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Old 05-29-2015, 04:33 PM   #21
Charles Reese
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Default Re: Very rare early 28 head light lever modified to fit early steering column

From what I can determine the (A3616) LIGHT SWITCH HANDLE/HORN SWITCH ASSEMBLY went through several changes.

* {Style #1} until ~ Feb/mid May‘28: 46-3/4” overall length; bright nickel-plated stamped steel (25ga) with ON-OFF-DIM stamped into metal above the finger grip, thus a slight downward “bend’ around words; arrows below ON & DIM; letters and arrows filled with black enamel; 4” wire (blue/yellow tracer) lead at the bottom for the horn ground. As Dean mentioned, handle has a seam on bottom side & has a “plug” of masonite in it (assume for strength). {Pix 1&2}

* {Style #2} March’28: polished die cast aluminum; marked with ON and DIM (no OFF) with an arrow under each word … letters and arrows filled with black enamel before polishing. {Pix 3&4, on my Jan28 truck}

* {Style #3} (Apr-Jun’28): polished (unplated) aluminum; unmarked.

* {Style #4} Jun’28-): nickel plated die cast aluminum.


The MAFFI Parts Index Database shows:
* A3616 … drawing date 2-22-1928
* A3616AR … drawing date 2-27-1928, EI 7446
* A3616B … drawing date 2-27-1928, EI 7446
* A3616B … drawing date 6-1-1928, EI 8949
* A3616C … drawing date 1-4-19298, EI 11558 (with Gemmer design steering gear)

I am not familiar enough with these to speculate anything from the dates. Of course would love to have copies of the EIs indicated … not so subtle hint to any of our Detroit area brethren!
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Old 05-29-2015, 04:44 PM   #22
Charles Reese
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Default Re: Very rare early 28 head light lever modified to fit early steering column

Now. Let’s stir up a little dust … here are a few other pix I have collected over time … seems the words/arrows may have been hand stamped, thus slight variations in placement and clarity. One seems to have been ‘etched’ with an electric pencil …
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Old 05-30-2015, 09:27 AM   #23
dean from bozeman
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Default Re: Very rare early 28 head light lever modified to fit early steering column

Gary, I had an unstamped "on-off-dim" type light switch and rod. It was identical to the steel stamped one that is in A495. I wonder whether it was a newer design or if it just missed a process. It may have been a one-stamp process. How did they get the masonite material in the handle part?

Charles, you are amazing in regards to the research that you do. I really appreciate it. Yes, it would be interesting to get the original blue prints and see what changes, if any, Ford made with the switch. I seriously doubt whether these were hand stamped in the factory. Machines would save time and money. You can tell the originals because you can see how the metal indented when the words and arrows were stamped in.

I have no doubt that restorers through the years tried various ways to get the desired "on-off-dim" look. I have visited a museum where the guard let me slip under the ropes to examine an early Tudor. Its light switch was from a recast. This was a known fact that the older early guys would talk about. Even today, I know of a restorer who is attempting to make his own.

Until I see a blueprint that shows that some were made with die cast aluminum, I will consider these to be a replacement part or ones that were made by a non-Ford supplier. Now I may be totally wrong but I will reserve judgement until those blueprints are seen.

For those of you just casually interested in this discussion, let it be known that these early light switches had the words "On-Off-Dim" and had arrows below the left and right words. Their rods were longer and paired with an open bail light switch at the end of the steering column. The open bail was a poor design because the contacts were on a masonite-type material and water could get into these bails. When water was able to soak the masonite material became swelled and distorted. Then the contacts did not line up and work properly. A recall, so to speak, suggested that cars/trucks with this problem get their bails and horn rod replaced. Those replaced parts were probably thrown away in the thousands. That is why, to this day, it is so hard to find the original parts.

When you look at the ve28 parts on an early car like A495 you can see that many of them were poorly designed. Thus many of those parts were replaced, thrown away and are hard to find today.
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Old 05-30-2015, 11:14 AM   #24
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Default Re: Very rare early 28 head light lever modified to fit early steering column

From A7191, Original
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Old 05-30-2015, 11:53 AM   #25
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Default Re: Very rare early 28 head light lever modified to fit early steering column

I wold be very leery of any "eletric pencil" engraved ones. Ole Henry would not have spent the money to have done that !
MIKE (mikeburch)
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Old 05-30-2015, 01:14 PM   #26
Gary Karr
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Default Re: Very rare early 28 head light lever modified to fit early steering column

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I find this a very interesting post and worthy of the attention it is generating. I do have some questions/comments.
mrtexas, what you have is indeed a nice piece. The lettering is straight and well done. The question I have is that if it is thought to be original, why would it have an incorrect length tube? As Dean mentions above, the ON-OFF-DIM switch was to be used only with the open bail switch and would therefore have the longer tube. If your tube has (had) the square end and indent to accept the spider "C" clip, I would then conclude it is a recreation. If the data above posted by Charles is in fact accurate and can be backed up by factory drawings and releases, the aluminum cast switch should not have the "OFF" stamped in the center as it does.
As Dean also mentions above, there were many "recreations" done in the 70's, back when there was little data and a brief, if any Judging Standards.
I'm still questioning the stamped steel switch with no lettering as both Dean and I have examples of. I can't think that the lettering was an oversight on the them. They must have been a transition piece before they went to the bail switch.
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Old 05-30-2015, 02:43 PM   #27
Charles Reese
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Default Re: Very rare early 28 head light lever modified to fit early steering column

Anyone have copies of the drawings or EIs? Those would shed light on this … plz PM if you dont want to post ... Thanks

* A3616 .....… drawing date 2-22-1928
* A3616AR … drawing date 2-27-1928 ... EI 7446
* A3616B …... drawing date 2-27-1928 ... EI 7446
* A3616B ...… drawing date 6-1-1928 ..... EI 8949
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