Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Model A (1928-31)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 09-01-2020, 06:29 PM   #1
pawillie
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 8
Unhappy 1929 A headlights

Restoring a 199 Tudor and got stuck with the headlight wiring. There are three wires coming out each side of car but only two wires coming out headlights. I have searched for guidance but can't seem to find anything. My shop manual doesn't address this as well. I just can't figure it out. Did ok on the car but when it comes to wiring, haven't gotten there as yet. Thanks for any info.:
pawillie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2020, 09:28 PM   #2
Jim/GA
Senior Member
 
Jim/GA's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Young Harris, GA
Posts: 1,808
Default Re: 1929 A headlights

The third wire is for parking lights inside the headlight reflector, at the top. A separate bulb hole in each reflector for a simple 3 cp bulb.

I hope this makes sense.

__________________
Jim Cannon
Former MAFCA Technical Director
"Have a Model A day!"
Jim/GA is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 09-01-2020, 09:52 PM   #3
1955cj5
Senior Member
 
1955cj5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Boise, Idaho
Posts: 1,576
Default Re: 1929 A headlights

Inside your headlight buckets there ought to be a pair of sockets as shown in the first picture.

The labeled rubber insulator holds the wires in the correct position.

Then the conduit holds it all together.

Very possibly you have earlier two-wire headlight buckets

Pictures of the inside of your headlight would really help.....
Attached Images
File Type: jpg P1010256.JPG (175.5 KB, 54 views)
File Type: jpg P1010257 - Copy.JPG (135.5 KB, 51 views)
File Type: jpg P1010259 - Copy.JPG (140.5 KB, 52 views)
__________________
Early '29 CCPU that had a 4-speed, but not any more.......in the family since '62
1955cj5 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-2020, 09:42 AM   #4
Badpuppy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Guthrie, OK
Posts: 1,141
Default Re: 1929 A headlights

28-29 have "H-type" buckets, fluted lens. Conduit and socket are smaller, two wires. Single bulb reflector w/ concentric socket sleeve. 3-position light switch, off-dim-bright.

30-31 "Twolite" buckets, bullhorn lens. Larger conduit and socket, three wires. 1-bulb reflector w/deluxe cowl lights, 2-bulb w/o. 4-pos light switch, park-off-dim-bright.

Later reflectors with 1/16" offset sleeve may be used on earlier lamps.

The switch plates between the two versions are different; you may need to transfer your old plate to the new harness for it to fit properly. In any event, you should disconnect the two park lamp wires from the from the lighting switch.

Check vendors' catalogs to see parts differences between the years.
Badpuppy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-2020, 09:58 AM   #5
Badpuppy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Guthrie, OK
Posts: 1,141
Default Re: 1929 A headlights

Just consulted my FSB - the Twolite was introduced very early 1929, so that's probably what you have, and shouldn't have problems with parts compatibility.
Badpuppy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-2020, 12:12 PM   #6
ryanheacox
Senior Member
 
ryanheacox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Northwest CT
Posts: 1,092
Default Re: 1929 A headlights

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Never messed with the 29-31 1 light version, is it like the twolite and just doesn't use the parking light terminal?
ryanheacox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-2020, 12:52 PM   #7
denniskliesen
Senior Member
 
denniskliesen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: SoCal
Posts: 877
Default Re: 1929 A headlights

I think I know what your problem is. You have what some of the CD vendors call 28 head lights. They have smaller 2 pin sockets for your conduit connection. Originally your light switch probably had contacts that har 4 legs instead of 3 like the later models. So might check and confirm that. The older 4 prong switch does not work with most harness made today. I’ve read Sacramento Vintage is the only place to get a 28 harness. Nobody makes a reproduction 28 switch. BTW I went through all of this with my January 29. At the time I didn’t realize there was a difference in switches. The 28 headlights had a single 2 element bulb. One of the elements was 3 cp for park lights. So you switch had, park, off, and headlight. There was no high beam as we know it on later models. If you keep your buckets, all you need to make them work with your harness, figure out which of those 2 out of 3, work with high beam and low. This is keeping a single bulb reflector. You only need to clip the terminal ends on the black with red tracer, and black with green tracer. Buy the 2 pin conduit socket, the terminal ends for the wire that have a screw in one end. These are the only terminal that work with the 2 wire setup. Also you will need the smaller conduit that are referred to as 28 only. Ask me how I know, I went through this exercise when I bout new conduits from Snyder’s and beings my car is early 29 I needed bigger 3 pin. I talked to Tom and he insisted I have 28 buckets. If you want the 2 bulb reflector setup, you need to eliminate those pieces that hold the wiring and go straight through with different connectors. I hope this makes sense.
denniskliesen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-2020, 07:53 PM   #8
pawillie
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 8
Default Re: 1929 A headlights

Thanks much, you have taken some of the mystery away.
pawillie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-03-2020, 09:37 AM   #9
Badpuppy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Guthrie, OK
Posts: 1,141
Default Re: 1929 A headlights

