Reply To: 1933 Headlight switch

[Gregory Long]

Hi Don, there is no ground wire on the switch or on the headlight wiring, you have to add one. The ground is through the steel fender, the fender brace, the brace to the fender connection, then the reflector screwed to the mounting ring which is screwed to the fender’s headlight built in housing.

So as I remember, your car is very nicely painted, and paint does not conduct electrical current very well if at all, so you have at least 4 possible or more locations where a bad or poor electrical connection through a fender bolt, or a fender bracket to frame bolt, or fender bracket to fender bolt, or a reflector to mounting ring, or mounting ring to fender.. WHEW !! lots of potential locations for poor connections.

So, use a new wire, put a loop end on one end, clean a spot on the frame of the car where you want to fasten the wire’s loop end, clean, metal to metal only, no paint at all. fasten the loop connector with ‘star’ type washers, they have numerous sharp edges to make good connections.

Then route the wire up inside the fender brace, then through the wiring holes to the inside of the headlight housing, put another loop connector on the wire, and put the loop onto a screw that fastens the reflector to the mounting ring.. or you might be able to solder a short wire to the reflector’s bulb mount, and make a wire-to-wire connection instead of using a mounting screw.

Repeat for the other side, and you should have MUCH brighter lights.

Greg Long