1936 Pickup High beam indicator light

SSsssteamer

SSsssteamer

Well-known member
Just finished rewiring my 1936 Ford pick up. In taking the old wiring out, it had a high beam indicator light located behind the windshield wiper cover plate. Is this the correct place for it? If not, where should the high beam indicator light be located?
 

Attachments

  • 1936 Ford pick up.jpg
    1936 Ford pick up.jpg
    95 KB · Views: 56
Uh.. Nowhere?

How do you actuate your high beam?

I have a 36 Phaeton and a 35 Fordor Touring so no truck experience. As far as I know 1936 Fords had a switch in the center of the steering wheel that you'd turn left and right for high, low, and parking lamps. There was no indicator to the driver other than the lights in front of the vehicle.
 
Last edited:
The wiring diagrams do not show a high beam indicator until 38. That is also when they added the foot dimmer switch.
 
Thank you for the help with the high beam indicator light. I will delete the high beam indicator light from the windshield wiper cover. Our '36 has it's light switch in the center of the steering wheel.
 
I'm not sure why Ford didn't use a high beam indicator on pre 38 models. It could be added if you ran a wire from high beam wire to the headlights. But, then it wouldn't be original. :)
 
SSssssteamer...I can see no reason not to have a dimmer indicator, especially if it is unobtrusive unless your desire is to go back 100% original which would be a significant undertaking on the 36 pictured. I am not knocking the 36 pictured, I wish I had it.
 
It might be that it was thought unnecessary if you can tell by the position of the switch which is right in front of you on the steering wheel centre. Once a foot switch was introduced you couldn't visually check (the previous type switch position) so a high beam indicator light became a useful addition.

Just a thought. Not based on anything but a considered opinion.
 
I used the HB indicator light from a '38-39 Ford, located between the two instrument clusters, worked great.
Of course now there are several sources for small indicator type lights in about any color.
 
OK, you talked me into leaving the high beam indicator light in place. It would be much more handier seeing the indicator light glowing in the dark rather than fumbling to feel the position of the headlight switch.
 
Mart said:
It might be that it was thought unnecessary if you can tell by the position of the switch which is right in front of you on the steering wheel centre. Once a foot switch was introduced you couldn't visually check (the previous type switch position) so a high beam indicator light became a useful addition.

Just a thought. Not based on anything but a considered opinion.
Click to expand...


And another thought...there was less traffic so less need to switch between high and low beams. Having driven both, the foot switch is a lot easier to manipulate while using both hands to steer. IMHO, the current column mounted stalk was not an improvement.
 
I converted my '36 to a pull type HL switch mounted on the dash and a floor mounted dimmer switch where the original floor mounted starter switch had been, opting for a starter button on the dash in 1954. Never regretted the modification.
Of course in 1954 my '36 was my daily transportation. When I moved from Idaho, then to Nevada, and then to California in 1956, I drove the '36.
My '36 was my daily transportation until 1959. I have driven the car over 94k, I don't think there are many people that can match, or excede that amount of use out or their EFV8.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top