Instrument lights 1939 Ford Deluxe

The'39 DeLuxe switch is a reostat, while the V8 model is a toggle switch. A toggle would work on the DeLuxe, but is not correct. The correct one has a butterscotch (twist) knob with a thin arrow on the face. (You can't see the arrow from the seat, as it points down to the floor.) These switches, both V8 and DeLuxe, are located on the underside of the dash in front of the driver.
 
ford38v8 said:
The'39 DeLuxe switch is a reostat, while the V8 model is a toggle switch. A toggle would work on the DeLuxe, but is not correct. The correct one has a butterscotch (twist) knob with a thin arrow on the face. (You can't see the arrow from the seat, as it points down to the floor.) These switches, both V8 and DeLuxe, are located on the underside of the dash in front of the driver.
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I got functioning reostat, the wiring diagram makes it look like there is a manual toggle switch. OK thanks, I just need to figure out why they don’t work, as I checked the reostat and that was good. No voltage to the instrument lights. My glovebox light comes on as soon as I enenergise my battery, even thou it look like it ( glove box light ) is wired in parellel ( from the wiring diagram ) with the 2 dash lights, briefly traced the wiring from inside the dash lights, looks to go to the light switch mechanism. That goes on my bucket list of things to do.

OK thanks

Joe
 
The clock light is wired with the instrument lights it should be in the glove box. 39 did not have a "Glove box light" . If the light in the glove box dims with the rehostat it would appear the instrument lights are either burned out or their wire to the rehostat or their ground path is open circuit.
 
Terry said:
The clock light is wired with the instrument lights it should be in the glove box. 39 did not have a "Glove box light" . If the light in the glove box dims with the rehostat it would appear the instrument lights are either burned out or their wire to the rehostat or their ground path is open circuit.
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Yes my 39 Deluxe has a light attached to the clock, yes I get it the clock light and instrument lights are in parallel. Currently my clock light stays on 24/7 as long as the battery is energized/hooked up, looks like a direct hook up to the battery. When I turn on the parking lights or headlights, the two dash lights do not have voltage feeding them.

I guess my question is to turn on those mentioned lights, you need to manually turn on the light switch on the steering wheel and the reostat just controls the dimness?

The wiring diagram ( that I submitted ) shows a toggle switch downstream of the reostat, that’s all, if it’s part of the reostat they should incorporate that switch in a dotted line along with the reostat part, you know like a electrical schematic. At least in my trade HVAC it shows it that way on wiring diagrams.
 
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Are you sure your dash bulbs are good? They don't show up good in the day and are dim at best in the dark. You probably won't need the dimmer and can bypass it by connecting the two wires together .
 
You do need to turn lights on by moving switch on column, the dimmer is to do just that. The clock light should be with the dash lights but could be connected to pillar light wire which is at the end of harness by clock wire. Does your pillar light work?
 
The wiring diagram is deceiving. If you look in the owners reference book you will find the light switch has an off position in the center of it's three positions. In the off position the battery is just connected to the stop light circuit. Battery power does not go to the glove box or instrument lights.

With the light switch rotated one position C.W from OFF the battery is connected to the parking lights, instrument and tail lights as well as the stop light circuit.

Rotating the switch one position C.C.W. from OFF and then the headlight circuit, instrument, tail lights, as well as the stop light circuit have battery power.
Ford did not know how to draw the light switch using todays standards.
 
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marko39 said:
Are you sure your dash bulbs are good? They don't show up good in the day and are dim at best in the dark. You probably won't need the dimmer and can bypass it by connecting the two wires together .
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Absolutely, both bulbs are good, did a visual and ohmed out both, no voltage feeding those two instrument lights.

No one seems to answer the basic question I have, which is the open switch downstream of the Van Pelt wiring diagram ( it clearly shows a open switch N/O between the instrument bulbs and the reostat ) is that switch incorporated into the reostat as one piece, if so does turning it one direction ( reostat ) opens the switch, and kills power to those 3 lights ( clock and two dash lights , after the switch on the steering wheel is turned to either parking or running lights ) and turning it the other way ( reostat ) closes that switch and controls the brightness of those lights?
 
marko39 said:
You do need to turn lights on by moving switch on column, the dimmer is to do just that. The clock light should be with the dash lights but could be connected to pillar light wire which is at the end of harness by clock wire. Does your pillar light work?
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In regards to my pillar lights working, they use to, but I believe the bulb is burned out, I’m having a hard time removing the cover lens ( its a repop pillar light assembly ) to replace or check it. I don’t want to rip the whole assembly off the headliner, and potentially strip the threaded holes that the screw mounts.
 
Yes the one far end of the rotation of the rehostat will turn the instrument and clock light off. Below is a photo of the 39 light switch and function from the passenger and commercial owners reference manual.
 

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The outer metal trim ring around the dome light comes off to get to the light bulb. The lights plastic lens is connected to the trim ring so it comes off with the ring.
This web site is very much about original cars and trucks, if your vehicle is highly modified your not going to get the answers your looking for.
 
Terry said:
Yes the one far end of the rotation of the rehostat will turn the instrument and clock light off. Below is a photo of the 39 light switch and function from the passenger and commercial owners reference manual.
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Thankx for your effort and help. So your saying that switch ( downstream of the reostat but before those three bulbs- dash/clock lights ) is one assembly?

As seen in this wiring diagram.

http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/...al-pics/Flathead_Electrical_wiring1939dlx.jpg
 
Terry said:
The outer metal trim ring around the dome light comes off to get to the light bulb. The lights plastic lens is connected to the trim ring so it comes off with the ring.
This web site is very much about original cars and trucks, if your vehicle is highly modified your not going to get the answers your looking for.
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My car is 95% original, high performance 46 Flathead V8, 12 volt electronic ignition running 6 volts for the lights only, original running gear, original style Lebanon Bonney mohair interior, all original functioning dash gauge, Elmo Grainmobile did my dash decades ago. original transmission, only thing not original is the dropped front axle and 40 Ford brake drums, and modern shocks, running modern tires pattern with nostalgia beauty rings and hubcaps even the vacumn wiper is original. Repop but all original style wiring. This September will be 51 years of ownership. Car was in Rod & Custom “At Random” section decades ago. Sorry,...I got a little carried away lol

Once again Thankx for your help....
 
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Your car sounds GREAT thanks for being on the barn! It appears something is not quite wired correctly if the light in the glove box is on with the light switch in the OFF position.
 
Did this occur with the installation of a new harness? The reason I ask is when I did one on my 39 Deluxe I found some of the wires on the harness were hard to identify and I did have mine wrong originally. Eyes getting old.
 
marko39 said:
Did this occur with the installation of a new harness? The reason I ask is when I did one on my 39 Deluxe I found some of the wires on the harness were hard to identify and I did have mine wrong originally. Eyes getting old.
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No the wiring was installed decades ago, certainly it’s hard to identify the colors, I had someone else hook it up as I converted to 12 volt but still run the 6 volts for all lights. Never had a problem starting and running the car since converting to the electronics, purchased from Patrick decades ago. That part was beyond my experience. It’s not a big deal, as it’s on my bucket list, I know wiring pretty well as being in the HVAC trade I studied circuits and troubleshooting.
 
Terry said:
Your car sounds GREAT thanks for being on the barn! It appears something is not quite wired correctly if the light in the glove box is on with the light switch in the OFF position.
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I have one of those shut off switches on my battery, that I use to disengage after taking the car out, so it’s not like the clock light stays on 24/7. Easy enough to just remove the bulb.
 
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