VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 Headlight Fuse

The fuse on my headlight switch ('34 Standard) is blown although the headlights still work as do the rear running lights, but my brake lights don't work. The bulbs are good but I noticed a wire with a connector on the harness coming from the engine compartment that's not hooked up to anything under the dash, could it be for the brake lights? Seeing as the headlights work with a blown fuse I'm assuming somebody did some creative wire work, any suggestions as to where to start? Had the wood floorboard out and the brake switch is connected. I realize this is quite vague but thought there might be a common problem that only you guys would know about.

The first thing that you need to pick up before you start tracing problems with your wiring is a wiring diagram. With that in hand there is no guess work.

:)

There are two fuses on a 1934.One is located on the back of the head light switch.Covers all lights except the brake light.The brake light hot wire comes off the ignition switch and is "hot" only when the switch is in the ON position.The brake light fuse is in a fuse near the Ign. switch.The wire runs on down to the brake switch and from the switch runs back to the brake light.It really dosen't travel under the hood beyond the lower firewall and had no connectors built into it.
If you have a "mystery" wire with a bayonet connector under the dash I would suspect that it is the brake fuse connector and is disconnect from its "other half".There should be "half" that comes off the Ign. and the other "half" going to the brake light switch.
The reason the brake light wire is connected thru the Ign. switch is to prevent the brake lights from operating when the switch is off.This is due to the fact that in 1934-35 the brake pedal is depressed when the parking brake is applied.

I changed this post three times-hope it still makes sense.

Thanks Gene, I knew there was supposed to be two fuses, just couldn't find the second one. At some point somebody removed the dash light and there are two new (modern) wires and no fuse anywhere. One new red wire goes from the right pole of the ign. to the right pole of the amp guage, the second new wire goes from the same pole on the ign.as the first across to the right side of the dash and appears to go up in the post of the winsdhield. Don't know where it goes from there yet.It goes to the garage tomorrow so I'll wait till it comes back from having the carb rebuilt and the cooling system cleaned and or repaired.

Guess I'll be getting a wiring diagram, and get it back the way it's supposed to be.


Thanks Guys
Andy

The wiring diagram is in the shop manual-which is on-line....or I could send you a copy -Email.
Does it have the original light switch which had the fuse sticking out behind it?Or does it have a universal type switch ...if so the knob will not match the choke and throttle knobs.

Yeah it has the original light switch, besides those 2 new red wires everything else is original.

No need to send that diagram, I think I've printed out almost the whole manual...man was I glad I found that.

Being that I've never owned a '30's car till 2 weeks ago I've read and or printed out everything I could find online and am learning as fast as I can....that's the fun part anyway , learning a new era of autos. Spent the last 2 1/2 yrs. restoring my 1970 Chevelle. Although most people clone them into SS's, I wanted to restore to original. Heck there are more clone SS's on the road then original ones. My theory is eventually there won't be any stock Malibu's left and mine will increase faster cause of scarcity...maybe...maybe not.