fan and lite switch

[rogerkb1936]

i have a good early (only high beam and parking) lite switch. do these have any value? next, the first fans were double thickness and tend to fly apart. at some point, ford came out with the single thickness blade. when was this, and did they also self destruct? thanx, roger

[Jim/GA]

The headlight switch that you have is of value, for sure, for anyone that wants to restore their car as it was originally in 1928 and early '29. Don't just toss it in the trash.

The stamped single layer fans will still fly apart where the bolt holes are drilled in the blade(s).

You are better off getting a new cast aluminum fan. They look more original and seem to be less prone to the problems that led to the other fans flying apart. I also think they pull more air through the radiator than the stamped fans do.

[katy]

I have an original single blade fan that has cracks starting at the inner corners of the blade.

[Joe K]

Originally Posted by rogerkb1936

i have a good early (only high beam and parking) lite switch. do these have any value? next, the first fans were double thickness and tend to fly apart. at some point, ford came out with the single thickness blade. when was this, and did they also self destruct? thanx, roger

Actually the early switches were for "Hi-Low." No parking which came later with the "Twolite" setup - and cowl lights.

The first switch and the most rare is the "AR" version which can be characterized as the "switch on a bracket." These are rare enough that I can't give you a pricing.

The next generation Type H "dimple" switches are not so rare - usually sell for less than $100 (perhaps half again the value of the later Twolight switch and double the repop)

What is rare for both of these is the "handle" (appearing at the driver's wheel hub) with the "Off-High-Low" markings (i.e. no park) These are like $300.

As I understand it, the LAST 1931 iteration of the Ford Fan was single thickness but only the outer 2/3rds of the blade. The center was constructed similarly to the earlier "sandwich" fan - and can have the same cracking defects.

Welder's "dye check" is a friend.

Joe K
Early version Non-Twolight truck March '29

[Bob C]

Originally Posted by Joe K

Actually the early switches were for "Hi-Low." No parking which came later with the "Twolite" setup - and cowl lights.

The first switch and the most rare is the "AR" version which can be characterized as the "switch on a bracket." These are rare enough that I can't give you a pricing.

The next generation Type H "dimple" switches are not so rare - usually sell for less than $100 (perhaps half again the value of the later Twolight switch and double the repop)

What is rare for both of these is the "handle" (appearing at the driver's wheel hub) with the "Off-High-Low" markings (i.e. no park) These are like $300.

As I understand it, the LAST 1931 iteration of the Ford Fan was single thickness but only the outer 2/3rds of the blade. The center was constructed similarly to the earlier "sandwich" fan - and can have the same cracking defects.

Welder's "dye check" is a friend.

Joe K
Early version Non-Twolight truck March '29

From the Judging Standards. "From the beginning of production through February 1929, a two position light switch plate assembly was used(i.e., driving lights to the right and parking lights to the left)."

[Joe K]

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Originally Posted by Bob C

From the Judging Standards. "From the beginning of production through February 1929, a two position light switch plate assembly was used(i.e., driving lights to the right and parking lights to the left)."

So fifteen years later my truck is wired wrong?

Well, a lot can happen between 1929 and 2005. I'm not the first owner.

And I don't have the early $witch handle.

Joe K

Edit: I know where this came from: Service Bulletins page 211 (i.e before Twolight) shows a single socket headlight reflector and a single bulb. This single bulb appears to have two filaments - one "bright", one "dim." Dialog included "When focused (screw on the back of the headlight shell) using the bright, the dim will appear in its proper position."

It was a "twofer" bulb.

Someone replaced the "Bright-Dim" bulb with the more usual "High-Low" single bulb in my headlights. And the truck being at the "transition" to Twolight, its possible that the steering wheel switch handle provided was simply the Twolight production handle.

Trucks in many respects were "made out of available parts." Technically the Type H headlights were outmoded by March 29 - Ford was using up stock in the commercial line.

Learning something new every day. I take comfort that today was not wasted...

Joe