Neutral safety switch

A

albjerryg

Senior Member
I have a 1941 ford coupe(12 volt) with the original standard transmission (3 on tree) and it does not have a neutral safety switch. Does anyone know where one can be bought for the 1941 Ford. thanks Jerry
 
When the Ford-O-Matic (Merc-O-Matic) were introduced in 1950, they were actually started in neutral for a time before FoMoCo got wise to problems that can arise with that practice. Manual transmission cars had no safety features for starting.

I don't think the 1941 or 1942 thru 48 models had optional reverse light set ups available as an accessory but I know the 49 & later types did. The switch for the reverse lamp or lamps was mounted on the lower column jacket in the engine compartment to function from the shift linkage down there.
 
albjerryg said:
I have a 1941 ford coupe(12 volt) with the original standard transmission (3 on tree) and it does not have a neutral safety switch. Does anyone know where one can be bought for the 1941 Ford. thanks Jerry
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Jerry.......I'm hoping that you realize that your difficulty in finding a neutral safety switch is because no such thing was designed to fit and work on a 1941 Ford.

I've watched your questions lately, even trying to help with an answer once or twice. I believe you've stated that the car has a little Chevy in it adapted to the '41 transmission. Nothin' wrong with that......been done a gazillion times before. You now have 12v system, also. A very reasonable mod, considering the Chevy engine. I'm not sure why you think it necessary to have a neutral safety switch, though. Most cars with standard transmissions built AFTER 1967 have a STARTER INTERRUPT SWITCH that is wired into the start circuit, requiring the driver to depress the CLUTCH pedal before the starter will energize, hence.....cranking the engine. I don't know the extent of any RE-WIRING that's been done on your car considering the change to 12v, but never-the-less, wiring a starter interrupt switch into your circuitry should not be too difficult to engineer. There are any number of electro/mechanical switches that could be adapted to work in conjunction with your clutch pedal/linkage such as a mechanical brake light switch as sold by the aftermarket. All of the street rod suppliers make them available. I hope all of this helps a little. DD
 
I really do appreciate all the comments they are very helpful. I was not interested in a neutral safety switch until the other day when I went to just turn on the auxiliary switch and turn it too far and the car started and was in reverse and took off. Nothing behind me and I was able to stop it before it hit anything. It has a new wiring harness with extra wires for the neutral safety switch. It also has a bunch of wire not hook up, a job started but not finished. So among other issues I trying to figure out the wiring. Overall it is a nice car good iron and a good paint job and engine with A/C. The wife wants all the creature comforts including power steering and brakes, I think after that it will be automatic transmission. I retired so I just try to keep up with her wishes. I will include a couple of pictures of the vehicle....Thanks Jerry
 

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albjerryg said:
I really do appreciate all the comments they are very helpful. I was not interested in a neutral safety switch until the other day when I went to just turn on the auxiliary switch and turn it too far and the car started and was in reverse and took off. Nothing behind me and I was able to stop it before it hit anything. It has a new wiring harness with extra wires for the neutral safety switch. It also has a bunch of wire not hook up, a job started but not finished. So among other issues I trying to figure out the wiring. Overall it is a nice car good iron and a good paint job and engine with A/C. The wife wants all the creature comforts including power steering and brakes, I think after that it will be automatic transmission. I retired so I just try to keep up with her wishes. I will include a couple of pictures of the vehicle....Thanks Jerry
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Jerry....I must admit that you have a very nice looking coupe there, and I am not generally an admirer of '41 Fords.

I understand your immediate situation. It sounds like during the upgrade in wiring that you now have an all-in-one ignition/start key switch, allowing you to turn it too far and energizing the starter inadvertently. It wouldn't take much to move the "starter" function from that key switch to perhaps a starter button, just like or similar to the one that was original equipment in that car. Or, incorporate the clutch actuated switch I referenced above. The fact that your engine upgrade has retained the original 3-speed transmission lends itself well to the experience of owning an older Ford. An automatic transmission for that car is your choice of course, but I believe I would have to get momma another car of her own. DD

300437
 
As a matter of fact while my head was under the dash trying to figure out where all these wire went I noticed that the original starter button is still in place. It not connect but that would be easy to do. As far as the transmission goes I would prefer to leave it and that my happen. I eill also look into the clutch switch. Thanks Jerry
 
If you attempt to use the original style starter push button you will need to adapt it to your current configuration. A relay would work. The early Ford starter buttons provide a ground circuit. The starter solenoid you have is most likely a more modern style that requires a "hot" circuit to energize. This would be very simple to wire up.
 
If your determine to have a switch you can install a mechanical brake lite switch under the clutch pedal on the underside of the floor pan. Normal open switch and run the wire from the starter button through it. Just a suggestion
 
Back in 1941 (and for some years thereafter) people had something unknown today: common sense! We didn't need no stinkin' "safety switches"! We ALWAYS pushed the clutch down before pushing the start button. Some also made sure to put the trans in neutral first.
 
Ken/Alabama said:
If your determine to have a switch you can install a mechanical brake lite switch under the clutch pedal on the underside of the floor pan. Normal open switch and run the wire from the starter button through it. Just a suggestion
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Ken has it right. Use the brake light switch(lever type) from an early Chevy pickup. You can buy one at most auto parts stores for about $15. Install it on the bottom side of the floorboard so the lever fits between the clutch pedal and the floorboard. You may have to shim it to make sure the switch is in the "off" position. Once you depress the clutch the lever moves to the "on" position and you can start the car. If you have a harness with the GM color codes you run the two purple wires to the switch.
 
???? Put the trans in neutral before engaging the starter or before moving the key if that's what energizes the starting system in your vehicle. That was the SOP before starting a car when I learned to drive. No need for a clutch switch.
 
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