Strange knobs

[DannyK]

I have 2 non-standard knobs located under my dashboard from which I wonder what their function is.

One is located near the front lid release knob and can be pushed inwards (By the way, the front lid release knob has a key hole in it, since the car is a Targa). The other one is located on the right side of the radio (under the dash) and is a turning knob.

Perhaps someone has identical knobs or recognises them? Hopefully they are no James Bond type of devices like ejecting chairs or something....

Here are some pics:





Thanks,
Danny

[gruen911]

Maybe a kill switch or homemmade theft security system?

[911pcars]

Famous last words:

"Nice doggie"
"They're usually not aggressive. If we leave it alone, it'll leave us: alone."
"Cover me."
"I think it's asleep."
"It's probably just a rash."
"Are you sure the power is off?"
"Which wire was I supposed to cut?"
"These are the good kind of mushrooms."
"I've done this before."
"Now watch this..."
"What duck?"
"What's this button for?"

Go for it.

Sherwood

[gruen911]

Danny,
Follow the wires. If it is a kill switch, chances are its connecting to your ignition wires, or your fuel pump, or your battery. No spark, no gas, no drive....

[911pcars]

If it's a kill switch it's way too obvious (perhaps giving car thieves too much credit). I'll guess the driver side button is a remote starter and the under the IP is for a speaker fader control.

So. What happens when you push the button and pull/rotate the knob?

If this is a DIY project (looks like it), how is anyone else going to know what they do? I do recognize the duct tape. I use it all the time, except for mounting switch panels.

Just wondering,
Sherwood

[Ivs]

The push type switch looks as if it is for a cold start that has been bypassed. W/ your engine off push the button a few times, then go to your engine compartment. If you smell gas then that is what it is.

[jayzoll]

I had a mysterious swith near my trunk release when I bought my car a few years ago. It did not appear to do anything. When I finally undid all of the zip ties and traced the wires I found that, in fact, it was hooked up to nothing.

[larry47us]

I had a mysterious swith near my trunk release when I bought my car a few years ago. It did not appear to do anything. When I finally undid all of the zip ties and traced the wires I found that, in fact, it was hooked up to nothing.

So, after you figured that out, did you leave it in to confuse the ordinary folk?

larry

[blucille]

looks like an old bluapunkt fader, used for sending music from a stereo radio to 4 speakers...or a mono radio could be used to drive 2 speakers.

you'll find this is hooked to the wires to the radio and speakers, or not at all...depends how many speakers you now have and what radio.

-Lewis

[DannyK]

Thanks all for your responses. I think that Lewis may be right with the Blaupunkt fader. At least the knob itself does "feel very Blaupunkt". As far as I know, I don't have any further speakers installed in the car (or perhaps under the doorcovers?), except for the mono one under the dash, but there may have been more speakers in the past, who knows. Complicating factor is that my radio currently doesn't work, and I don't know what the reason is. Could be a fuse, but I haven't had the time to really investigate all of this. I shall have a closer look coming weekend and let you know what I found.

Funny thing is, that I found an external microphone in the glovebox compartment that seems to hook up to the white DIN plug that is sticking out near my radio. Now, I asked myself, why would anyone have a microphone in their car? My Blaupunkt radio (which I will remove coming weekend) has a cassette, and this cassette seems to have a recording function. So, that might be the answer to this question. Perhaps the previous owner was a writer/journalist/lawyer who spent a lot of time in his car, and who wanted to record anything that came to his mind in order to work it out later (behind the typewriter). Or it was someone who got so excited by the sound of the screaming boxer, that he wanted to record that sound so that he could play it everynight before he went to sleep. I guess I'll never know...

The other knob is more difficult. I pushed it, but nothing happens. If I push it with the ignition on, I hear a little buzz. I did what Ivs suggested: pushed the button a few times, then put my nose under the engine lid, but I couldn't tell if the smell of gas is more present than normally.

Ivs, what do you mean with

The push type switch looks as if it is for a cold start that has been bypassed

? My car has been converted to Webers in the past. Would that have anything to do with it? And why does a knob have the function of putting extra gas in the carburettors if one could accomplish the same by pushing the accelerator? I'm sorry, I'm not very technical, but very much trying to learn (and read about it)...

Thanks again everyone.
Danny