Would it be sacrilege?

pooch

pooch

Well-known member
On an original unmolested timber frame............

If one was to bore a hole thru under front seat front wood upright and fit a cutout switch?

Would need cable holes bored thru floor too.

Or, would that not matter if one was watching the car burn?
 
do what you think is best for you, and ignore the points guys, drive it and have fun, dont hide it in an armoured garage and go balistic if some ones child gets within 10 feet of it
 
I have seen cutout switches on battery posts...under passenger's feet....... under a mat...under a hatch cover...... and wonder how fast one can get to this when the wiring loom is smoking and melting.
 
We've installed a lot of the post mount type, but I never thought of the ON-OFF race car style. That sure would be the one to have if you smell smoke. :eek:
pooch said:
I have seen cutout switches on battery posts...under passenger's feet....... under a mat...under a hatch cover...... and wonder how fast one can get to this when the wiring loom is smoking and melting.
Click to expand...
 
I wouldn't have a cutoff switch on my car. Modern cars have much more complex wiring and they don't have a cutoff switch. If you feel the need for something, the fuse at the starter will protect everything but the starter and battery cable.
 
New cars don't have 80 year old oil soaked wood and batteries directly under either.

But, I do see the merit in a single fuse.

If this fuse blew, while running a powerhouse generator, would the generator keep the engine running, and the driver not know it was blown, except that the amp gauge would be on zero?

And if it kept running, would it do any damage to the powerhouse?
 
The way the "on starter" fuse holder works on my car is when the fuse blows the engine stops as no power to the coil. Hence no generator damage.

John in windy morning England.
 
I have the same complex with my A, it doesn't have a single extra hole in the fire wall or floor and after surviving 80 years I'm not sure I want to be the guy who hacks it. I have a fuse and battery post cut out so hopefully I've addressed the safety issue. Only problem is I have extended this mind set to the right rear fender that I refuse to drill for a tail light. I have opted for the LED brake light in the rear window but admit it looks odd without the second tail light. To your point a fender without holes won't matter if its crumpled under the wheel, so i'm still weighing alternate "less permanent" solutions. I'll save that for another post.

Bob, NJ
 
I have seen a number of "master switches" installed in the square hole on the top of the left (drivers side) engine mount. It is very easy to route cables from there to the battery and the starter terminal. The switch could later be removed by a purist and there is no damage to the originality of the car. Gar Williams
 
Pooch

I have a cut out switch and have it mounted just in front of the seat riser in my 30 Coupe. It did involve drilling a hole in the body to mount the switch and a hole in the floorboard. However, in the event of an emergency I can just move the switch to the off position with my left foot and everything is dead. I have the circuit interrupted on the positive ground.

Whatever you feel comfortable with.

Dick
 
I extend the hot wire from the conduit back through the terminal box and install an inline fuse. Then run the wire back through the terminal box and hook it up. The inline fuse and extra wire can then be pushed up between the gas tank and the firewall out of sight.
 
easy to install, used the same batt. cables.
 

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Enjoy your car, and feel personally comfortable with any improved safety features. I have two 1928 Briggs Body Fordors, and a 1931 160b Murray Town Sedan. Power cut-off switches are being moved to under the seat, with the actuator leaver quickly accessable to the driver. As you get older, you find the issue of the "point car" not important.
 
Honestly. If I felt my wiring was unsafe enough to justify a cutout switch i'd fix the wiring.

I like a fuse separating everything except the starter from the battery was necessary. I also like a fuse in between the headlights and the system as the switch can be a bit flaky.

that said, I agree with ford1. Do what makes you feel comfortable.
 
I am now fairly happy with the wiring on my A. But the one place where I am a bit jumpy is the starter switch. Haven't we had several tales here on FordBarn about the starter switch failing and causing the starter to keep running and eventually failing?

Because of that concern, I will add a cut-out switch, and it will be in the ground cable.
 
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