Joe Flanagan Posted July 29, 2011 Report Posted July 29, 2011 On the sockets that my headlights plug into, one slot is marked "Ground," one is "Pass" and the other is "Drive." Can anyone tell me what the second two mean? I'm assuming your brights hook up to the "Pass" connection, but that's just an uneducated guess. Quote
Niel Hoback Posted July 29, 2011 Report Posted July 29, 2011 Ground is ground, drive is low beam, pass is high beam. Quote
Gary Manes Posted July 29, 2011 Report Posted July 29, 2011 I don't even have to pull out a book to agree with Niel. If you are old enough you will know the terms used in them days, and I was just a kid then but I remember having always been a car nut. In fact they continued into the late '50's for sure. Quote
Rodney Bullock Posted July 30, 2011 Report Posted July 30, 2011 I was working on the old guy's car some years ago and his 1936 caddy had the same light notes. He laughed at my buddy and I because his car had passing lights. They were turned on when you were behind a slow car and needed to get around them. I guess if you were driving a model A and the guy had a 1936 Caddy with a GM V8 he would need to signal. Yeah Joe I think NIEL is right. When are you going to hook them up. Quote
Don Coatney Posted July 30, 2011 Report Posted July 30, 2011 I was working on the old guy's car some years ago and his 1936 caddy had the same light notes. He laughed at my buddy and I because his car had passing lights. They were turned on when you were behind a slow car and needed to get around them. I guess if you were driving a model A and the guy had a 1936 Caddy with a GM V8 he would need to signal. Rodney; I need some passing lights on my Pilgrum just in case I am following you some day:D Quote
Niel Hoback Posted July 30, 2011 Report Posted July 30, 2011 Did you know that 5" aircraft landing lights will fit in any older four headlight round bucket? I think they are 100,000 cp and will melt holes in a snowdrift four feet in front of them. Indiana State Police saw no humor in that, but they are excellent passing lights. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted July 30, 2011 Author Report Posted July 30, 2011 Oh, Niel, Niel, Niel. I don't want to know how you came by this information. On the other hand, it sounds like a funny story. Rodney, it turns out I had them hooked up correctly when you were over here. The dimmer switch stuck in the down position and buggered everything up. I got a new one in the mail today. Don, Rodney says he's scared by MY driving. If I scare him, he'd be scared on a merry-go-round. Quote
Don Coatney Posted July 30, 2011 Report Posted July 30, 2011 Don, Rodney says he's scared by MY driving. If I scare him, he'd be scared on a merry-go-round. Guess a Tilt-O-Whirl is out of the question. Quote
Rodney Bullock Posted July 30, 2011 Report Posted July 30, 2011 Oh my, you both drive like it's the last train to clarksville. I have rode with both of you before. I lost my nerve back in the 1980's. Joe thinks a red stop sign is a suggestion and Don shifts and pushes that car so hard if you look behind you there is a tunnel of leaves swirling out of control:eek: passing me on the highway:pI will pull over. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted July 30, 2011 Author Report Posted July 30, 2011 A Tilt-O-Whirl is out of the question for me, that's for sure. Took a half-hour ferry ride in Puerto Rico a couple weeks ago on relatively calm seas. Thought I was gonna hurl. Must be old age. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted July 30, 2011 Author Report Posted July 30, 2011 Got my headlights and dimmer switch hooked up today. Got a new switch on E-Bay and installed it this morning. It was pretty simple. Everything works as it should. Even the little red light on my speedometer gauge lights up when the high beams are on. The red lens is kind of checked and cracked and whatnot, so the light looks more like some kind of ancient artifact when it's on. I'm not tearing the speedo out of the dash just for that. I'll live with it. I also found some sheet rubber at the local hardware store (one of the all-but-extinct Mom and Pop varieties) and made a gasket for my dimmer switch. Next: Finish off all the under-dash wiring. I have to do the defroster motor, the heater motor, and the radio. Still searching for a directional switch. Quote
Don Coatney Posted July 30, 2011 Report Posted July 30, 2011 Still searching for a directional switch. It would be helpful if you share what direction you want to switch to? Help is available. Quote
Young Ed Posted July 30, 2011 Report Posted July 30, 2011 Joe are you looking for aftermarket or factory built in the column style? Aftermarket is easy to get at napa. Signal stat 900 about $40 bucks last time I bought one. Available in chrome for a little more too. Column style should fit from at least 49-52. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted July 31, 2011 Author Report Posted July 31, 2011 Signal stat would be OK with me. I think I forgot NAPA sold them. I've seen a few on E-bay but didn't manage to get them. If I find a real period item later down the road I'd probably switch to that. Don, I don't know which way I'm going. I swear I'm going to meet myself coming home one day. Quote
Young Ed Posted July 31, 2011 Report Posted July 31, 2011 Joe if it were me I'd install the signal stat 900 while searching for the mopar unit. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted July 31, 2011 Author Report Posted July 31, 2011 That's what I'll do. Thanks, Ed. Quote
LAKOTA169 Posted August 2, 2011 Report Posted August 2, 2011 Did you know that 5" aircraft landing lights will fit in any older four headlight round bucket? I think they are 100,000 cp and will melt holes in a snowdrift four feet in front of them. Indiana State Police saw no humor in that, but they are excellent passing lights. I had them for my high beams on my '64 GTO. I could light both sides of my street for the whole block. Loved it when someone would come up behind me with their brights on. I'd let them pass, then melt their tail lights. Would only turn them on for a couple of seconds though. Quote
P-12 Tommy Posted August 2, 2011 Report Posted August 2, 2011 Joe if it were me I'd install the signal stat 900 while searching for the mopar unit. One of the best things I did!! Works great!!Tom Quote
Young Ed Posted August 2, 2011 Report Posted August 2, 2011 Calling NAPA today. This might help Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted August 2, 2011 Author Report Posted August 2, 2011 Thanks, Ed. I'll refer to that when I call. I'm almost finished with all the wiring under the dash. I have to connect the bulbs that light the radio face plate, install the controls for the heater, and put in the duct for the defroster. I sent my wiper motor off to Ficken Wiper in New York yesterday. For those of you who are considering this, they charge $99 for a rebuild plus $8 shipping. Over the weekend, I ran the wiring from under the dash to the reverse switch on the transmission, to the terminal under the trunk for the brake lights, and a few other things. I'm doing it a wire at a time and I'm crimping and soldering all connections (yes, I'm using star washers). I really like this work. I'm not crazy about getting my head up under the dash, but it's pretty satisfying overall. I have a little bench set up in the shade where I can clip wires and solder, etc. Then I go install the wire and then it's back to the bench. Enjoyable work. Quote
greg g Posted August 2, 2011 Report Posted August 2, 2011 Working under the dash is easier with the front seat cushion out. If you put a carpet or quilt or comforter over the frame, it give you more room and better angles to work. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted August 2, 2011 Author Report Posted August 2, 2011 There are no seats in the car at the moment. That's why I'm doing all the under-dash stuff now. I've figured out that my head just barely fits between the brake and clutch pedals. What do you bet I'll get it stuck one of these days? Quote
Niel Hoback Posted August 2, 2011 Report Posted August 2, 2011 Joe, been there, done that. My suggestion is that you keep a 1/2" wrench on the floor where you can reach it when you need to take a pedal pad off. Trust me on this. Quote
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