Spitfire Mk3 Overdrive Switch

[Jonny-Jimbo]

Hi all,

I fitted an overdrive switch to a Mk3 Spitfire at the weekend, and the guy I did it for isn't entirely happy with the on/off position.

Basically, when the OD is off the switch is up, and then when the switch is down it is on. Is this the conventional way round, and if not how do you swap it round? In my head you can't as there's only two wires, so it doesn't matter which way round you wire the switch in, it will still only be on or off in the same position.

The switch is currently to the right of the column, switching between around 1 o'clock and 2 o'clock position.

Thanks, Jon

[thescrapman]

That is right, down for on. Same as a TR6 / Vitesse / GT6

Mk1 2000 is other way round, up is on.

Cheers

Colin

[Saltddirk]

mmmm,
Mine is also to the right of the steering column but on a lhd car.
When I bought mine I noticed that they are selling separate LHD and RHD switches, did not look more into it, but perhaps they are angled differently?

D

[RobPearce]

Having owned a Vitesse and driven both Mk2 and Mk3 Spitfires before coming to a Mk1 2000, I always thought the "up for on" switch was utterly wrong, but I suppose if the guy has driven cars that were wrong first, he may find the Spitfire's sensible switch confusing 😉

[Dogsbody47uk]

Many of our continental friends regard up as the "on" position. I owned a Fiat Uno where up was "on" on the switches. If in your house you have fuse box with an RCD etc, again up is "on" and down is "off".

[drofgum]

Hi,
The home fuse box convention derives from way back when open knife switches were common. These were always installed with on in the up position because they then couldn't fall into the on position. If the handle dropped, it dropped the switch into the off position.
                                                                                         Cheers,
                                                                                         Paul

[Richard B]

You could possibly do something with a on/on relay?

So that when the switch is off the O/D is on (and vis-a-versa)

[Jonny-Jimbo]

Possibly, but I have just told the vehicles owner that this is the correct position and he is happy as I have proved it to be correctly fitted.

Now to replace the indicator switch after the wires fell apart upon removal 😲