Light Switch Design?

[Neil Wilson]

Does anyone have pictures showing the light switch which used a bail for the '28 single bulb head lamps. The Judging Standards talks about "two small dimples" on opposite sides of the body. Pictures of what these look like would be great!

 

[Ron in Quincy]

Neal,

The switch you are refering to only has three positions; it uses 21/3 headlight blubs; 6 o'clock = off, 5 o'clock = on , 7 o'clock = park ; no other position to the right like the later switches, in other words, no low and high beam.

Ron

 

[pooch]

Is interesting, my 28 came with zero light switch, so I needed one off the first vendor.

I bought a 3 way..5 o'clock nothing/ 6 off/ 7 low and 8 high.

I didn't have any knowledge beforehand, but it is good to know about the 21/3 .. 2 way original switch.

 

[Ron in Quincy]

Pooch,

The 3 position switch takes a special terminal block and uses the same wiring harness as the very early light switch, which has plug in connectors, except the wires are soldered to the terminal block. This is the first switch to use a bail; it was used with the single blub, fluted lens, 28 style headlights thru February 1929 here in the states.

Why this switch and terminal block doesn't seem to show up, I don't know. I guess as people had wiring harness problems they ended up with a new 4 position switch and wiring harness and the old one went by the wayside.

My February 29 Roadster has fluted 28 headlights and tuna can tail light and the 3 position light switch.

If you can come up with switch and terminal block, Vintage Ford in Sacramento has the new wiring harness; they were made up using a harness I had ; you would have to terminate the wires to the terminal block.

By the way, the harness for this early switch is actually 2 harnesses, one to the headlights and horn and the 2nd to the stop light switch and tail light.

Ron

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

Here are two pictures showing the switch for the fluted and the switch for the Twolite headlights. The top picture shows the 2 sizes of covers used with the 1928-31 switches. The short cover on the left was used in 28 and 29, and the longer cover on the right was used in 1930-31. Notice that the bottom picture with the blue background shows the switch plate for the fluted lights and has 4 contacts positioned at 12, 4, 6, and 8 o'clock.

There were just over a million of these made, and like Ron said, I dont know why they never show up at swap meets. I looked for a couple years and finally bought a couple NOS contact plates from Doc Kalinka at one of the national meets a few years ago. I found a couple very good original switch bodies at the Marc tent at Hershey about 5 years ago. As Ron mentioned I was able to buy a couple new correct harness's from Sacramento Vintage Ford. They make their own harness in house.

Neil, look at the top of the switch body in the top left of the bottom picture and you will see a small dimple. There is also a dimple on the opposite side, which can't be seen in this picture.

 

[Ron in Quincy]

Tom,

Thanks for posting the pictures of the switch; I havn't learned to post pictures, at 82 its like trying to teach and old dog new tricks.

Thanks again,

Ron

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

Tom,

Thanks for posting the pictures of the switch; I havn't learned to post pictures, at 82 its like trying to teach and old dog new tricks.

Thanks again,

Ron

Ron, you're welcome. I wish I had a picture of the very first light switch used on early 28's, but I've only ever seen one of them and I didn't have my camera to take a picture of it.

 

[Ron in Quincy]

Tom,

When time permits I'll remove the switch from A1276, take some pictures and send tem to you.

Ron

 

[Neil Wilson]

Hello Tom,
Thank you for the information/picture showing the very, very small tabs on the three position light switch body. I took a wire brush to mine and found the tabs. This A-11654 1928 three position switch looks like the one you show in picture two.

Attached are two photographs. The first is A-11653 light switch assembly. This is the first design as far as I know. If you want more photographs of this switch, send me an e-mail to neilwilson2@comcast.net and let me know what you want. Everything about the switch is different from later three position switches.

The second photograph is another three position switch design (i.e. an example of the A-11654 1928 switch for the fluted headlights). The switch plate has only six contacts like your example shown in the first picture (left).

The corresponding contact support inside the switch body only turns about 45degrees but looks like the later part for the switch with four positions (Twolight) that turns about 60degrees. And the body does not have the small indentations. However, the body and switch plate have two indexes as indicated on the picture. So, the switch plate is unique to the body.

Hmm - I wonder if anyone else has seen this design?

 

[Neil Wilson]

Hello Ron,
My early light switch has a problem with the switch plate in that one of the spring loaded barrels does not work correctly. Do you know of anyone with a parts switch plate where I could get this part from?

Since my switch is currently off the AA Stake truck (AA19871 er/February) it would be easy for me to take it apart, remove the old cut off wires and take detailed pictures. I will do that next week. If anyone wants copies, just e-mail me at neilwilson2@comcast.net.

 

[pooch]

Tom, what is the purpose of those 2 small dimples?

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

Tom, what is the purpose of those 2 small dimples?

Pooch,
I don't know of any purpose for the 2 dimples. I'll take a picture of my Canadian powerhouse and post it.

Neil,
If you have a switch plate with 6 contacts like the one in my picture, then I'd say it must be for the TWOLITE headlights with 4 positions. Everything in my top picture with the green background fits the TWOLITE headlights. The short cover in the top picture is the only part that can be used with the fluted headlights.

 

[Neil Wilson]

Tom,
Attached are more pictures of my three position switch with six contacts. The contact support inside of the body can only turn about 45 degrees which results in only three positions being possible.

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

Tom,
Attached are more pictures of my three position switch with six contacts. The contact support inside of the body can only turn about 45 degrees which results in only three positions being possible.

Neil,
With the switch apart as shown in the picture, grab the brass contact ring and turn it all the way one direction, then all the way the other direction. That certainly looks like a 4 position switch and contact plate to me.

Maybe some defect in the switch is limiting the movement?

 

[Ron in Quincy]

Neil,

I don't know of anyone that has any parts for the early switch; I'm just lucky that A1276 still had the switch and horn rod in place; have never been lucky enough to run into any other switches or horn rods (Dim-Off-On engraved).

Ron

 

[Neil Wilson]

Tom,
I have tested and checked it out. There is no obstruction. When I look down through the top, I can see that it is not built like my 4 position cases.

Note that the case and the contact plate has a raised index tab. The contact plate will not fit into a 4 position switch case because of the extended tab.

Does your six contact point plate have the raised index tab?

I just took the lighting switch off of my '28 panel delivery. It has the case with the very very small tabs and it has the four copper contact points like you photograph below. However, the contact plate that was used was the later nine contact point part for the Twolight. I guess that who ever worked on this truck used the later reproduction wiring harness and got it to work with the three position upper case.

 

[azmodela]

So, does anyone who's posted in this thread, or hasn't that, have a 28' fluted switch plate for sale? I have everything but the switch plate.

To be clear, I need the switch plate that had four contacts positioned at the 12, 4, 6 and 8 o'clock as Tom W. indicated in his post above with the blue background.

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

So, does anyone who's posted in this thread, or hasn't that, have a 28' fluted switch plate for sale? I have everything but the switch plate.

To be clear, I need the switch plate that had four contacts positioned at the 12, 4, 6 and 8 o'clock as Tom W. indicated in his post above with the blue background.

You'll need to call Doc Kalinka. I bought two NOS plates from him, but left the third for someone else that might need it. If you are lucky, he might still have it.

 

[azmodela]

Thanks. I'll contact him, hopefully he still has it from a few years ago!

 

[Steve Plucker]

NOW THIS IS MODEL A'ING!

Pluck