Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Model A (1928-31)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 08-17-2019, 11:57 AM   #1
sailorcowboy
Member
 
sailorcowboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Edgewood, New Mexico
Posts: 39
Default shavings found in light switch body

Hi All,
I've been off the grid for a while but now back and looking to replace the wire harness in the old 28-29 Sport Coupe.

I disconnected all the wiring and removed the light switch body. After removing the end of the harness from the body (Spider) I found shavings (see attach.) in the light switch body (see attachment)

I did not see any damage to any part of the light switch body internally or to the harness contacts.

I was worried that the light rod or parts were damaged in some way but the light rod turns freely 360 degrees and there is no impediment to its movement.

I have not taken the rod out but a cursory inspection of the end shows no damage to these neophyte eyes.

The shavings explain the intermittent shorting I was having when trying to add signals last year.

I am worried that although removing the shavings removes the cause of the shorting out it will not remove the cause of the shavings themselves.

I appreciate any input as to what the source of the shavings is.
Thanks,
TIM
__________________
Tim

1928 Sport Coupe
sailorcowboy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2019, 12:08 PM   #2
sailorcowboy
Member
 
sailorcowboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Edgewood, New Mexico
Posts: 39
Default Re: shavings found in light switch body

Tried to upload the pic of the inside of the switch but it might be too big? Just over 2mb
__________________
Tim

1928 Sport Coupe
sailorcowboy is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 08-17-2019, 12:23 PM   #3
Brentwood Bob
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: brentwood, ca
Posts: 4,214
Default Re: shavings found in light switch body

Someone builds up replacement wire harnesses and will use the old plate. In my opinion, your harness plate looks good to reuse. I don't recognize the shavings as a part of the light switch internals. Maybe someone can supply the contact information for the harness supplier. Probably Sacramento vintage. Using off the shelf harnesses can be problematic with several of the suppliers from what I remember.
Brentwood Bob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2019, 01:30 PM   #4
Gary WA
Senior Member
 
Gary WA's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Clinton,WA/Whidbey Island
Posts: 4,088
Default Re: shavings found in light switch body

looks like the so called shaving were around the connections as some may still be on there in your photo, looks ok tho!
__________________
www.whidbeymodelaclub.com
Gary WA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2019, 03:04 PM   #5
sailorcowboy
Member
 
sailorcowboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Edgewood, New Mexico
Posts: 39
Default Re: shavings found in light switch body

I got a new light switch body from Snyders. If I recall it was labeled as 28-29 but appears to be for a twolight not an H config.
There is also a caveat note saying you have to do about ten thousand things to make it work!!!

I noticed a VERY VERY faint crack in the "circuit board?" of the H terminals and it catches easily. I supposed some heavy grease will allow it to move freely.
I do not think the crack is an issue.

One thing I noticed on the outside of the body are grooves cut radially out from the center opening. see attach. if I can load it.

I fail to see the argument to use the old contact plate in place if the new one.
UNless there is a wish to keep the original part intact?
I want the new wiring. The old wiring had been end spliced, T-spliced and burgered up so much it not only looks bad, it looks unsafe. I would hate to have to cut the new wires off and connect them to the old plate.

Thanks to all who have provided their insights!!

Tim
Attached Images
File Type: jpg old light switch body external grooves - 1.jpg (37.2 KB, 52 views)
__________________
Tim

1928 Sport Coupe
sailorcowboy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2019, 03:25 PM   #6
Joe K
Senior Member
 
Joe K's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Cow Hampshire
Posts: 4,174
Default Re: shavings found in light switch body

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Quote:
I fail to see the argument to use the old contact plate in place if the new one.
The issues with plates have been wrong thickness (newer tends to be thicker?) And the buttons are either too indented, or stand too proud for transfer of the switch contactor.

Check your old against your new CAREFULLY before committing to anything.

Joe K
__________________
Shudda kept the horse.
Joe K is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2019, 03:28 PM   #7
sailorcowboy
Member
 
sailorcowboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Edgewood, New Mexico
Posts: 39
Default Re: shavings found in light switch body

Thanks for the advice @joe K I will double check them now.
__________________
Tim

1928 Sport Coupe
sailorcowboy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2019, 03:35 PM   #8
F.M.
BANNED
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 385
Default Re: shavings found in light switch body

Hi, It looks to me that if you are trying to use the top in your last picture posted (reply #5) with that one shown in the first post, it will not work right as it is for the early style switch plate. You can change out the plate shown, if you have one ? Hard to find, or get the correct top for that plate you show..
F.M. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2019, 03:36 PM   #9
Brentwood Bob
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: brentwood, ca
Posts: 4,214
Default Re: shavings found in light switch body

Tim, your car your dime. However, you will probably have problems trying to make the replacement wire harness fit, and function.
The reason the old contact is grafted onto the new harness is so the switch will continue to work as it was designed to do.
There will be time spent modifying the repo switch plate to adapt it. Just my experience.
Brentwood Bob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2019, 03:42 PM   #10
Brentwood Bob
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: brentwood, ca
Posts: 4,214
Default Re: shavings found in light switch body

Also a replacement light switch body will need work to get it to function properly.
Hope you saved the OEM body.
Brentwood Bob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2019, 03:51 PM   #11
Bob C
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: So Cal
Posts: 8,712
Default Re: shavings found in light switch body

Here are some of the problems with the switch plate.


