Dome light wiring and engine winterizing

R

robert shreveport

Senior Member
I have an engine completely rebuilt this summer and have not put in my car yet. I live in N. La. and have it in an unheated closed in shop . I have socks stuffed in every opening. There are no rats at all in my shop.The motor was run for me when I picked up the engine in June but hasn't been started since.. I don't think that I will have a hard enough freeze or cold enough temps. here to actually worry about it freezing here where I live but what would be any recommendations for storing it this winter.
Next questiion I have a std. 2 dr. sedan that I have bought a dome light to put in it. The car will be 12 volts. How do I run the wiring for the dome light and where did a dome light switch belong on these cars Any pictures or help is appreciated.
 
Taping all the openings on the engine is best to keep out moisture and critters. Pour a couple tablespoons of oil down each spark plug hole and turn the engine over a couple times to distribute the oil, then screw the plugs back in.
 
On my coupe the dome light wire runs from the terminal box up the windshield post and along the roof rail to the roof bow, the ground wire attached to the metal with a screw at the end of the bow, with mine the switch is in the dome light, on a sedan I have seen them in the door post so there is acess from the front and the back.
Across the cowl there are little L brackets with grommets for the wires, and cowl light wires --mine has 3 wire brackets with 1 held by a treminal box screw.

If you originally had a dome light and have original wood there should be some evidence of the switch and dome light location.

Enless you can run the engine till the oil is HOT it is better to not start it, just put some oil down the plug holes and hand crank it some. --condensation from rapid temp changes is what I worry about in storage, fogging everything with spray oil can help prevent condensation damage.
 
Kurt are you saying the dome light has 2 wires. 1 from the terminal box which is hot and then a ground coming from the light to the roof somewhere grounding it. Is your coupe a 12 volt? My car never had a dome light so I don't know how to put a switch on a door post.
 
I use the reliable original 6V system and direct fit halogen headlight bulbs.

The dome light is mounted in wood so it needs a wire for a ground.

Sedans with a dome light usually had a manual switch inside --i don't know about tudors, but a fordor would have it in the post on the passenger side between the doors ---perhaps if you search town sedans, delux fordors --perhaps a 31 delux tudor.

The wiring and light don't care about voltage, just the bulb.
 
Hi, Robert. Your winter temperature is almost same as mine. With your engine inside (heatted or unheated) you are good for the mild N. La winter. Just as Tom suggested, put a table spoon of oil down each spark plug hole, turn the engine over several times, then put the plugs back in. It would do the engine good to hand turn it over maybe once a week to keep the oil distributed.

I am not sure but I think Tudors had the Dome Light switch in the shell of the light fixture.There should be a wood block between two of the rearmost bows. Light fixture was screwed to the wood block. That is why a ground wire is needed. As stated above, the wire ran from T-Box to right cowl panel, up door post and along roof rail then across bow to the Light fixture.

Maybe we can have an engine insertion workshop this spring.?????
 
Hey, good to hear from you. My dome light is 6 volt pretty sure anyway came from Snyders. Was wanting to replace it with 12 bulb, figured that's what I should do. So I just run the ground wire to the top area and ground it. The other wire will come from junction box for voltage. The switch at the light when moved makes the connection, correct?
 
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