1952 Ford Customline looking for a wiring diagram

[RandyLPeterson]

Friend of mine just picked up a 1952 Ford Customline overdrive.. He wants me to check the wiring for the overdrive and Brake lights dont work. Anybody got wiring diagrams online .. Figure if I had an Idea of the wiring before I got there it would help a Ton.. THANKS
Randy L Peterson
Havin A Blast Preservin The Past

[Richard in Florida]

Originally Posted by RandyLPeterson

Anybody got wiring diagrams online

If you'll give me an e-mail address (PM?), I'll send you a complete '53 wiring diagram. The '52 and '53 are identical. The diagram is in PDF form, and it's too big to upload here.

[rotorwrench]

A lot of brake light problems can be traced to the turn signal switch or the wiring that goes up into the steering column to it.

[V8COOPMAN]

What rotorwrench says above is good advice to keep in mind. BELOW is a link to Mac VanPelt's '49-'54 CAR overdrive wiring. Hope maybe this will help. DD

http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/F...ing1949-54.jpg

[RandyLPeterson]

He thinks hes got voltage to the steering column but not out.. So I will have to check er out later this week.. Thanks Guys
RLP

[RF Man]

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I just purchased one of these off ebay for 19.95 This thing is fabulous. I think it's well worth the money. You can find drawings online, but they're black and white and hard to read.
http://myworld.ebay.com/classiccarwi...id=p4340.l2559

[BILL WZOREK]

I 2nd RF Man
I also just got my also.
well worth the $$$$ plastic coated so can take to car and not worry about Ripping,tarring,or getting oil on it.

BILL W

[Tikker]

Originally Posted by rotorwrench

A lot of brake light problems can be traced to the turn signal switch or the wiring that goes up into the steering column to it.

rotorwrench,
Having problems with my brake lights, also.
Both turn signals work but can't get the right side brake light to work. Would you suspect, as mentioned, wiring up to the turn signal switch or possibly the turn signal switch?
I find the wiring in the trunk to be very brittle and sections without insulation.
I just ordered one of the laminated wiring diagrams, hoping that will help in discovery.
Tikker

[Richard in Florida]

Originally Posted by Tikker

I just ordered one of the laminated wiring diagrams, hoping that will help in discovery.

Check it carefully. The laminated diagram I saw was incorrect.

[rotorwrench]

I have found one or two wires mismarked on the laminated diagrams as sold on flea-pay too. I didn't find the correct colors out until I purchased the new wiring harnesses. Rhode Island Wire's and Bauer Electronics' diagrams that come with their wiring harnesses are correct as far as I have found to date. I have Mercury cars and they are a bit different than the Ford cars but they both use a similar turn signal switch arrangement and many of the wire colors are the same as well. The signal switch cuts out the brake light for the blinking side when you have the turn signal and brake lights activated at the same time.

If your car has the cloth covered wire you will likely need to replace any harnesses that are crumbling before they short and kick your breakers or blow fuses depending on the circuit. You can buy the Bauer Electronics harnesses one at a time from Macs and maybe a few other vendors and they aren't bad harnesses. The Rhode Island stuff is very good quality since they laquer the wire. Their stuff is expensive but you get all the harnesses at one time instead of purchasing them seperately like Macs has them. There must be 10 different little harness sections that a person has to purchase to completely rewire a car. They don't tell you this until you get the first one and find out you need another one. You then start to see that they sell them all individually and it takes a while to figure out what all you have to get.

I rewired my original switch by desoldering and resoldering the Bauer Electronics wiring to it and it works OK now. Getting it back into the collumn tube is way too much fun. The wires are just enough bigger on the repop stuff that they are hard to get back in there. At least on the Mercs it is anyway.

[BILL WZOREK]

Richard in Florida / rotorwrench

Please explain where the mistakes are on the laminated diagrams.

It may help others.

BILL W

[Tikker]

Originally Posted by rotorwrench

I have found one or two wires mismarked on the laminated diagrams as sold on flea-pay too. I didn't find the correct colors out until I purchased the new wiring harnesses. Rhode Island Wire's and Bauer Electronics' diagrams that come with their wiring harnesses are correct as far as I have found to date. I have Mercury cars and they are a bit different than the Ford cars but they both use a similar turn signal switch arrangement and many of the wire colors are the same as well. The signal switch cuts out the brake light for the blinking side when you have the turn signal and brake lights activated at the same time.

If your car has the cloth covered wire you will likely need to replace any harnesses that are crumbling before they short and kick your breakers or blow fuses depending on the circuit. You can buy the Bauer Electronics harnesses one at a time from Macs and maybe a few other vendors and they aren't bad harnesses. The Rhode Island stuff is very good quality since they laquer the wire. Their stuff is expensive but you get all the harnesses at one time instead of purchasing them seperately like Macs has them. There must be 10 different little harness sections that a person has to purchase to completely rewire a car. They don't tell you this until you get the first one and find out you need another one. You then start to see that they sell them all individually and it takes a while to figure out what all you have to get.

I rewired my original switch by desoldering and resoldering the Bauer Electronics wiring to it and it works OK now. Getting it back into the collumn tube is way too much fun. The wires are just enough bigger on the repop stuff that they are hard to get back in there. At least on the Mercs it is anyway.

