A question for Australian '32 enthusiasts

DavidG

DavidG

Well-known member
In looking through some '32 Ford engineering drawings recently I came across a curious variation of the rear lamp assembly designated for Australia and Japan (only) which includes a toggle switch to permit the tail/license plate bulb to be switched off independent of the rest of the lighting system.

The purpose/advantage of such a feature eludes me.

Comments/explanations shall be greatly appreciated as I would like to include this item in the next batch of additions to "The 1932 Ford Book, A Production Chronicle and Restoration Guide".

Thank you!

David
 

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From what I can see there is no date on the drawing. Could it possibly have some connection with WWII? Doubtful, but just a thought.
 
Lawson,

What's shown is a portion of a larger drawing for both B-13405 and BF-13405. It was first drawn (and the part released for production) on November 2, 1931. It was amended once on February 18, 1932 (both dates well in advance of actual Job #1) and designated as obsolete on June 22, 1939. The toggle switch and switch bracket are both carryover Model A parts according to the '32 Canadian chassis parts catalogue (which was used by its subsidiary, Ford of Australia and contains a number of parts that were unique to Australia, including some that were city-specific within Australia). So, there's no connection with WWII.
 
Could this be a by-product of British type parking rules requiring a parking light left on on parallel parked vehicles?? If so, maybe this simply dropped the TL out of the circuit to reduce drain. I've got a number of Commonwealth/British/Antipodean catalogs, but they are not accessible right now.
 
Bruce,

This switch, its wiring, or its unique bracket are not included in the '32 Ford of Britain parts catalogue. As the print is notated, the arrangement is for use in Australia and Japan only. Its use would leave the back of the vehicle unlit except for when the brakes were applied and therefore unprotected when parked.
 

In some parking areas of Aus a tail light had to be left on.
There is an external tail light switch on most pre war [pre 1950?] cars.
Also in some states the tail light had to extend to the bumper bar.

Manuel in Oz
 
DavidG said:
Lawson,

What's shown is a portion of a larger drawing for both B-13405 and BF-13405. It was first drawn (and the part released for production) on November 2, 1931. It was amended once on February 18, 1932 (both dates well in advance of actual Job #1) and designated as obsolete on June 22, 1939. The toggle switch and switch bracket are both carryover Model A parts according to the '32 Canadian chassis parts catalogue (which was used by its subsidiary, Ford of Australia and contains a number of parts that were unique to Australia, including some that were city-specific within Australia). So, there's no connection with WWII.
Click to expand...

Thanks David. I learned something today. lol
 
Manuel,

The latter part of your post addresses the BF-13407-A&B (Adelaide and Fremantle only) and BF-13407-A&B (Brisbane, Geelong, and Sydney only) tail lamp assemblies.

But the engineering drawing shown above shows only a single wire leading into the switch which implies that the lead-in wire was 'hot' at all times which further implies a unique lamp switch at the bottom of the steering column or a unique rear lamp wiring harness that partially bypasses the light switch. It could be an oversight (they exist), but the lamp switch listed in the Ford of Canada parts catalogue is the same one used on all North American-produced cars and commercial vehicles, RHD or LHD, namelly B-11654. The wire shown in the drawing leading to the switch, BF-14330, could be linked directly to the hot side of the starter switch, but it is not listed in the catalogue, which could mean it simply wasn't service separately or maybe another oversight.

The implication of the single wire is such that it means that the tail lamp would be lit at all times, day or night, unless switched off by the driver. The location of the switch in this instance would seem to make it easy to forget to use it when the car was parked where the light wasn't required.

I'll bet the battery replacement business was brisk during the years of those switches existence.
 
Bruce,

Your theory was correct. The British still like to park on the wrong side of the street.
 
In Australia pre second world war it was law at dusk to get out of your car & turn your tail light on by that switch to make sure that your tail light was working.
 
There is a simple answear to this question. In Australia the road law up until the mid 1950s required the driver to make sure that the tail light / lights were actually "ON " at night. To check this one would have to actually walk to the rear of the vehicle and look. But as humans are a lazy lot not everyone would do this. What if the globe was blown ? Therefore the rear switch was wired HOT all the time regardless of what position the tail, park, headlight switch was turned to. This set up ensured the driver knew the tail light was actually "ON" when they turned the rear switch "ON". Of course this was good busisness for local garages who could recharge flat batteries. All vehicle makes of cars and trucks were fitted with this set up not just FORDS. Regards, Kevin.
 
I LOVE those Ford drawings...I just decided that when I become a trillionaire, I will send my minions to the archives and have them make a copy of every B and 18 drawing...then I will paper the entire inside of my castle with them!
"Where's Bruce??" "I think he went up to the cotter pin and drive rivet room a few minutes ago."
 

My Dad said that when he was a kid, he and his mates used to go around and turn all the tail lights ON.
They never hung around to see the owners when they returned to their cars!

Manuel in Oz

PS Bruce when u get a copy of all those drawings I would LOVE a copy.
U would be rich enough to publish them in a book of some sort of course :-)
 
I'll have my minions run second copies for you before they form up to march to Hershey, strip mine it right down to bedrock, and move all the goodies into my dungeon.
 
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