New switches are inexpensive enough that buying a used one (from Murray Park or anyone else) is not worth either the savings or the effort it takes to replace the switch.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I just called Shee Mar and they were useless!!

They said they don't have the correct swicth and haven't had them for some time. She said that they get them periodically, but didn't know when. She also didn't know of another source.

Stopped by NAPA to see if they had a wholesale supplier for switches and he pulled out the Shee Mar book, so I told him not to bother.

Anybody know of another source for new turn signal switches? Or maybe you've got an extra one laying around the garage....yeah right.

I didn't think a part like this would be my holy grail.

I've got new switches in stock.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Thanks Dan!

I didn't mean for you to do my homework for me. By the way, did they give you any indication of price?

OOOOOOhhhhh....sweet!

Sorry, no pricing info—I'll leave that part to you!

The SM106-works-in-place-of-SM102 info is mine, by the way, not theirs, so don't bother asking them for confirmation; they'll just go "Huh?" and you'll get all discouraged.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Well, I finally bit the bullet and forked over the $80 for a new switch from Shee Mar. Chuck at Shee Mar was very helpful and friendly. He even provided suggestions to make the SM106 work in the Valiant and shipped the part that day. Two days later I had it.

I installed the switch last night after using a Dremel tool to shave part of the cam to make it fit. It was a little tricky routing the wires through the steering column, but I eventually got it. Hooked the battery back up and tested everything. Everything seemed to work correctly and it corrected some of the odd behaviors I was experiencing as well.

The only issue now is that the left signals blink at a normal rate and the right signal blinks..........really.............slooooowww. Guess I'll try a new blinker and see if that takes care of it.

Thanks for all of your help Dan!

Now for the next task.....seeing why the headlights go off when I turn on the brights.

Ah, victory is almost yours! Nonstandard-speed blinking (either way too fast or way too slow) means the total resistance in the circuit is wrong, which generally means a bulb problem. You may have a mix of old type 1034 bulbs and new type 1157 bulbs; the 1034s don't draw as much current as the 1157s, so the flasher would blink slowly. A different flasher unit was used for the old 1034 bulbs; it was calibrated for a correct flash rate with the lower-current bulbs. If you intend running 1157s or the same-current-but-higher-output 3496 bulbs, which practically speaking is your only option 'cause 1034 are hard as heck to find nowtimes, you'd either need a number 536 regular flasher, or — better — an Ideal EL-12c electronic flasher. Fits in the standard flasher bracket, gives a nice steady and loud flash rate no matter what bulbs are used. Disadvantage is that you lose your in-car indication of a bulb failure, 'cause the EL-12c keeps flashing even if one or more bulbs is burnt out.

Remember, your '66 Valiant front turn blinkers have colourless lenses, so you need amber-glass bulbs (1157A or 1157NA standard-output, 2357A or 2357NA high-output).

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I'm glad you addressed the issue of bulb types. I was going crazy trying to find the 1034s that are called for in the service manual. The books at the chain auto parts stores called for the 1157 bulbs, which they often have in stock, but I wasn't sure if they were compatible.

You're right that I have a mix of old and new. The right front turn signal bulb looks to be very old (painted amber as opposed to amber glass), but still operates. This would explain the slow blinking. I tried to take the old bulb out one time, but it wouldn't budge. I was afraid the brittle glass was going to crumble in my hands, leaving the metal portion in the socket, so I left well enough alone. I guess I'll risk it again.

Not necessarilly......

Depends on your state (or canadian) laws.......

In California front indicators can be white or amber. Rear indicators amber or red

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

Yes, CA law still contains permissions, rendered null in 1968 by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108, for front turn signals to emit white light. That does not mean the '66 Valiant currently being discussed should have white-light turn signals, or that it is supposed to. Factory equipment was a colorless lens with an amber 1034A bulb (the kind that looks like it was painted school bus yellow from a spray can).

For the 1963 model year, virtually all US-market cars got amber front directional indicators, despite there being no Federal requirement for them (because there existed no framework in which for any such Federal regulation to exist). The amber bulbs were introduced in 1964, and some automakers chose to return to clear-lens front indicators. Because there is no requirement for different-color bulbs to have non-interchangeable bases, it's easy to put the wrong kind of bulb behind the lens (e.g. a clear bulb behind a clear lens, an amber bulb behind an amber lens).

There's a very good reason why the auto industry went to amber light for front turns in '63: White ones are essentially invisible in several different important situations: Sunshine hitting the front of the car, sunshine behind the car shining in an oncoming driver's eyes, headlamps on at night. Amber front turns are very much more conspicuous, so they were adopted. While running a colorless bulb is technically allowed by California in a 1966 car, it is a very poor idea. Don't do it.

California likewise permits brake lights to be amber or red on vehicles made before 1979. Running amber brake lamps, while technically legal, would be a massively dumb thing to do, because everyone knows that bright red lights mean "Oh, I'm looking at the back of a car, and it is stopping." Bright amber lights mean something between "Huh?" and "Oh, I'm looking at the front of a recent-model car with daytime running lamps".

(Federal laws still permit rear turn signals to be amber or red. This is unfortunate, and the rest of the world said "brake lights have to be red and turn signals have to be amber" many years ago, but there's not a thing we can do about it.)

Remember, just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should do it. So: Amber bulbs in the front indicators, clear bulbs behind the red lenses in back, please. If it saves just one "Help, I need a new front bumper, grille (all three pieces), headlight rings, turn signal lenses, hood and left front fender for my '66 Valiant" post to this board, it will be more than worth it, eh?

As far as removing stuck bulbs: Yep, that's a problem. Spray some penetrant in there at the bulb/socket junction and try to wiggle the bulb around a little. Use a thick rag to grasp the bulb glass, and gently but firmly push and turn. The glass may break, in which case use a needle-nose pliers to collapse the thin brass bulb base so it can be forcibly turned and removed. Clean the socket, grease the new bulb and install. If the reflectors in any of your lamps have dulled, shoot 'em with "Chrome Aluminum" spray paint from the hardware store to restore their reflectivity.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

The thought of putting clear bulbs in the front never crossed my mind. I have to agree with your justification Dan. The amber turn signals send a clear (no pun intended) message that I will be turning soon. This is especially handy when making death-defying left turns in Southern California traffic.

Safe Driving!