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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / 1937 Ford dash headlight switch/ciga lighter

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Posted By Discussion Topic: 1937 Ford dash headlight switch/ciga lighter -- page: 1 2 3     fordson 10-30-2010 @ 3:38 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 16 Joined: Oct 2010 Hello there, Iam missing the dash headlight switch unit and knob, as well as the cigar lighter unit with knob for my 37 Ford coupe.I have contacted Drake etc. for replacement, but no period correct headlight switch unit is manufactured by them or seems to be available anywhere else. Classic Car Accessories have asked me for a photo of the items but i cant find any pictures on the net. Is there anybody out there who might have a picture (j-pg) of one or both units? or maybe even FOR SALE? I have just ordered the new ford 1937 (restauration) book from the US in hope to identify these 2 parts more clearly. Maybe i could also do with a switch or lighter from another model or year. I have attached a j-peg of my dashboard, to make sure its the right parts iam looking for. The right hand side hole is slightly cut out to both sides, looks a bit awkward, but i supose that is correct. Regards Randolf 37RAGTOPMAN 10-30-2010 @ 6:39 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1941 Joined: Oct 2009 Randolf try e-bay,the dash light switch is getting hard to find, the way it works you pull it out to shut off the lights, the hole for the lighter looks ok, you will have to find a cigar lighter housing the same size, most of the ones years ago were all the same, the element is the thing will be a little harder to find,you will need one that you can screw the cigar dash knob on, did you try LITTLE DEARBORN FORD PARTS, I would suggest you join the V8 CLUB,if you are not a member as of yet, they have a fairly large classified section,in the V8 TIMES. were you also can look of members selling items, and also try putting a ad on thie web site, under wanted, hope this helps 37 RAGTOPMAN an KEEP on FORDIN,,,!!! 37 Coupe 10-30-2010 @ 7:23 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 361 Joined: Oct 2009 Here is a picture of the dash switch from my 1937 Ford standard coupe,I cannot tell from your picture but yours may be a Deluxe dash? Knob color is different Deluxe and standard. A lot of people knock Ebay but I was able to nail down a NOS switch with a Standard knob already on it. the guy who I bought from has a lot of NOS Ford stuff,he goes by testuardo on ebay but his name is Robert Azario from New York and Florida. Hope this helps. CharlieStephens 10-30-2010 @ 2:17 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 880 Joined: Oct 2009 I could be missing something but what you are calling the “dash headlight switch unit” is actually the “instrument panel light control” (see page 3-11 of “The 1937 Ford Book”). I must admit that I don’t know if it is an off/on switch or a dimmer but I am sure the owners manual that came with the car (available from https://secure435.hostgator.com/~dlvry40/ufolder/ShowProducts.php?c=1&s=1&g=1&t=1&tn=) will say. Is this what you are looking for or are you looking for the headlight control switch (or parts) that controls the headlights and is part of the steering column assembly? Since export cars are sometimes different, forgive me if what I say doesn’t make sense. Charlie Stephens 37 Coupe 10-30-2010 @ 3:09 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 361 Joined: Oct 2009 Well mayby I am missing something or misunderstood. The picture I showed is a dash light dimmer switch from my 37 Ford. I assumed this is what original poster meant by picture he showed of dash with holes where cigar lighter and dash light dimmer switch. personally I never understood Fords whole concept on switch, dash lights are poor anyway, so a switch was engineered to completely turn them off? trjford8 10-31-2010 @ 9:06 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 4203 Joined: Oct 2009 It looks like your car is right hand drive, so the hole on the right with the notches is for the dash light switch. Those switches are difficult to find and can be expensive. In the hole for the cigar lighter I have used a late model replacement cigar lighter(you can buy these at most automotive stores). The socket will fit your dash and I just change the knob on the element. The 37 knob stops the element from being depressed into the socket, but it looks like the original. fordson 11-02-2010 @ 2:09 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 16 Joined: Oct 2010 Gentlemen, youre right the car is a 37 DeLuxe and it is a right hand drive. I was under the assumption that the hole on the left of my picture is for the cigar lighter and the one with the notches is for a so-called headlight switch. Maybe iam mistaken and it is the instrument panel light control that goes there? I was not aware that you would control the headlights via the steering column assembly-except for the headlight dimmer switch that sits on the floor to be activated by foot! The Ford 37 Book has not arrived yet and iam also waiting on the original owners manual. I have got a gut feeling its a Pull Out Light switch that belonged there. 37 Coupe: thanx a million for the j-peg, i have tears in my eyes staring at it. I have been trying e-bay for weeks, will just have to hang in there. Thanx eyerybody for the advice and support, Regards Randolf CharlieStephens 11-02-2010 @ 3:25 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 880 Joined: Oct 2009 I am going out on a limb on this one but I think you will find the headlight switch on the steering column is also a dimmer and the switch you have on the floor is an add-on (I can't find my owner's manual). Now that you mentioned your car is RHD I wouldn't be surprised to find some of the controls swapped to make them easier for the driver to reach. Charlie Stephens. This message was edited by CharlieStephens on 11-2-10 @ 3:51 PM trjford8 11-03-2010 @ 7:58 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 4203 Joined: Oct 2009 Charlie, in 37 they did in fact have a dimmer switch. The switch on the bottom of the column only controlled the parking lights and the off-on for the headlights. CharlieStephens 11-03-2010 @ 11:34 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 880 Joined: Oct 2009 trjford8, When I check both the wiring diagrams and wiring schematics at http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/flathead_drawings_electrical.htm I can find the foot dimmer switch for 1938 but not 1937. I looked again and was unable to find anything in “The 1937 Ford Book” from the club. The wiring diagram in the club’s book (page A-11) doesn’t show a dimmer switch. The Green Bible shows 81A 13532 fits 38-40 but nothing earlier. Sacramento Ford Parts, MACS and C&G don’t list a dimmer switch for 1937. I double checked what I believe to be 5 original floorboards (only because they came with my car). Two of them have a hole below and between the brake and clutch pedals that may have been for a dimmer switch. Is this where you think the switch should be mounted? These two boards may be from a different year or the holes may have been added. I have an owner’s manual coming in the mail. Was this a late in the year change or possibly unique to the RHD or export models such as we are discussing in this thread? Where in the literature do you find reference to this switch? Charlie Stephens This message was edited by CharlieStephens on 11-3-10 @ 11:35 AM

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