[Philip]

A previous owner failed at installing dome light switches on the rear doors. Mounted them up high like the front doors but caused them to bend rather then depress. Tom (chevygod) showed me the proper location and yesterday it was done.

Looking at the switch it did not seem that just drilling a hole was going to leave enough metal to secure the switch. I looked at the front door holes to see how GM does it.

It appears the holes are made using some sort of punching operation giving enough metal for the switch to thread into to.

Wanting to duplicate that here is what I did.

First drilled a 3/16" hole in the dimple at the lower front corner of the door jamb.

next using a tapered punch stretched the metal to a hole large enough for the switch to cut threads

Using an old switch cut threads in the metal

The hole is threaded and has enough metal to hold the switch securely.

Tools used

for wiring tie into the dome light wires at the base of the B pillar for the drivers side. Passenger side runs from there across the floor under the carpeting.

 

[Gossamer454]

Thanks for the info Philip...gonna do this to my '72

 

[Philip]

Since my head liner is out a second dome light will be added at the last roof brace. Both will be LED. Probably the start of a little snowball becoming an avalanche of budget draining upgrades

 

[Tom Mobley]

>>> Probably the start of a little snowball becoming an avalanche of budget draining upgrades

I see you've done this before

maybe you could get little LED tape lights and line the wheel wells. and the rockers. and the bumpers. and LED fuzzy dice for the mirror. the possibilities are endless.