So I need an ignition switch. I hear of all the problems with the knockoffs, so I ordered two OEM switches.

After nearly a week, PP sends me this:

Dear Jeff,

Thank you for your recent order from Pelican Parts. Unfortunately, one or more of the parts that you ordered are not available in stock within Porsche's warehouses in the United States. They are available, fortunately, in Porsche's main warehouse in Germany. We can order the parts for you from Germany, but there will unfortunately be a 20% surcharge on the cost of these parts only, to cover the air shipping from Germany. Expected delivery time for these parts to our location in Los Angeles is approximately 3-5 weeks. The parts that are available in Germany are:

111-905-865-K-OEM
Ignition Switch Brand: Genuine Porsche, 914 (1970-1976), Brand: Genuine VW/Audi ***GERMANY.ONLY*** $36.50

I have the following substitution available:

111-905-865-K-M61
Ignition Switch, Brand: Meistersatz Note: $8.50

111-905-865-K-INT
Ignition Switch, Brand: CRP Note: To 11/73 $9.75

I don't think I want to know what Mr. Satz sells or the what the "CRP" brand stands for.

So what is the best solution for us today?

What's that expression..You get what you pay for?
I ordered a cheap one from Pelican and it broke/shorted during testing on install.
McMark put a better one in for me (after diagnosing and confirming the old one and "new one" were bad and causing the no-start). However, I don't recall or have the part #.
That was 2 years ago
Good luck!

Have you checked here:

http://www.volkswagen-classic-parts.de/en/...s-schalter.html

Jeff, order them where ever you want, they are ALL made in the same place.
What I do is order three now.....typically I get one that lasts.

Rich

I am using the Miestersatz, not sure if it is German made though. CRP is a USA company that has been around in the aftermarket business for 30+ years. They make a little bit of everthing or sell it.

Being a common VW part, they it could be made in Brazil, China, Spain or Germany. My FLAPS stocks uro, which is still working a year later and I didn't spot anything substandard with it. At $10, buy local and buy a spare for the glovebox if concerned.
All my factory ones cracked at the case holding the key slot, making it difficult to trigger the starter, worst case = push start.

Adding a starter relay would be advised whichever switch you go with.

Seems many on here are using the Meisterstaz and seems they are ok,replaced mine with one for electrical testing before I get my car running,that key has been on/off that many times and still working,you could say what the hell its only a cheap part but changing them is a pain afterall.

Meisterstaz here also. Still working after one year.
Click to view attachment

I only get a couple years out of the cheap ones. Last time I ordered from Pelican, I bought a cheap one and a genuine Porsche. Installed the cheap one to keep the car going while waiting for the Porsche switch to come from Germany.

Went through the same long process with Pelican to find out it was a special order.

When this one goes bad, it's on to the Genuine Porsche one...I'm hoping for more longevity.

Anyone have results to report from a "Genuine Porsche" switch?

Won't be gloveboxing a spare as the tools to change it won't fit in there .
What ever Porsche supply as genuine will be ok as it will be made in Germany,their price is inline with what is should really cost for a VW part that most likely fits many other cars .

Thanks all. I ordered the Mr. Satz version, multiple copies. The OEM one in my car lasted about a year. Previous to that was an OEM that had worked for at least 10 years since before I bought it.

Maybe we can get 914R to fab a durable solution.

Not hard to change, just a pain. Our time is worth something. Maybe I should order some of the OEM versions too.

Must have been 30 years ago that my switch broke. When I picked up the new one at the dealers window, the guy said not to hang anything from the key. He said the added weight would just wear out the new switch. I've never clipped one of my car keys to anything else since.

The suggestion to not have heavy key ring only makes good sense given the failure rate of this part.

I remember hearing the same warning 30+ years ago; no weight on the key. That advice was from a German Porsche trained mechanic......

I've seen at least one interesting mod for the ignition key mechanism for ease of replacement; the cigarette lighter position was used for an ignition key mechanism.

I think there is a PNW member making a part to do this ??

Yep, don't put other keys on the Key Ring with the 914's key. I only have the Leather Fob attached so I don't loose it.

Also, I think what causes a lot of these switches to crack is, accedently tring to insert the wrong key in the switch (this was the only time the switch craked), and remember if it don't start the first time you have turn the key all the way back to the key removal position first to be able to try to go to the restart position again. Most, if not all, newer cars allow us to turn the key from the run position to the restart position.

What's everyone doing to fasten it into the column?
New switch doesn't have little loop for the retaining screw?

Need to change out the one in Mark's car.

Is Marks a 75-76 MY?

Cary,
75-76 uses a different switch than the one in the picture. Can get a picture on it later.

One got melted in a monster unfused short.
The other was out of the project car. Neither have an X with key on. Not much help.

I've learned so much in the last 5 days my head is about ready to explode.
I have a new early version on the shelf. We just drilled and tapped a 1/4-20 set screw.
Tapped on the upper fat side. That should keep it from getting pulled out when unplugging the harness.

Back to work ...........

Click to view attachment

Pelican Parts site :

I need a new laptop for my shop. The lower section of 75-76's didn't fill in fast enough before I went back to work. Thanks.

Cary, now is a good time to fuse those 2 circuits. Also, and please excuse the HiJack Cary but I just found out that my nephew moved back to Germany. He says learning the language is a bitch and the Beer is gut. The German government is even paying for the lessons. So, I was wondering, could I by pass those tariffs if he mailed the parts to me?? Or is that illegal?

I fused the one that melted twice. After the fact.
I think I'm going to put another fuse panel at the battery when I complete me project car...... This was not fun.

Don't understand the nephew and parts question.
I changed out the switch. Got one from NAPA.

Here'the one I got a NAPA. Plus a new fuse checker toy. Easier than multi-meter
Click to view attachment

Dave made mention of the shipping costs one incurs when ordering from Germany. So I wondered if costs could be lowered by shipping thru my nephew.

got it ............