Center dash work

I focused some of my attention on the center dash today.  After removing the section to gain access to the clock (so that I can get it working again), I noticed a couple of issues that I wanted to address:

• Cracks in the trim (see this post)
• A map light that doesn't work
• Faded trim around the vents

The faded trim was easy to address.  To start, I disassembled the center dash entirely.  I cleaned all parts as best I could.  The vents definitely needed it!  I then used Testors Bright Silver acrylic model paint and carefully painted the trim ring.  I am quite happy with the results.

Before

After

As for the malfunctioning map light, I verified that I wasn't lucky enough for the issue to simply be a burned out bulb.  When I disassembled the unit, I found much corrosion on all copper contacts, so I cleaned them well.

The map light switch is interesting in that there are contacts on either side of the lens.  When the lens is angled downward, the two contacts in the lens close  a circuit with two contacts in the base.  A jumper wire bridges the contacts in the lens, as you can barely see in the top of the below photo (you can see the jumper wire where it is soldered onto the contact.

After cleaning all contacts and reassembling, the light still did not work.  After some tracing with a VOM, I found that there was no continuity between the lens contacts.  Since the contacts would be risky to remove without damaging the lens, I was trying to come up with a creative solution.  I first tried to solder another jumper on top of the existing, although I was unable to get a solid connection.  I then had the idea to quickly heat the contacts to the point of melting the solder connection of the existing jumper.  After making a solder "bridge" to the old solder, I successfully melted each jumper contact point.  Upon inspection, I found that this did the trick!  I now have a working map light.