Please help identify this part that fell out from under my dashboard

[Rockashocka]

Hi, new here, I have a 1970 302 bronco with original instruments on the dash. This fell onto my driver side floorboard from under the dash and I can’t figure out what it is. It’s a plastic and copper disk that appears to be a component of one of the dash knobs or maybe the heater or radio but after looking and taking photos I can’t see where it came from and everything seems to be working correctly. TIA. -Scott. Altoids tin for scale.
https://flic.kr/p/2rLsMrx https://flic.kr/p/2rLuiwE https://flic.kr/p/2rLsMqW

 

[Grey owl]

Possibly from a horn switch assembly

 

[Slowleak]

Maybe part of the internals of a headlight switch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ssray]

Sure looks like parts of a switch. A rotary wiper in that first pic like other switches I’ve had apart in the past so a rotary action switch. I haven’t disassembled any from my Bronco so can’t say for certain which it might be be though. Curious as it would be inside the body of the switch. Which means the cover and connector to the switch would be broken off and hanging loose under there and be nonfunctional. Only other thing I can imagine is if a switch came apart and was replaced at some point and that piece lodged somewhere under the dash and shook loose now.
Also a Scott

 

[.94 OR]

It looks like the fiber disc behind the resistor coil (spring) of the dimmer section of the headlight switch.
Switch may have been replaced in the past.

 

[SLOWnEASY]

My only thought is did you check that the dash lights can still be dimmed my turning the headlight knob?

 

[Oldtimer]

Internal to ignition switch, takes a lot of work to get to it.

 

[Broncobowsher]

I'll admit I have never opened an ignition switch that far.

You can toss that part. It's never going back into anything.

 

[Rockashocka]

Internal to ignition switch, takes a lot of work to get to it.

View attachment 954555

Oldtimer, thank you so much! I owe you a beer. My ignition switch was replaced a year ago. It appears to be currently functioning just fine. Is it possible that this disk was from the old switch? I’ll snap some photos of the backside of the switch right now. THANK YOU!

 

[Rockashocka]

Oldtimer, thank you so much! I owe you a beer. My ignition switch was replaced a year ago. It appears to be currently functioning just fine. Is it possible that this disk was from the old switch? I’ll snap some photos of the backside of the switch right now. THANK YOU!

https://flic.kr/p/2rLysAi https://flic.kr/p/2rLsquZ https://flic.kr/p/2rLsqv5

 

[Rockashocka]

https://flic.kr/p/2rLysAi https://flic.kr/p/2rLsquZ https://flic.kr/p/2rLsqv5

So, would it be safe to conclude that the disk did not fall out of this current ignition switch and more likely fell out during the replacement of the old one and just decided to bounce out of the dash ledge recently? The current ignition switch is functioning normally in all positions.

 

[Rockashocka]

So, would it be safe to conclude that the disk did not fall out of this current ignition switch and more likely fell out during the replacement of the old one and just decided to bounce out of the dash ledge recently? The current ignition switch is functioning normally in all positions.

https://flic.kr/p/2rLswBU
Or is it possible that the disk fell out through this gap (highlighted)? It would seem weird that the switch is working normally without the disk but I suppose stranger things have happened.

 

[Oldtimer]

Disk cannot fall out, need to completly destroy housing to get to it.

 

[Rockashocka]

Disk cannot fall out, need to completly destroy housing to get to it.

Fantastic, case closed, thank you Oldtimer and everyone, I really appreciate your help!

 

[ssray]

Disk cannot fall out, need to completly destroy housing to get to it.

Hard to tell from pics and again I have no 1st hand experience, but I can’t help but wonder if they ever had switches with bakelite parts or construction. I’ve seen that material practically disintegrate from age and heat.
Maybe all the Broncos are post Bakelite products?

 

[serial car restorer]

Disk cannot fall out, need to completly destroy housing to get to it.

And if the switch did deteriorate so badly that the disc fell out, it certainly would not still be functional...

 

[jamesroney]

And if the switch did deteriorate so badly that the disc fell out, it certainly would not still be functional...

@Oldtimer It's actually more common than it should be. If you drill out the key tumbler with a 1/4 inch pilot drill, you can easily get overzealous and go all the way thru that rivet from the front. Once the drill clears the rivet, it hits the head of the stud and shoves the contact housing out of the back.

When you withdraw the drill (and realize what you've done...) the leftover piece falls and gets stuck behind the dash. It will work itself out later.

I'm going to guess that the previous switch needed a key or had a stuck tumbler and got replaced in the recent past.

 

[serial car restorer]

@Oldtimer It's actually more common than it should be. If you drill out the key tumbler with a 1/4 inch pilot drill, you can easily get overzealous and go all the way thru that rivet from the front. Once the drill clears the rivet, it hits the head of the stud and shoves the contact housing out of the back.

When you withdraw the drill (and realize what you've done...) the leftover piece falls and gets stuck behind the dash. It will work itself out later.

I'm going to guess that the previous switch needed a key or had a stuck tumbler and got replaced in the recent past.

That makes total sense.

 

[MarsChariot]

I can confirm what jamesroney said. When the ignition switch gets totally destroyed either via drilling, or through some idiot who does not know about drilling, that piece tends to get hung up in the dash or it is one of the few pieces of the former switch that ends up on the floorboard..