New Owner, New Subject

[resolver]

Hello, all.

Glad I found this page.

Just got my Avanti (a '74) after waiting over 30 years. Having previoulsy been a rabid Stude fan, I would have liked an R-version, but I am happy with what I found.

In decent condition, needs 'attention', but I found 3 items on the car that I cannot identify and ask the braintrust for help.

1. There is a thermocouple on the outside of the left side of the fan shroud. Looks original. The thermocouple tube is just coiled up to the left of the shroud inside the engine compartment but tho it has electrical connectors on it, it has no wiring attached to it and I don't see any wiring in the vicinity that would reach it or connect to it. Any ideas on what this is?

2. On the console are 2 (look to be original) toggle switches that I cannot identify from either the original owner's manual (which I was lucky enuf to get with the car) or in any wiring diagram that I have seen so far. They are just below the heater controls, one on the left, one on the right. The left one is a triple-pole single-throw. Has what looks like a factory connection to it, one direction puts one wire in contact, the other direction puts 3 wires in contact. Appears to control lighting but can't imagine what or why. The one on the right is a single-pole double-throw but nothing was connected to it.

Any ideas on what either of these is (was) for?

Thanx much.

[adamderosa]

Hi,

1) I'm not sure about the thermocouple, it does not sound like a factory item. Does the car have an electric cooling fan installed? If so it could be the temp sensor for it.

2.) The toggle switch on the left side of the console is for the rear window de-fogger fan. One position is "low" speed, one position is "high" speed and the middle is "off". The switch on the right may be for aux fog or driving lights.

[jmenacker]

Congrats on finding your tangible dream!

Our '82 has two spring loaded toggles on the lower edge of the dash pad: one for the power antenna and one for power locks.

[resolver]

Thanx for the replies, tho it doesn't seem that these switches are any of those suggested. The car does not have the rear window defogger option, and that left switch is single-throw, 2-postion ( no provision for off-lo-hi). Guess I'll hafta keep searching.

[Jim78]

My '78 has two switches for power windows, even though the car was not equipped with them. There is also a switch for auxiliary lights which were not installed, either. It appears that they filled all four holes with switches, whether they were needed or not. There is a plate below the switches that lists their function. Apparantly, that plate is missing on your car. Your switches may be for accessories that weren't installed.

[Skip Lackie]

I also have a 74 and the answer from adamderosa is correct for my car. I think most Avantis of that era came with some kind of driving lights, so I suspect that's what the SPDT switch was for. The rear window defogger on these cars was a fan mounted in the package shelf, not wiring on the glass. Are you sure the other switch doesn't have a middle position? That would fit with the defogger.

Of course, it's also possible that one of the original light switches in the overhead failed and a previous owner used the hole on the console as a convenient place to install a replacement. The OEM switches weren't of very good quality.