Ferrari Mailing List: Re: 308 antenna out

[Peter Rychel (dino308gt4]

Unfortunately, those rocker switches in the 328 – as cool as they look – are bloody expensive to replace. And of course, unique to this era of Ferrari. I don’t remember seeing them being used in any other Fiat product. A nice way to make the car upscale by not robbing the pedestrian car’s parts bins, but then there’ll be the day when it would be nice to take a trip down to the junk yard (which is one of my favorite things to do. Seriously).

 

When Dave Handa of Seattle was a member of this List, it was around the time he owned a 328 and I remember he had to repair the temp adjust rocker switch of his (now ex) 328 GTS. He was able to fix it and I remember seeing photos of what was inside... A rather complex circuit board of LEDs and capacitors, which would send impulses out to the stepper motors of the heater valves. I have the service bulletins for these and there is a long procedure of how to calibrate the switch’s operation via four trim pots!

 

The Lucas switches in my car are all original and still operate to this day with a deft precision. When my Dad had his Ariel motorcycle back in the day, it was equipped with Lucas and he said not once was he stranded by the side of the road.

 

Peter

 

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

 

 

From: Douglas Anderson
Sent: January 31, 2021 10:59 AM
To: 'Peter Rychel'
Cc: 'The FerrariList'
Subject: 308 antenna out

 

Nice job Peter

Ah yesh – and noting the ever unforgiving Lucas/Ferrari $1,278 US$ antenna switch with the little pill paddle that lasts at least 4 cycles.

 

At car shows, when looking at 308’s and other early models, the antenna switch is one of the first things I look at.  Is it erect in a tumescent neutral position or flopped over suffering from ASED – antenna switch erectile dysfunction?

 

The cure? Get your JC Whitney catalog and buy a SPDT switch for $6.02.  Note – I don’t think the 328’s suffer from this dread dysfunction as their switches are rocker panel.  Speak out if 328 antenna switches do fail.

 

:  )

Doug

(peter – your post is a keeper)