column switch dissassembly to fix burnt wire

[manoa matt]

Car: 1978 1800 Can the column switch be taken apart to fix a burnt wire?

Here is a pic of the burnt wire: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigtimes_fiat/2402146173/
The grey/red wire is part of the switch, goes to the fuse box, and then goes to the low beams. The fuse is new and of the proper rating, fuse contacts are also clean. The headlights are fairly new, a few months old and the same as original spec. Headlights are properly grounded. The only thing I touched in the last few weeks was to find the unconnected ground for the gauge panel.

I only see 2 ways of separating the assembly.

1. Remove the plastic turn signal canceling ring. Here is the pic: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigtimes_fiat/2402146175/ The retaining ring seams to be one of those plastic parts that can be pushed on, but removal is impossible without damage.

2. Drill out the two aluminum pop rivets on each side of the column assembly. The pop rivet can be seen in the picture of the burnt wire just to the left. Drilling out a metal rivet secured in plastic never ends in a usable hole because the heat from drilling the rivet melts the surrounding plastic.

Either way seams to result in damage, now what? The wiring and condition of my column switch assembly appears newer than the rest of the wiring.

[Looie72]

On the picture you posted, there seems to be an empty hole the size of the rivet you are trying to drill out. find a drill bit the same size of this hole, next before attempting to drill rivet out, sprat wd40 on rivet and drill bit. proceed to drill out slowly and continue to spray wd40 on both until you get through. If you do it slowly and spray lubricant simultaneously, you should not develop enough heat to melt anything around. Good luck.