Thanks for that added information.
Can you clarify what you are speaking of when you say "the Rhode Island stuff"?

[rotorwrench]

Bill W: I will have to compare again between the diagrams but the interior lighting comes to mind including the dome light & courtesy lighting but I can only help on the Mercury cars from 49 thru 51 since those are the diagrams I have.

Tikker: This is their web-site. http://www.riwire.com/
They are one of the best in the business. Also, taking a look at the RI Wire site you can tell what all the different circuit harnesses there are available and there are much more than 10 seperate little circuit harnesses.

[Tikker]

Maybe someone can give me some pointers here.
I've gone ahead and started some digging in the wiring on my '52 Customline.
There are six wires running from the turn signal switch, I've determined the two left side and two right side wires. I've also determined a wire that energizes when the brake pedal is engaged.
My problem is, there is one wire that I get nothing from. Could that be my problem as to why I have no right side brake light?
By the way, rotorwrench, I did find their site, they don't list a full body wiring set for the '52 so I inquired if the '53 or '54 might be the same, they said not.
But they said if I had one for them to work from they would build one.
Very quick response to my inquiry.

[rotorwrench]

The wire from the stop light switch is jumpered left for right/right for left at the signal switch to give power opposite to which ever turn signal lamp side is selected. You have 4-wires for left front and left rear then the same for right side. Then you have a wire to the signal stat or turn signal flasher unit. The Mercury also has the horn wire so it has seven going into the same place as all the other six. I think Fords still had the horn wire inside the steering shaft.

I see what you mean about the 52 wiring harness from RI Wire. They have them for the Victoria and Convertibles only. The Victoria may be close enough that they could easilly fabricate one as long as the wire lengths & terminus are adjusted but they would need an old harness to do that correctly.

[Richard in Florida]

Call Tyree Harris. I rewired my entire '53 Victoria with harnesses and wires from Tyree. He's a great guy and always ready to answer questions or help with problems.

Tyree Harris
2693 Crewsville Road
Bumpass
Virginia 23024
804-556-5200

[Richard in Florida]

Originally Posted by BILL WZOREK

Please explain where the mistakes are on the laminated diagrams.

Bill, all I can remember is the polarity of the battery was labeled wrong. For a beginner this could be tragic and expensive.

[Big Red 51]

Richard, I second that on Tyree. I did my '53 Vic last year and two others the year before with perfect results from Tyree.
Don

[Tikker]

Since I've gotten some real helpful information in this thread for my '52 Customline, I'll stay here for further information, even though I maybe should start a new thread.
I have a repair manual that gives instructions on how to remove the horn ring, "push in and rotate counterclockwise".
This just isn't working.
I'd like to get access to the turn signal switch to determine if that is where my problem, with lack of brake light on the passenger taillight, originates.
Again, any helpful hints would be appreciated.

[Tikker]

Well, I did get the horn ring/steering wheel off.
I also got my color coded wiring diagram. Not all colors were correct but enough information was there to determine what was what relating to turn signal switch and tail lights. It is a good wiring diagram.
Here is my present problem, I started this search to try and determine why I didn't have a LEFT brake light (all turn signals work). I've pulled the turn signal switch out, without removing any wires. Did lots of probing with a circuit tester to determine power, actually removed the wiring/switch section of the switch to get better access to the soldered wire connections.
For some magical/mysterious reason I now have a RIGHT side brake light........but not a LEFT side.
Can anyone give me some explanation as to how that might occur?

[rotorwrench]

If the wires are deteriorating, anything is possible. High resistance can happen if too many strands are cracked, broken, or corroded internally. The switch may have some dirty internal connections. They can be disassembled & cleaned if you are carefull with the bendable tabs that hold it all together. Current always flows through the path of least resistance. A wire or component with high resistance will run hot to the touch and will drop so much current that the lamp won't light or will be dim. Every part of the circuit is susceptible to resistance problems, especially the wiring at the front & rear lamps where moisture can have an effect. The brake light switch & wiring is also in a dirty environment so it may not be passing on enough current to keep things going correctly. You may have to go through all the connections & clean every one to find the culprit.

[Tikker]

rotorwrench, glad you jumped in.
I've rewired the trunk section completely, removing/replacing old wiring eliminating what appeared brittle and that that had actually lost insulation.
I did notice the crimp tabs on the wired switch section, and may attempt opening that (I gave that some thought today during my testing of the switch), but I think your suggestion about the wires to and from the brake light switch are my next task. They are quite dirty/greasy at the switch. I appreciate your input.

[Tikker]

I'VE GOT BRAKE LIGHTS!!!!!!
Took rotorwrench's advise and made a new pigtail with new connectors to the stop light switch, just did a section in the engine compartment.
The originals were quite oily and wires brittle.
That did the trick, was finally able to drive it into town and get insurance so I can drive it to the next monthly Bremerton Cruise.

[tonydennisadw]

in a 1952 ford the horn wires go thru the center of the steering column but i cannot find where it comes out or goes 2 i see on a skematic but csnnot find the 7th horn button wire other 6 comes out near turn sig and 7th is in tube

[tonydennisadw]

on year 2013 and down know the coil wire is reversed includint overdrive wire so make sure the date on it is 2014 and up date had a 2009 version i think called him and sent me a 2014 free....thanks to the guys here they got me right when i was trying to wire it 2009 version.....