MTFCA Forum

I must be having a mental block - I have an early ignition switch assembly that is missing its ammeter. I do have a smaller "improved car" ammeter, so I bought one of those adapter rings that the vendors offer. The adapter ring came with new attaching screws and nuts.

Problem is, I can't figure out how everything goes together, is there a retaining clip to to hold the ammeter in place on the adapter, or is the ammeter sandwiched somehow between the adapter ring and the glass bezel from the early ammeter? If I try to sandwich the ammeter behind the old glass bezel, the new screws are too short to hold everything together. I must be missing something obvious.

No help with assembly, Mark, but be aware that your ammeter may tell you something, it may tell you nothing, but no matter what it does, it is not going to be remotely accurate.

If the glass fogs over and the hand melts, that is an indication that something has gone wrong, and that's about it for giving definitive information.

Personally I'd keep looking for the real thing.

CudaMan wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 16, 2023 3:18 pm

I must be having a mental block - I have an early ignition switch assembly that is missing its ammeter. I do have a smaller "improved car" ammeter, so I bought one of those adapter rings that the vendors offer. The adapter ring came with new attaching screws and nuts.

Problem is, I can't figure out how everything goes together, is there a retaining clip to to hold the ammeter in place on the adapter, or is the ammeter sandwiched somehow between the adapter ring and the glass bezel from the early ammeter? If I try to sandwich the ammeter behind the old glass bezel, the new screws are too short to hold everything together. I must be missing something obvious.

The "improved model" ammeter has dog ears around the bezel that allow you to press it into the front of the adapter ring (same as you would for the oval ignition switch) and then tabs are bent to hold it into position. An then place the adapter into the switch plate. What you may have overlooked is how things are indexed to be up right when done.
--
Small ammeter --
Align the ammeter back with the adapter plate front. Note the top hole is the only one with a slot (for the index on the amp) directly below it, Then secure the tabs to hold the ammeter in place by bending. Suggest about 45 degrees so you don't break them off --
Now position the adapter plate 3 holes with the back of the switch plate. The hols are offset so there is only one way to do this. Be careful when tightening the screws to hold the adapter plate. If to long they will dent the front of the switch plate --
Finish... just have every thing loose in the photo
Fi

Thank you, I found the tabs! They were nearly flush with the case, so I didn't notice them before.

You can also trim the inside a little more and add a Ford Tractor 30 - 0 - 30 meter in there, if you want to run an alternator.