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 | Friday, October 2, 2026 |
The Norton Command MK3 Neutral Switch
September 24 2026 I keep telling people about this and planning to write it up - today is the day!
Wassell sells a genuine Lucas switch they hoped would work for the MK3 neutral switch. It is a genuine Lucas switch and works perfectly in vintage British cars as a brake switch. The Andover Norton (AN) part number 06-6390 is the genuine Lucas switch from Wassell, and it is out of stock and likely will stay that way since they know it does not work. See item 48 here for the AN switch and see item 28B here for the button.
As delivered from AN, me, or any Wassell seller, the switch will not work for a Norton MK3 neutral switch due to:
- The plunger is too long.
- The original button (06-5388) in the camplate assembly (06-5504) is too flat, and it is often scored in the middle due to the old switch being adjusted too tight.
- The switch has male spade lugs that interfere with the engine.
If you try to use it, it will stop the gearbox from shifting!
That said, I have made them work, but it is hard. To accomplish it, you must:
- Cut the plunger about in half (I’ve never gotten one right on the first try). Then you must round it as the original. When done, the switch must close in the amount of distance the button is tall and leave only a tiny bit sticking out from the switch body.
- Change the button to the one AN sells today – same part number. Of course, the gearbox internals must come out to do this!
- You must bend the spade terminals out flat without breaking the internal connection – difficult as the rivets are through plastic. Ideally, you would cut them short and solder, but I’ve tried several times and all were failures as the plastic melted.
Future:
- I found an original in good enough shape to send to Wassell for them to have reproduced. If they are able to do it where they can make money, they will, but I have no idea when or if that will be accomplished.
- It is doubtful that they will ever work with the original buttons – the originals I’ve had do not if the button is grooved, and all I’ve seen are.
If you have the original switch, tell me what’s wrong with it and send a couple of pictures. I’ve had a little luck fixing them. Start reading at May 16, 2024 here to see an original switch I fixed. Start reading at March 27, 2025 here for a writeup on a new switch I modified - unfortunately, I didn't take pictures.
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