain the plate with any kind of clip that I have found and with the plate in position, not deep enough to make a groove above the plate to even hold a clip. Epoxy and trying to peen the recess edge over again has also not been successful so if you can figure out an easy repair for that issue you would be doing Packard guys a favor.

Was thinking possibly some kind of piece could be 3D printed that had something to fit into the recess to hold the plate but was large enough to spread over more of the back surface of bezel to provide more glue area could work. Issue would be how to make it so it didn't push the bezel away from the dash so the increased thickness became noticeable

Some bezels are plentiful and can be easily replaced, others such as those for AC and Top switches are not as easily found.

Hmm, worth looking into. Maybe just a slight amount of putty to make a seal to keep adhesive out of the nut area, then super glue or JB Weld would do the trick?

this help? this one was apart. I used a small thin walled socket, just a smidgeon larger than the inside diameter of the disc to press it back in, seems like it will hold....for now.....

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  Headlight bezel.JPG (179.10 KB)