pin switch in door jamb?

sailorcowboy

sailorcowboy

Member
Hey All,

I've been meaning to ask everyone about this on my 1928 Sport Coupe. It appears to be a pin switch for a dome light. I haven't pulled the interior panel to look for wires - I think I need to take a break from pulling things apart for a spell.

Anyway I hope you experts to advise me on what this is. Did the 1928 Sport coupe have a pin switch in the door for a courtesy light?

Thanks,
Tim
 

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I don't have an answer for you but an interior light switch sounds plausible.


Another possibility.... I just got off the riding lawnmower a couple of minutes ago and got to thinking about the switch under the seat that cuts off the motor if you get up. Having a pin switch like that in the Model A that was hooked up to the coil, with another hidden on/off switch in the line would give you a anti-theft device. The car would not start after a thief closed the door unless the hidden switch was also in the "on" position.
 
No courtesy or overhead dome light in the sport coupes due to the soft top --except at the instrument panel which was self switched..
 
Thanks all for the input, all.

Yep duke36 I have the dash light and you are right. It is "self switched," if you mean by that, you have to turn the thing to make it come on.

Does anyone have any ideas on what it does do?
 
Ok, I guess my initial question will not be answered. Pretty simple: Should this apparent pin switch be in the door jamb of a 1928 sport coupe?

And Tom: Should I believe that a theft alarm was standard on a 1928 Sport Coupe? Maybe there is a dongle under the front seat that I overlooked!!! hahahahah :-)

or maybe I am just being played with.
goodnight
 
sailorcowboy said:
Ok, I guess my initial question will not be answered. Pretty simple: Should this apparent pin switch be in the door jamb of a 1928 sport coupe?

And Tom: Should I believe that a theft alarm was standard on a 1928 Sport Coupe? Maybe there is a dongle under the front seat that I overlooked!!! hahahahah :-)

or maybe I am just being played with.
goodnight
Click to expand...

The car did not come from the factory with that pin switch, but don't dismiss lightly what Tom says. That was a common way to wire a door alarm back in the seventies. I did it that way on a couple of cars.

Charlie Stephens
 
Why would you put a door alarm on a 1928 coupe? So, if this is true, this door jamb has been modified and is NOT correct for a period 1928 coupe?
 
So nobody could steel the car, as the alarm would sound as soon as the door was opened.
Remove the switch and weld the hole shut if you want the Coupe the way it left the factory.
 
Yes, thanks Tom. I know why one would put an alarm on a car so someone wouldn't steal it. But so many people on this forum say "Why even protect a Model A - no one would steal it because it s not worth stealing."

I can't wait to pull the interior panel and see if there are wires connected to it. Maybe that is why I am having a devil's time trying to add a turn signal system. There might be a possible "phantom short" that I can't track down! The short seems to trip up the turn signal system and stop it when I add the "old duo lights" to it.

Thanks All!!
 
p.s. I am so tired of the wires that have been added, taped, spliced. dangle and hang from every possible corner of this vehicle, I think I need to rip it all out and start again from scratch with a harness from Snyders. That way I know what the heck I am dealing with.
Have a good Holiday weekend!
 
Not that exact statement Y-block. I was using poetic license. But there are enough discussions on this forum about Model A theft that many seem to think no one would steal a Model A and even if they tried, no thief could even start it.

If that is so, why put an anti-theft alarm on it, why put locks on it, why put a hidden battery cutoff switch on it, the list goes on and on.

Sorry Y-block, I am only referring to some of the many posts I have seen since I joined.
I found them because I was concerned about the security of my little gem after I got it.

Have a good weekend
 
I've only read a few posts stating that a thief wouldn't know how to start the Model A, but that really wouldn't stop a thief from stealing it anyway.


I'd also get rid of cobbled wiring and install new. The wiring harness is easy, and doesn't cost too much for everything. If you want to add turn signals, I'd do that as a separate stand alone system. It would make trouble shooting much easier if a problem ever came up.
 
Tom,
I am going to do just that. I was adding a separate turn signal system and was having a heck of a time. On each discovery it was obvious a new harness was needed. Since I already have the turn signal wires run. I just have to get the harness with no turn signals from Snyders and I should be good to go. Only thing that scares me is pulling the steering column!!!!

and the posts on the issue about securing the Model A. That was THE first thing I did when I joined. I wondered if I should take great care and be diligent about protecting my new toy. I was surprised at how many posts there were and how many said there was no need because of the reasons I already noted.

For me, I wish to protect it so, I will put in a hidden battery disconnect, locks work, slide lock works etc. I'm not taking the chance that some unscrupulous reprobate out there knows how to start the thing up.

thanks for the input
Have fun,
 
sailorcowboy said:
Sorry, I misspoke. I believe to rerun a new harness I will have to pull the "horn rod?" I think that's the right part.
Click to expand...

No need to pull the "horn rod" either... :p:p

BTW I was referring to your statement "no one would steal it because it s not worth stealing."
 
Only need to pull lighting switch cover and frame clips, disconnect horn/light conduits.

If you're adding turn signals with LED lights, you need an electronic flasher. Thermal flashers work only with incandescents.
 
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