General light question 1931 a

B

benbuilder

Senior Member
I just bought a 31 Model a pickup.
Supposedly ran when parked about 8 yeas ago. working on getting it going.
The headlights have two sockets in each shell. I have no bulbs in any of the 4 holes. I have never had a Model A so forgive me. I see diagrams, but cant figure out what the bulbs do. Help please

When searching for bulbs, am i correct to think that they are as follows?

the main headlight- is it a 6 Volt - #1188 bulb?
The other upper and offset bulb is a #1129A bulb, 6v, amber? Is this a park light?
 
I'm not sure of the numbers but you're correct. The center socket is for the bigger high/low headlight bulb. The socket at the top is for the smaller parking light. They came originally with a clear bulb but a lot of people choose to install amber.
 
50 CP probably not much brighter than 21 CP. Drains the battery faster. Generator can produce only so much power.
 
If you plan on driving much at night then you may want to check out Logolite. They have LED headlight bulbs. They are a little pricey at $100/pr but in my opinion, definitely worth it.
 
Ayers1 said:
If you plan on driving much at night then you may want to check out Logolite. They have LED headlight bulbs. They are a little pricey at $100/pr but in my opinion, definitely worth it.
Click to expand...

I agree. The LogoLites LEDs are much brighter than incandescent bulbs. I have mine on during the day to ensure others see me. Very little draw on the battery.
 
And, since this is a new experience, I'll tell you what you're likely to find:


1. The original headlight setup didn't include a "ground" between the bulb socket shells and the car frame. Modern restoration has (usually) MANY layers of paint which act as insulation between the parts. Many run an additional wire through the conduit along side the "feed wires" (tight fit possibly.) To act as ground.
2. The sockets are not made as original and instead of "pressed/formed paper" insulators, most modern replacement sockets have plastic insulators. For a while a lot of people were complaining about the heat of the bulbs (Maybe especially the 30-50) "melting" the plastic. Most more recent sockets have gotten past this problem.
3. Fords original "landing spot" for the wires was a plastic spacer piece (at Conduit ferrule) - many of which are either ill formed or melt from the heat of imperfect connection.
4. A corresponding problem is seen in the "bullet ends" formed onto the wiring harness and which SHOULD fit the ferrule plastic - but frequently don't and instead you get "intermittent" connection (I.e. lights go on and off) Solution here is to buy the aftermarket turned bullets and solder them onto the wire.

In a lot of different ways Ford didn't design well in the headlights. And modern "aftermarket" goods haven't helped.

There are "aftermarket sockets" available both for the main light and the auxiliary socket. These don't rely on the headlight shells which for these only offer "locating." But you wire your wiring harness DIRECTLY to the pig-tails. Gets away from the whole "bullet/spacer/contact connection" issue.

This same methodology can be used with original sockets - by which you retain the adjustment screw on the back of the headlight shell.

MANY struggle to get and retain a working headlight system.

Joe K
 
Last edited:
The original Ford connectors at the headlight conduit ferrule were red or black bakelite substance, not plastic. They had raised letters indicating placement for red, yellow or green wires. The early 1928 connectors were different than late 1928 to 1931.

The engine pans served as a ground path to the frame, and many times these are missing on Model A's today, so the ground path is less effective and as Joe K says, many layers of paint inhibit a good ground system. With a properly restored vehicle you should be able to have the engine turned off, the lights turned on, and achieve a good strong horn sound!
 
With a properly restored vehicle you should be able to have the engine turned off, the lights turned on, and achieve a good strong horn sound![/QUOTE]

WOW! I'll never achieve that!!
TKS
 
Regarding the sockets at the headlight buckets: Many people run the wires to inside the buckets and then use individual pin type connectors there, including a ground wire. From the outside you cannot tell because the original stainless flexible conduit and connector bucket are used.
 
Another point, replace all the bulbs with BA15 base LEDs. Considerably less power drain, saves battery and gen.

Use a high lumen RED led for the brake light, will shine RED through the amber lens, much more recognizable to modern day butt sniffers.
 
Badpuppy said:
Use a high lumen RED led for the brake light, will shine RED through the amber lens, much more recognizable to modern day butt sniffers.
Click to expand...


Good point. I would add that in some states (MN for example), amber stop lights are not legal.
 
Be careful going with led's though. if your car is stock, it can blow led lights. My A burned out both led bulbs i installed, the brake light logolight bulb and the third brake light bulb. I went back to the incandescent bulbs, and they work just as well. I noticed at idle a noticeable flickering form the led's and for the record, the generator was on minimum charge. The incandescent bulbs do require turning up the generator at night, but that's a 5 second job. And if you burn out the incandescent bulbs, they are dirt cheap:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top