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By Jim Yergin - 8 Years Ago
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Hi,
I am working on a 1956 Thunderbird. It has the optional driving lights installed on the front bumper but it did not have an original driving light switch. I managed to find an original switch but I am not sure as to how the lights are set up. In reviewing the wiring instructions for installing the driving lights and checking the operation of the switch for the driving lights, it appears that when the switch knob is pulled out, just the driving lights are turned on. When the knob is pushed in the driving lights are off unless the parking lights or the headlights are turned on then the driving lights also go on (because of the way the tail lights are wired into the switch). There are three terminals on the switch: power; driving lights; and tail lights. In the on position the power terminal is connected to the driving light terminal but not to the parking light terminal so I can see that the driving lights would be on. When the switch is in the off position the power terminal is not connected to the other two terminals but the tail light terminal is connected to the driving light terminal. That is why I assume that if the tail lights are on (headlights on) then the same power would be sent to the driving lights and they would be on. Does anyone have a 1950's Ford with driving lights who can tell me if the foregoing is correct?
Jim Yergin
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By miker - 8 Years Ago
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This is an old thread, but if you sign up and ask, someone there will probably have the diagram.
http://forums.aaca.org/topic/252140-55-56-road-lamp-kit/#comment-1341230
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By dbird - 8 Years Ago
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Interesting, I've seen 'Birds with the lights, but always thought they were something an owner had added, not a dealer kit. Gives me something else to look for at swap meets.
Don
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By Jim Yergin - 8 Years Ago
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Thanks Miker. I will give it a try.
Jim Yergin
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By paul2748 - 8 Years Ago
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I have the Ford Electrical Equip Installation Manual and it shows the following:
The terminal that is a single on the switch goes to the main harness . There is a black wire (no tracer) that has a single connector that must be changed to a double connector for the switch wire to go into. The rear running lights have a black wire so I assume that the black wire on the main harness is the feed for the rear lights. The black wire at the main harness is with 4 or 5 other wires that come out of the main harness.
For the two terminals together on the switch, the one inboard goes to the "A" terminal of the headlight switch. The other goes to the road lights. I assume that the line going to the headlight switch can also go to the ignition switch. I think the "A" terminal is the power feed into the headlight switch, but you would have to check this.
I have these lights on my 56. In order to simplify things, and since my car is not a Concours car, I just ran power from the ignition switch to the to the road light switch and a wire from the road lamp switch to the lights. I haven't looked, but I have what is supposed to be a factory kit but I don't think it is the three terminal switch (going to look tomorrow). The knob on my switch matches the rest of the dash knobs.and I bought it from a seller that only deals in original parts. I did find out that there were two switch mounting plates and may have been two different switches.
There is some pictures in the Restoration Manual but I couldn't find them (but not the wiring diagram).
To confuse matters, there is an alternative wiring routing for those states that required that the headlights be turned off when the road light are on.
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By Jim Yergin - 8 Years Ago
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paul2748,
Your description of the wiring matches what I saw in my copy of the Electrical Equipment Installation manual and I have seen the pictures in the Thunderbird Restoration manual. The knob on my switch matches the other knobs on the dash. I will be interested to find out if you do not have the three terminal switch. My car will not be concours and I am debating about using the switch as just an "on - off" switch. However I was curious if my understanding of the operation was correct and the reason for that set-up.
Thanks.
Jim Yergin
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By miker - 8 Years Ago
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Jim and Paul, I've read about these, and seen diagrams, but I've never seen any pictures of the lights or the switches and brackets. Just for the rest of us and our sum of knowledge, could you post some pictures?
Thanks,
Mike
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By Jim Yergin - 8 Years Ago
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Mike,
I am away from home right now. When I get back after the first of the year, I will see what I can do.
Jim Yergin
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By miker - 8 Years Ago
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Thanks, Jim
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By paul2748 - 8 Years Ago
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JIM - took a ;look at my installation and found out it is the three pole switch and I have it wired like the diagram in the Electrical Installation manual. I didn't remember about the line going to the rear lights and never checked it. I checked it tonight and sure enough the rear lights go on when the road light switch is pulled. I did this installation about 8 or 9 years ago and I guess I forgot most of it.
Miker - I will post some pics of the kit and my switch as installed. Will do it later tonight. The one showing the switch is only fair. I got the pics from the Yahoo classicbirds sight
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By paul2748 - 8 Years Ago
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Pictures, I hope - red led is my add on - shows when lights are on.
e
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By Jim Yergin - 8 Years Ago
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paul2748,
Thanks for checking. How about when your driving light switch is in the off position and your headlights are on, do the driving lights come on?
Jim
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By paul2748 - 8 Years Ago
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No
Jim Yergin (12/30/2016)
paul2748, Thanks for checking. How about when your driving light switch is in the off position and your headlights are on, do the driving lights come on? Jim
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By miker - 8 Years Ago
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Thanks for the pictures, I always wondered what those looked like. Somewhere in the distant past I was told, or read, that those were used in amber, on the export cars. I've never been to Europe, but apparently they drove on amber parking/fog lights there were lights in the cities. I wouldn't know, but it's a good story.
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By blockhead2 - 8 Years Ago
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Here are pictures of an NOS driving light kit. I have them on my 55 Tbird. They were a factory option and are concours correct. Note, the knob is different from what you would expect. Not sure what knob is original for a Tbird. They were also used on the 56 Tbird.
https://classiccarradiodoctor.com/1954%20merc%20roadlamps.htm
Good luck,
Bill
wabateATverizon.net
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By paul2748 - 8 Years Ago
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That's the kit . From what I found out, there was two different mounting brackets - the one shown and a simpler, "L" shaped bracket. Maybe the difference between the two years?? The one shown above is in the Thunderbird Restoration Details and Specifications Manual (page 467) but the "L" shaped bracket is shown in various pictures and is the one I have which I bought from a seller that deals in OEM parts. Or maybe a Mercury bracket???
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