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On my 1933 1236 the headlights are dim. I measured six volts at the bottom of the steering column. Also the cover for the wires is missing. Obviously this is a grounding issue, but is it worth taking the flat plate, and rotating contact arm/assembly off to clean it? Also, how do you take the assembly off of the bottom of the steering column? Also, any suggestions where to get a cover?
Thx Don
Hi Don, good to see you posting on the message board.
I’d not bother with the switch, if you are getting battery voltage at the headlight.
I’d spend my time running an independent ground wire from the chassis up through the fender support bracket then into the headlight bucket and fasten it directly to the reflector.
There are just too many painted and slightly rusty connections between the chassis and a headlight reflector to NOT have significant resistance for the ground connection.
As for the parts for the switch? I don’t think I’ve ever seen one for sale at the swap meets. I know I don’t have an extra.
Greg L
Don,
I have a cover that was fabricated for my switch. I need it but one might be able to make another make another. Do you have a picture of your switch you can send me and I will check to see if it is the same.
Bill
Also you might add a light/horn relay at the lights with a new ‘hot’ line to the relay out put. Those switches on the column are hard to find or reproduce. I ran ground wires to all my lights and used relays on the head lights. Also used the newer style bulbs. My lights are bright!
Thank you for the responses. I can run a wire up to the headlight bucket, but which wire on the headlight switch “plate” is the ground?
Also, has anyone seen a diagram of this switch, which identifies each wire?
Thx Don
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
Connect the ground wire directly to the point where the grounded battery cable connects to the frame.use #10 wire. Screw and solder all connections where possible.