Steering wheel swap - 1936 Ford 5W coupe

[50droptop]

Guys,

I would like to look into using a 1949 Ford (keyed) steering wheel on my 1936 Ford 5W couple with the original steering column and upgraded 1937 steering box. To do this conversion, I know I will need to:

- use horn wire instead of horn rod
- add headlight switch to dash
- incorporate headlight dimmer switch (not sure if the original starter switch hole can be used)
- add wiring from existing switch (at bottom of steering box) to new headlight & dimmer switch

My questions are:

- Has anyone had any experience with this conversion?
- In reviewing the '36 switch (the one that goes in the steering box), does anyone know which terminals have power when the switch is turned on?
- Are certain terminals on the '36 switch (again, the one at the steering box) hot all the time?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

[CA Victoria]

The wiring diagram for your car (with headlight ball schematic) can be found with a search on the Internet and be able to print it up full size.
I would suggest contacting Bauer who makes the majority of wiring harness sold thru our suppliers. He can provide you with a made to order wiring harness.
A yellow #10 wire from the battery side of the start switch feeds the light circuits
Check your key way locations to.

[50droptop]

Thank you! Do you happen to have a contact number for Bauer?

Yeah, I have the wiring diagram for the '36, just wasn't sure which contacts were 'connected' once installed in the switch housing.

Originally Posted by CA Victoria

The wiring diagram for your car (with headlight ball schematic) can be found with a search on the Internet and be able to print it up full size.
I would suggest contacting Bauer who makes the majority of wiring harness sold thru our suppliers. He can provide you with a made to order wiring harness.
A yellow #10 wire from the battery side of the start switch feeds the light circuits
Check your key way locations to.

[50droptop]

I've found Bauer on the internet, thank you again for the tip.

Originally Posted by 50droptop

Thank you! Do you happen to have a contact number for Bauer?

Yeah, I have the wiring diagram for the '36, just wasn't sure which contacts were 'connected' once installed in the switch housing.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by 50droptop

Thank you! Do you happen to have a contact number for Bauer?

Yeah, I have the wiring diagram for the '36, just wasn't sure which contacts were 'connected' once installed in the switch housing.

These four hard-to-find pictures (especially #1) should make this switch completely understandable.

Coop

[50droptop]

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Perfect! Thank you!

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

These four hard-to-find pictures (especially #1) should make this switch completely understandable.

Coop

[blucar]

Been there done that!
I converted my '36 Ford coupe "Henry" from the original floor shift to a column shift shortly after buying the car in 1952. The transmission modification was a no brainer, I purchased a '41 donor car for the brakes, transmission. etc.
I used the linkage etc. from the '41, adapting the shift control box to the '36 column. I used the '41 steering drop, with slight modifications to attach the modified column, securing the upper part of the shift rod with a make do adapter at the top of the column, just below the Banjo steering wheel. This modification proved to be an ongoing problem.

I converted the headlight from the original reflector type to '40 Chevy headlight pods that I scribe fitted to the fender well adjacent to the grille shell. At the time, 1952. this custom modification was referred to as "The San Francisco Look". I also put '37 DeSoto bumpers on the car to complete the SF look.
Look closely at my AVATAR, the Chevy headlight are very noticeable!

The '40 Chevy headlights were sealed beams so a modification to the wiring was in order. I rewired the headlights incorporating a GM headlight relay into the system which allowed the column mounted switch to only control the power to the relay in lieu of the entire headlight system.
Within a few months the original headlight switch proved to be a big problem as was the make-do adapter for the shift column.
I eliminated the original off/on switch in-favor of a pull switch that I mounted in the original hand throttle opening in the dash.
I eliminated the foot mounted starter switch, utilizing a push button mounted into the left side of the dash to control the remote mounted solenoid mounted above the starter on the right side of the firewall. Uilized the hole in the floor between the brake and clutch for the dimmer switch. A perfect place for the dimmer. The horn hook up became a problem... Oh well, instead of honking at the girls, I could rev up the engine with a blast from the Smitty's.
Within a year the '36 steering gears became a big problem, and the shift attachment rod was a constant problem.
In 1954 a friend gave me a perfect '40 Ford steering gear assembly with the '40 column mass jacket. Fortunately my friend had the '40 parts car so I harvested the frame mount.
The '40 steering gear box went right into my car, only requiring a slight modification to the lower edge of the dash and elimination of the steering lock retainer from the steering shaft that allow and adjustment to the 40 column drop. Since the steering shaft was hollow the horn wire could be hooked up. The 36 pitman arm proved to be a problem, it hung down below the steering gears, as did the '40 pitman arm. It was not until several years later that I discovered the a 21-A 3590-3 015 (47 Ford) fit perfectly.
The Banjo steering wheel presented a problem, it would not mount to the '40 column.
I looked around, finding a perfect '47 Deluxe steering wheel. The '47 Ford steering wheel looks very good in the car. I still have the Banjo wheel and a spare '36 column, maybe some day I'll find a way to put the Banjo wheel back into "Henry". I have two '39 transmission in stock, that would be an easy way to get "Henry's' Banjo wheel back into the car.

[blucar]

Attached pix shows the location of the remote solenoid mounted to the right side of the firewall in my '36.

[BSAroadrocket]

Is the '49 steering wheel a bit bigger in diameter than the '36 steering wheel?

[blucar]

Originally Posted by BSAroadrocket

Is the '49 steering wheel a bit bigger in diameter than the '36 steering wheel?

I would say they are about the same, somewhere around 17" where-as modern steering wheels for power steering vehicle are in the 14" range.

[50droptop]

Originally Posted by BSAroadrocket

Is the '49 steering wheel a bit bigger in diameter than the '36 steering wheel?

Yes, it's ever so slightly larger than the '36. It looks like it will put the wheel a little closer to the door to make for cooler cruising (window down of course).

[blucar]

Originally Posted by 50droptop

Yes, it's ever so slightly larger than the '36. It looks like it will put the wheel a little closer to the door to make for cooler cruising (window down of course).

Ya know, the '36 Ford 5 win cpes had four-sixty AC. side/back window rolled down with the windshield cranked out, compared to a regular coupe with only three-sixty Air.

[50droptop]

So my 5w must be the three-sixty AC. It was a standard with a trunk, so the back window didn’t roll down. As you said though, AC works pretty good with everything down and open.

Originally Posted by blucar

Ya know, the '36 Ford 5 win cpes had four-sixty AC. side/back window rolled down with the windshield cranked out, compared to a regular coupe with only three-sixty Air.