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04-27-2019, 06:39 PM | #1 |
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Lights won't work in my 1938 Tudor Sedan
I have a 1938 Ford Sedan and my head lights won't come on. I'm new to these Fords. Is there a fuse box on a 38? If anyone can offer some advice I'd sure appreciate it. It was converted to 12 volt and was working just fine then quit. Just got the car about a week ago so I'm learning.
Regards, Jerry |
04-27-2019, 06:47 PM | #2 |
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Re: Lights won't work in my 1938 Tudor Sedan
Hi, Jerry,
Welcome to the Barn! You've come to the right place. There may be a fuse and there may not be in your light circuit, depending upon what the previous owner(s) may have done with the wiring. I've had this issue with my '39 and it was as simple as a bad ground. I'd start at the headlight buckets making sure your grounds are good and work your way back from there. You didn't mention it, but do you parking light work?? Good luck.....Dick. |
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04-27-2019, 06:50 PM | #3 |
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Re: Lights won't work in my 1938 Tudor Sedan
The switch sends the power to the dimmer switch. The dimmer sends it to the high or low beams. Check for power there with the headlights turned to the on position.
Do the parking lights work when switched to parking lights only? |
04-27-2019, 06:56 PM | #4 |
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Re: Lights won't work in my 1938 Tudor Sedan
Thanks. Actually just found out brakes or parking aren't working!
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04-27-2019, 07:03 PM | #5 |
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Re: Lights won't work in my 1938 Tudor Sedan
Were the bulbs converted to 12 volt as well?
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04-27-2019, 07:17 PM | #6 |
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Re: Lights won't work in my 1938 Tudor Sedan
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04-27-2019, 07:18 PM | #7 |
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Re: Lights won't work in my 1938 Tudor Sedan
I don't think this car has a dimmer switch or at least I don't find it anywhere....
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04-27-2019, 07:36 PM | #8 |
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Re: Lights won't work in my 1938 Tudor Sedan
The DeLuxe did, I'm not sure about the standard model. The Deluxe has one switch position on either side of "off". If it has no dimmer on the floor, there will be two positions on one side of "off".
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04-27-2019, 07:48 PM | #9 |
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Re: Lights won't work in my 1938 Tudor Sedan
Is it a standard or a deluxe? If it has be converted to 12v it would be hard to know what else was changed. The original diagram may or may not help. There was originally one fuse for all of the lighting circuits. So, it could be the fuse. The fuse was on a panel under the dash along with the ballast resistor (which is most likely not used if it is 12v). The original fuse panel would look something like the attachment.
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04-27-2019, 08:21 PM | #10 |
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Re: Lights won't work in my 1938 Tudor Sedan
Thanks. Mines a standard and doesn't have the dimmer....
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04-27-2019, 08:22 PM | #11 |
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Re: Lights won't work in my 1938 Tudor Sedan
Mines a Standard. I found the fuse and it's OK. Changed it anyway but still no lights...
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04-27-2019, 08:38 PM | #12 |
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Re: Lights won't work in my 1938 Tudor Sedan
Well you need to get out a voltmeter or circuit tester and starting at the fuse block check for power. You should be able to see where to check from the wiring diagram. The light control switch is at the base of the steering column. If none of the lights are working it about has to be the power into the light switch or something in the switch itself. For reference, the lighting circuit is "hot" all the time and has nothing to do with the ignition switch. Again this is all assuming it has not been modified from the original other than the conversion to 12v. While you are at it might check and be sure you have 12v bulbs installed and not 6v that just burnt out on 12v.
Last edited by JSeery; 06-08-2019 at 08:20 PM. |
04-27-2019, 10:01 PM | #13 |
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Re: Lights won't work in my 1938 Tudor Sedan
I'll do that tomorrow. They're working now which tells me theres a bad connection somwhere, so, out with the volt meter tomorrow. Thanks for the advice. More tomorrow.
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04-28-2019, 07:57 AM | #14 |
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Re: Lights won't work in my 1938 Tudor Sedan
Ok, that sounds like progress!
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04-28-2019, 08:18 AM | #15 |
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Re: Lights won't work in my 1938 Tudor Sedan
Intermittent operation indicates either a loose connection or a bad wire. I'd be looking at condition of the wiring. The old cloth covered wire has life limits even if well kept.The switch has a wire bale that holds it on so it can be opened up for inspection. It gets dirty down there if the car is driven in funky weather too much.
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04-28-2019, 10:47 AM | #16 |
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Re: Lights won't work in my 1938 Tudor Sedan
when everything goes at once, i'd be looking at the fuse holder. see if the spring action is gone and the fuse is just sitting there loose
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04-29-2019, 06:31 PM | #17 |
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Re: Lights won't work in my 1938 Tudor Sedan
Good idea. It's good though. Thanks.
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04-29-2019, 10:29 PM | #18 |
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Re: Lights won't work in my 1938 Tudor Sedan
Jerry, in post #4 above, you said the brake lights aren't working either. Then in post #13, you said the lights were working. Did that include the brake lights? And, have you had a chance to do your volt meter checks? Also, what shape is your wiring harness in, as rotorwrench asked above? I had a situation when my cloth wiring harness was so bad....no lights, including brake lights, that no amount of splicing could revive it.... finally, new wiring harness solved the problem.
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06-08-2019, 05:55 PM | #19 |
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Re: Lights won't work in my 1938 Tudor Sedan
Thanks RKS.PA. Yes the brke lights worked when the head lights came on. It's all new wiring and there was a loose connection on the fuse block after all. Working now but my dome light won't come on. IS there seperate fuse for the dome lights? Thanks for the advice!
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06-08-2019, 06:15 PM | #20 |
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Re: Lights won't work in my 1938 Tudor Sedan
Did you check the dome light bulb?
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