Ignition switch clarification
 

Will try to be brief..... my car was made in August of 1971... meaning that the generation change happened in September 1971... so technically and for ordering purposes, I just tell everyone it is a 1970 to save the hassle and to make sure I get the correct part....

I have researched several parts and found that some parts outfits are NOT aware of the information in the above paragraph and that was confirmed today. I confirmed that my starting issues were due to a bad switch, so I researched a bit, found the numbers and universally, the check procedure to make sure the part fits, said it would, on a 1970 240Z... Today, I went to install it, followed standard procedure, dropped the harness, unplugged it to remove the switch, and noticed that mine has one screw holding it in, not two like the new one has, and the new one is about 25% larger than mine as well... I will take some pictures it anybody would like to see....

What I suspect is that I am running into that generational change again and that a switch for a 1970-71 is different from a 1971-up.....

Can anybody confirm this and if so, does anybody have a parts number of the 1970-71 switch?

PS.. the new switch is a IG10641 General.... which is the same as a WR682A and a Borg CS-154 and they are not right.. for my car...

Thanks
Dennis

A possible/probable answer
 

Good morning.. I accessed my email this morning and had a reply from the group I bought the switch from.... and I was correct. There were two switches made early, and my supplier sent me a link to the article that explained it all in detail. There is a four position and a five position switch..... and I am 99% sure the new switch I received was a five position (larger and double sided key) and I need the four position switch (smaller and single sided key) which is exactly what I have.... Now, I need to research to find the parts number and I am going to pull the switch to see if that parts number is stamped on the current OEM switch.... and then go from there.... What I fear right now, is that these four position switches, may be so rare, that I will be better off replacing the entire key system, which I really don't want to do.... More later... If anybody knows the parts number for that smaller four position switch, I would appreciate a heads up.... Thanks... PS.... I will attach the link and the pictures side by side of the two switches in question are located about in the middle of the article if you care to look.....

Tech Wiki - Ignition Switch : Datsun 1200 Club

I have 3 cars 6-70, 12-70 and 7-71. They all have the 5 position double sided key. I also have a spare lock with key (5 position). The only 4 position I've seen is on the trucks.

Found the answer.....
 

I probably should have posted the solution to this earlier today, but I found the answer in a round about method. Someone posted about a KV1 key assembly so I started with that after looking at mine, a KV3... which happens to be the code of a Russian tank also... now, when I tried to google, guess what I got? Anyway, the reference led me to a site called Datsun 1200.... which I joined also, and wrote the whole story with three pictures, my smaller switch, the replacement sent by a supplier (wrong one), and the five position key location. I lucked out. One guy posted a guess and the second guy was a retired Datsun parts man who knew exactly what I was saying and told me that Datsun did make this unit for three years at the same time as the 240s were coming out. He remembered the parts number and also a truck that this unit was installed on. When I googled his parts number I found he was right but that it was "superceded" on every site to the larger switch... so then I started in on the 1970 521 pickup and the major parts suppliers had no switch for it.... period... but Rock Auto did... The Nissan number is 48750-E4700 that you will not find...and initially I looked up a 510 Datsun and came up with the wrong application (larger diameter one again) so I went to the other pickup; the 521 and there it was..... BECK/ARNLEY Part # 2011413 and it was produced for three years, overlapping the 1970, 71, and 72.... I contacted my ebay seller and will send back the switch and he wanted the correct numbers to see if he stocked one.... I am confident that the BeckArnley unit is right... it shows the picture.. one mounting screw and five spade terminals... By the way, my KV3 unit has a one sided key for the ignition as well... I have no idea if this was original equipment, or if a previous owner swapped this whole unit into this car... I bet I have ten hours invested in the research now... Thanks for everybody's input....