Bob
Attached Images
File Type: jpg image_9184.jpg (38.8 KB, 75 views)
Bob C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2019, 03:56 PM   #12
Joe K
Senior Member
 
Joe K's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Cow Hampshire
Posts: 4,174
Default Re: shavings found in light switch body

Quote:
Hi, It looks to me that if you are trying to use the top in your last picture posted (reply #5) with that one shown in the first post, it will not work right as it is for the early style switch plate. You can change out the plate shown, if you have one ? Hard to find, or get the correct top for that plate you show..
I'm not sure how you got to that information with the picture given: I have an early 4 contact switch body in front of me and externally I believe they all look the same.

HOWEVER, look at the other side. If the switch contactor has 4 contacts then its a "type H" or early switch. If it has three contacts, then it is a later "Twolight" switch.

Looking at his switch plate, it appears to be a Twolight (three contacts in succession, one set three each for battery, tail-light, and the "parking, Low, and High" beams.

The type H switch plate is different and has contacts "alternately" with clear spots.

You can't use a Type H switch contactor against a Twolight switch plate, and converse.

Joe K
__________________
Shudda kept the horse.
Joe K is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2019, 04:10 PM   #13
F.M.
BANNED
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 385
Default Re: shavings found in light switch body

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe K View Post
I'm not sure how you got to that information with the picture given: I have an early 4 contact switch body in front of me and externally I believe they all look the same.

HOWEVER, look at the other side. If the switch contactor has 4 contacts then its a "type H" or early switch. If it has three contacts, then it is a later "Twolight" switch.

Looking at his switch plate, it appears to be a Twolight (three contacts in succession, one set three each for battery, tail-light, and the "parking, Low, and High" beams.

The type H switch plate is different and has contacts "alternately" with clear spots.

You can't use a Type H switch contactor against a Twolight switch plate, and converse.

Joe K
Look at the small dimple @ 11;00 o`clock, only the 1928 mid to late had that style and that mark..
F.M. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2019, 05:02 PM   #14
Joe K
Senior Member
 
Joe K's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Cow Hampshire
Posts: 4,174
Default Re: shavings found in light switch body

Quote:
Originally Posted by F.M. View Post
Look at the small dimple @ 11;00 o`clock, only the 1928 mid to late had that style and that mark..
I agree and if he chooses to sell the "type H" upper body, he'll probably have enough swap material to swap outright for TWO of the later Twolight bodies.

The Type H upper body is not reproduced and parts tend to be dear.

The later version plate can be modified to work against a 4 finger switch, but it requires a lathe and some brass stock to make additional contacts. Plus you won't have parking lights.

Joe K
__________________
Shudda kept the horse.
Joe K is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2019, 05:17 PM   #15
sailorcowboy
Member
 
sailorcowboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Edgewood, New Mexico
Posts: 39
Default Re: shavings found in light switch body

@joe K: So you guys are suggesting the someone tried to put a twilight plate on top of the H style contact? That explains why it was so difficult to get the light switch at the steering wheel to make sense when trying to get lights to work.

It doesn't explain the "shavings" i found in the 'switch body" when iI pulled it part though. Although fitting to incompatible parts together can result in shavings ;-0

@Bob C: Yes I found those measurements when I checked the parts with my calipers!


I forgot - I actually did get the twolight switch body from Snyders when I got the harness. So I should be able to take the new body and match it up to the twolight plate that was mistakenly put on! The only thing I lose is the H contact and I lose a bit of authenticity?

If that is the case I am wondering if the two light switch body will be compatible with the light rod ending that must enter the body and fit the slots in the contact plate?
__________________
Tim

1928 Sport Coupe
sailorcowboy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2019, 05:27 PM   #16
F.M.
BANNED
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 385
Default Re: shavings found in light switch body

Quote:
Originally Posted by sailorcowboy View Post
@joe K: So you guys are suggesting the someone tried to put a twilight plate on top of the H style contact? That explains why it was so difficult to get the light switch at the steering wheel to make sense when trying to get lights to work.

It doesn't explain the "shavings" i found in the 'switch body" when iI pulled it part though. Although fitting to incompatible parts together can result in shavings ;-0

@Bob C: Yes I found those measurements when I checked the parts with my calipers!


