Classic/Antique Car Repair: 1951 Chevrolet headlight switch repair, headlight buckets, chevrolet headlight

Question
Dick,
I am restoring a 1951 Chevrolet 1/2 ton.  While the cab and other sheetmetal is being attended to, I am trying to have everything ready when we reassemble. The wiring was burned at the headlight buckets so the whole harness will be replaced.  The previous owner or maybe the one before him, restored the truck many moons ago.  In doing so, the cab was repainted with almost everything in place, including the headlight switch.  When it was removed there was a layer of paint over most of it, including the resistor coil and wiper for the instrument lights and the circuit breaker.  I think that the circuits overheated because of this. The switch works in all phases except the resistor coil for the instrument dimmer is broken at one end.  It originally was attached to a rivet that passes through the ceramic block and is now about 1/4 inch shorter than it sould be.  Any ideas on how to repair this?  I don't think the newer versions of this switch are very good and if at all possible, I would like to use this one.
Sorry for the long post.

Mark  

Answer
That coil of wire is a nichrome resistance wire which forms the element of a rheostat, the wiper has to slide over it to adjust the dash light intensity.  The rivet is there to secure the end of the coil of wire, and you must somehow replace it or get it to stay in place by some other method.   Nichrome wire is very difficult to work with, as it cannot be soldered - so I think you would be best advised to replace the switch.  

I do not think paint on the switch would harm it, unless there was so much paint on it that it got into the innards of the switch - not very likely if it was spray painted. It would probably keep the rheostat from making contact with the wiper, though.

Dick