VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 1954 headlight switch

Just replaced the headlight switch on my 54 Bel Air hardtop. The old one was working in terms of headlights on and off. But no dash lights. Corroded, etc. Tried to clean up; but no deal. Anyway, I’m pretty sure we got the wires hooked up exactly like on the old switch.

The new switch works fine. Even the rheostat for the dash lights works perfect. But, a couple of questions about the ”˜new’ switch.

1. For either right or left turn the outside lights (front and back) work fine. But on the dash, BOTH green arrows light up. Just like a ”˜flasher.’ Wonder what’s with that???

2. It seems like turning the knob/shaft all the way to left used to act like an on/off switch for the courtesy lights. Not so anymore. The courtesy lights work fine when either door is opened and closed. Am I dreaming that all the way to the left on the knob used to turn on the courtesy lights??

3. I don’t have a wiring diagram for the headlight switch. and there wasn't one included in the reproduction one’s box. Anybody have one they could post?? Better yet could somebody email a diagram to me. wpfuller@qwest.net

Thanks in advance for any help with these vexing little hassles…..

Bill.

"1 - signals really are not connected to the light switch.

#2 _You were dreaming. The 1955 was the first to have the dome lights controlled by the head light switch.

#3 - I can send you a 1953 wiring diagram as the same light switch is used.

So you won't be needing this NOS switch I have been holding for months?

Bill,

We met in OR during the NW Mini Meet in 2007. I have the blue 54 210.

I have the '54 wiring info available. I saw the Chevgene has it for '53. Let me know if you still need it.

Hi Gene,

No connection with turn signals and headlight switch....
Well, maybe I better look into a new flasher. Sure is weird when both green arrows flash. No matter if signaling for right or left turn. Fortunately I haven't turned the wrong way so far. HA HA - Big Laff.

Good to know I was just dreaming about the courtesy lights. (What the heck, dreaming is fun too.....)

Thanks for the info you emailed. I sure appreciate it.

Bill.

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the offer. I'd appreciate it if you'd email me what you have. Seems like I can't have too much info.

I was hoping to see your '54 in Vancouver last week. Hope all is well.....

Bill.

I had the turn signals do the same thing (both flashed at once) on our '69 Impala years ago. It turned out to be a defective ground.

Bill,

I sent you what I have for 1954.

If you look under the photo of my '54, you will see our Loc: is in Matawan, NJ. We moved out here back in May.

Big change, but we are adjusting.

Hi Jim,

I sure wasn't very observant. I completely missed your new location. Wow! Long ways away. Adjusting is good. Not always easy.

Thanks for your help. Please be sure to see an email I just sent to you. Also, I sent a PM yesterday you may not have seen yet.

Take care.....

Bill.

Hi Bill,

Yes, it is a long ways away from Redmond, WA, ~2800 miles.

I did get your PM and email and have replied to your email. In fact, I sent you another email today.

Have you ever lived on the east coast? The reason I ask, is when you go to leave most of the time (at least in NJ), they say "take care" in-place of good-bye.

Thanks

Hi Jim,

Got your latest email. Thanks for sending that info. We're going to take a look at that goofy two arrows blinking at the same time sitch tomorrow.

I've never lived in NJ. Been to Manhattan several times. Never even been to NJ.

Nonetheless, take care....

Bill.

Been a little busy this week. Including going to Phoenix to check out a 49 tin woody. Neat little car; but it's still in Phoenix. Need to 'negotiate' a bit more. (If you give a wit, you can google "woodies usa" and see it.)

Anyway, I want to get back to that turn signal situation on my 54 hardtop. As I mentioned, the new headlight switch is in and works great. Even the rheostat is nice and 'smoooth' going from dim to bright.

The goofy deal with both green arrows on the dash flashing at the same time (just like a flasher in a 'new' car) is still going on. Signaling for a right (or left) turn works perfect on the parking light and brake light; but both indicators flash on the dash.

Gene said the headlight switch and the turn signals have nothing to do with each other. "We" pulled the steering wheel and all looks to be OK in there. Any ideas?????

Bill.

You might want to check out your flasher also.

Other than installing the switch, you didn't rewire anything else under there?

Thinking about that, it can't possibly be the flasher. Flasher only interupts the current one current path. That path is only completed via the chosen lightbulb, which is dictated by the directional cam on the steering wheel. Thus, you've either got a faulty directional selector assembly, or you've got a short between the 2 bulbs for right and left. As far as having a faulty ground, I don't understand where that can backfeed into the other signal bulb. The buck stops there. The Bulb gets its ground through the housing. If that isn't grounded the bulb shouldn't burn. Unless, there is another path to the other bulb, which would mean a short between the 2 bulbs as stated above.

If you did do some rewiring, it would almost sound like the 2 directional lights were mistaken for dash lights and wired together...

On my Impala both flashers were blinking at once. Found a bad ground on a front directional signal. Can't remember now if it was the bulb socket itself or the light housing. Anyway, corrected the bad ground problem and both flashers then worked normally. Obviously there was a back feed somewhere because correcting the ground cured the problem.

On my 1968 GMC pickup I had a similar problem. When I had the headlights and dash lights on at night, every time I stepped on the brake the dash lights would go out. Released the brake pedal and the dash lights would come back on. That was a weird one, but I finally found the problem. The plug in connector for a camper had corroded between two terminals thus creating a back feed to the dash lights. Cleaned all of the terminals on the plug in and every thing was again back to normal.