I forgot - I actually did get the twolight switch body from Snyders when I got the harness. So I should be able to take the new body and match it up to the twolight plate that was mistakenly put on! The only thing I lose is the H contact and I lose a bit of authenticity?

If that is the case I am wondering if the two light switch body will be compatible with the light rod ending that must enter the body and fit the slots in the contact plate?
That should work fine..
F.M. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2019, 07:33 PM   #17
Joe K
Senior Member
 
Joe K's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Cow Hampshire
Posts: 4,174
Default Re: shavings found in light switch body

Quote:
Originally Posted by sailorcowboy View Post
@joe K: So you guys are suggesting the someone tried to put a twilight plate on top of the H style contact? That explains why it was so difficult to get the light switch at the steering wheel to make sense when trying to get lights to work.

It doesn't explain the "shavings" i found in the 'switch body" when iI pulled it part though. Although fitting to incompatible parts together can result in shavings ;-0

@Bob C: Yes I found those measurements when I checked the parts with my calipers!

I forgot - I actually did get the twolight switch body from Snyders when I got the harness. So I should be able to take the new body and match it up to the twolight plate that was mistakenly put on! The only thing I lose is the H contact and I lose a bit of authenticity?

If that is the case I am wondering if the two light switch body will be compatible with the light rod ending that must enter the body and fit the slots in the contact plate?
The wiring harnesses for the Type H (early) differs from the later "Twolight (later) harness. If you buy the Twolight harness, it should have the plate attached.

The earlier Type H did not have parking lights. The four contact switch is only a three position switch in this case Off-Low-High. The Twolight switch is a four postion switch Parking-Off-Low-High.

If you bought the switch plate and the switch body both from Snyders - then they are bothTwolight.

Depending on the year/time range of your car, you may not lose any originality. My CC truck is March 1929 - it originally had the Type H headlights and four position switch. But by March of 1929 Ford was transferring "obsoleted" parts from the domestic car line and using them up for the commercial units. So technically, my truck could have had either Type H or Twolight.

Were I you and unless you feel compelled to keep it "original" I would part off the four position switch, the lower portion of the switch if you have it, the multi-contact plate and the switch control rod (probably marked to match the three positions) and sell these to someone looking for these non-produced parts.

One thought.

Joe K
__________________
Shudda kept the horse.
Joe K is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-19-2019, 09:46 PM   #18
Tom Wesenberg
Senior Member
 
Tom Wesenberg's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Mpls, MN
Posts: 27,582
Default Re: shavings found in light switch body

Bert's might have the original early switch plate. I bought my light wiring harness from Sacramento Vintage Ford, as they have a harness machine and make their own harness, and make it the correct length, which most dealers won't have.


Actually the 1928 had PARK, OFF, and HEADLAMPS, but most people today replace the headlamp bulb to have high and low beam.
Tom Wesenberg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-23-2019, 04:37 PM   #19
sailorcowboy
Member
 
sailorcowboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Edgewood, New Mexico
Posts: 39
Default Re: shavings found in light switch body

I wrote a whole bunch of stuff and then when I submitted it said I was not logged in. I was logged in so it must of timed me out. I am tired of getting kicked out when I write more than a sentence! And then losing all my effort
__________________
Tim

1928 Sport Coupe
sailorcowboy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-23-2019, 05:11 PM   #20
sailorcowboy
Member
 
sailorcowboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Edgewood, New Mexico
Posts: 39
Default Re: shavings found in light switch body

As I tried to write before being logged out, as usual there are several resolutions to one issue.

So I take it I have a Type H contact but a twolight plate.

I bought a new twolight harness and switch body from Snyder so I can go that route but will not be authentic to my ’28. I like to try and keep some things “authentic” to the ’28 but I am not a stickler. This car is a driver

The install instructions from Snyder tells me to make at least three manual mods I have to do to burger their repo to “maybe” work. I had to use a crow bar to even open the damned switch body they sent me.
Why do they sell things that MIGHT work?


I have heard Sacramento Vintage mentioned at least twice now and once by Tom W. So that’s good enough for me. I will try to get the harness and the switch body from them and make the CRAZY assumption that the two will fit? Can I make that assumption?

In the meantime I can sit on my Type H contact and keep a chameleon’s eye out for the other half of my Type H and the hope to make the light switch “authentic’ down the road.

While waiting for the new parts to hook up the lights, I am going to be bold and start hooking up all the other new wiring I bought to replace the old hacked up crap that actually runs the engine.

I am assuming I can wire up the rest of the system, i.e. terminal connections, ammeter, ignition switch, whip cable etc, etc, etc that it will run without the light harness?

Thanks again for all your great input!!!
Tim
__________________
Tim

1928 Sport Coupe
sailorcowboy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:16 PM.