Quote:
Originally Posted by ryanheacox View Post
Never messed with the 29-31 1 light version, is it like the twolite and just doesn't use the parking light terminal?
Yes. Identical except for no 2nd socket, and of course only 2 wires on the internal harness. Harness for cars WITH cowl lamps have only 2 wires to each headlight, the yellow/black wire pigtails out near the lighting switch plate for attachment of cowl light harness.
Badpuppy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-03-2020, 02:26 PM   #10
pawillie
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 8
Default Re: 1929 A headlights

Thanks much, I am posting inside of light as well as wiring. Three wires coming from car and two from headlight.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Headlight.jpg (37.3 KB, 48 views)
File Type: jpg Light1.jpg (44.6 KB, 46 views)
File Type: jpg Lights2.jpg (29.8 KB, 44 views)
pawillie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-03-2020, 02:34 PM   #11
pawillie
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 8
Default Re: 1929 A headlights

Thanks much, I am posting inside of light as well as wiring. Three wires coming from car and two from headlight.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Headlight.jpg (37.3 KB, 8 views)
File Type: jpg Light1.jpg (44.6 KB, 11 views)
File Type: jpg Lights2.jpg (29.8 KB, 11 views)
pawillie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-03-2020, 03:29 PM   #12
1955cj5
Senior Member
 
1955cj5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Boise, Idaho
Posts: 1,576
Default Re: 1929 A headlights

Does your car have cowl lamps?

The Judging Standards show a wiring diagram for 1928 through march 1929 with two wire headlights and no cowl lamps.

As mentioned in post #7 you may have a mis-matched wiring harness. Is it new?

I had a similar experience with the headlights being a mixture of single bulb (2 wire) buckets, but two-bulb reflectors, and 3 wire harness.

My headlights were hard wired, eliminating the socket type connection where the conduit meets the bucket.
__________________
Early '29 CCPU that had a 4-speed, but not any more.......in the family since '62

Last edited by 1955cj5; 09-03-2020 at 03:47 PM.
1955cj5 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-03-2020, 07:50 PM   #13
pawillie
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 8
Default Re: 1929 A headlights

Quote:
Originally Posted by 1955cj5 View Post
Does your car have cowl lamps?

The Judging Standards show a wiring diagram for 1928 through march 1929 with two wire headlights and no cowl lamps.

As mentioned in post #7 you may have a mis-matched wiring harness. Is it new?

I had a similar experience with the headlights being a mixture of single bulb (2 wire) buckets, but two-bulb reflectors, and 3 wire harness.

My headlights were hard wired, eliminating the socket type connection where the conduit meets the bucket.
No, doesn't have cowl lamps. Harness isn't new but the headlights are. This is a very early 29 and still has some 28 parts on it. I found this out during the restore. Pain in the you know what. Does sound like I have a 28 harness and 29 lights as I ordered them for 29. Thanks again and guess will have to do some jimmy rigging.
pawillie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-04-2020, 09:30 AM   #14
Badpuppy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Guthrie, OK
Posts: 1,141
Default Re: 1929 A headlights

I believe those are the later 29 Twolite lamps - looks like the triangular pattern wire guide "plug" will fit. With no cowl lamps you should replace the inner harness with the two bulb type, the reflectors also. This will make it "correct" if that's what you're going for.
Badpuppy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-04-2020, 11:22 AM   #15
denniskliesen
Senior Member
 
denniskliesen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: SoCal
Posts: 877
Default Re: 1929 A headlights

Quote:
Originally Posted by pawillie View Post
No, doesn't have cowl lamps. Harness isn't new but the headlights are. This is a very early 29 and still has some 28 parts on it. I found this out during the restore. Pain in the you know what. Does sound like I have a 28 harness and 29 lights as I ordered them for 29. Thanks again and guess will have to do some jimmy rigging.
I think it might be the other way around in your case if what you currently have, 2 wire sockets 1/2”, and your harness is 3 wire. If you have an early 29, they should be single bulb reflector 2 wire. Many times people change the reflector so they have a turn signal inside the headlight. Your early headlight with small 1/2” socket should of had fluted lens, many times people change those to the later lens.
denniskliesen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-04-2020, 11:28 AM   #16
denniskliesen
Senior Member
 
denniskliesen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: SoCal
Posts: 877
Default Re: 1929 A headlights

Just so you know, the vendors, not all of them, can supply a 2 wire harness for single bulb with or without cowl lights. The cowl light wire exits separately from the 2 wires going to the headlights. You need to look at your light switch and your harness at the end where it meets up with the switch. Post pictures.
denniskliesen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-04-2020, 05:12 PM   #17
Synchro909
Senior Member
 
Synchro909's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 7,472
Default Re: 1929 A headlights

Just wait till you have a light switch designed for no parkers but the car has them. Then, let the head scratching begin!
__________________
I'm part of the only ever generation with an analogue childhood and a digital adulthood.
Synchro909 is online now   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:30 PM.