The Ford Barn

tyler · 06-30-2012, 02:38 PM

Starting to wire the ole girl today, got a harness from sacramento vintage ford and a wiring diagram for my car (early '28) but I can't remember how to route the headlight wires. How do they go from the switch to their destination? Inside of the cross member or out? Any clips that should be there? Is there any way to remove the radiator without disconecting the headlight wires as I believe the wires have to go through the radiator shell if I'm not mistaken? Picures would really help if anyone is so inclined.

Another thing; we wired the switch up as the diagram says and when we re- installed it the switch positions are now 7-8-9 instead of 5-6-7 like they were before. Will this hurt anything?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. we're trying to get the car on the road this week so the former owner can see it again, he doesn't have much time left on this earth. Thanks.

Tyler

steve s · 06-30-2012, 03:28 PM

You have to disconnect the lights to remove the shell and radiator, but you don't have to remove the radiator or shell to hook up the lights. There should be a few little metal "clips" along the bottom of the radiator that you can fold over to hold the wiring in place that's goin to the passenger side lights. Otherwise, get the wires up between the rad. side and the shell, and then out the hole in shell, thru flexible conduit, on to headlight buckets.

Steve

pat in Santa Cruz · 06-30-2012, 06:10 PM

to get the switch lever off position back to the lower (correct) location, remove the switch from the steering column. Position the spider vertically. Then look inside the switch for the 2 slots the spider fits into. Using a pick of some sort, rotate the switch until those 2 slots are vertical. They should be in line with a notch in the switch body neck that fits into the steering column. The lower part of the steering column switch bracket has a detent that fits into that notch. Now the switch stops should be correct.

tyler · 06-30-2012, 07:50 PM

O.K., got the switch lever part straightened out. Thanks Pat.

Steve, don't see any type of metal clips under my radiator, the probably rotted off years ago. If I understand you right, does all the headlight wiring for both sides go through the drivers side shell hole and then the passenger side wiring goes under the radiator?

Another question; my original ignition switch was shot so I got the more expensive repro switch. How am I supposed to wire it up? I've got the small harness that does the ammeter and switch to pos. side of coil but I don't know which side of the switch to hook it up to ( as your looking at the switch from the back, there are two terminals looking at you.) The original switch had a wire in conduit going from it's center to the distributor, what do I use for that? Don't see anything in the cataloges.

Thanks again for the help everyone.

Tyler

Tom Wesenberg · 06-30-2012, 08:27 PM

On the switch, one terminal goes to the coil primary + terminal, if the terminals are marked, and the other switch terminal goesto the wire from the distributor. It doesn't matter which terminal either wire goes to on the switch.

On the headlight wires, they run inside the frame rail on the left side, then split near the left side of the radiator shell. The left headlight and horn wires ONLY run through the two holes on the left side of the shell. The smaller harness (no horn wires) splits at the left side of the radiator and runs along the bottom of the radiator and to the right side, where it goes up and through the hole in the shell to the right headlight. The fan shroud (your's must be missing) has either a curled trough for the wire harness to lay in, or it might have 3 metal tabs to hold the harness.

Mitch//pa · 06-30-2012, 08:39 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

here are a couple pics of the harness crossing along the lower radiator for better visualization

tyler · 06-30-2012, 09:12 PM

Tom;

Thanks, very well explained. Yes, I do still have my shroud but never thought to look there, I'll check it out in the morning. It's all starting to make sense to me now and that's not always easy to do when dealing with me.

Mitch, thanks a bunch for the pictures, a big help. I still need to know what to use for a wire going from the ignition switch to the distributer for my new switch.

This forum is great. Thanks again.

Tyler

Mitch//pa · 06-30-2012, 09:33 PM

try this link it goes from the distributor to the switch

http://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/5000

pat in Santa Cruz · 06-30-2012, 11:51 PM

if your radiator does not have the tabs to hold the right side harness, you can run a black zip tie through the lower tubes and tie the harness back ( gently) so it does not end up chafing against the pulley.

06-30-2012, 02:38 PM	#1
tyler Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Randolph N.Y. Posts: 105	wiring help Starting to wire the ole girl today, got a harness from sacramento vintage ford and a wiring diagram for my car (early '28) but I can't remember how to route the headlight wires. How do they go from the switch to their destination? Inside of the cross member or out? Any clips that should be there? Is there any way to remove the radiator without disconecting the headlight wires as I believe the wires have to go through the radiator shell if I'm not mistaken? Picures would really help if anyone is so inclined. Another thing; we wired the switch up as the diagram says and when we re- installed it the switch positions are now 7-8-9 instead of 5-6-7 like they were before. Will this hurt anything? Any help would be greatly appreciated. we're trying to get the car on the road this week so the former owner can see it again, he doesn't have much time left on this earth. Thanks. Tyler

06-30-2012, 03:28 PM	#2
steve s Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Kalamazoo Posts: 1,656	Re: wiring help You have to disconnect the lights to remove the shell and radiator, but you don't have to remove the radiator or shell to hook up the lights. There should be a few little metal "clips" along the bottom of the radiator that you can fold over to hold the wiring in place that's goin to the passenger side lights. Otherwise, get the wires up between the rad. side and the shell, and then out the hole in shell, thru flexible conduit, on to headlight buckets. Steve

06-30-2012, 06:10 PM	#3
pat in Santa Cruz Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: santa cruz, calif Posts: 2,011	Re: wiring help to get the switch lever off position back to the lower (correct) location, remove the switch from the steering column. Position the spider vertically. Then look inside the switch for the 2 slots the spider fits into. Using a pick of some sort, rotate the switch until those 2 slots are vertical. They should be in line with a notch in the switch body neck that fits into the steering column. The lower part of the steering column switch bracket has a detent that fits into that notch. Now the switch stops should be correct.

06-30-2012, 07:50 PM	#4
tyler Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Randolph N.Y. Posts: 105	Re: wiring help O.K., got the switch lever part straightened out. Thanks Pat. Steve, don't see any type of metal clips under my radiator, the probably rotted off years ago. If I understand you right, does all the headlight wiring for both sides go through the drivers side shell hole and then the passenger side wiring goes under the radiator? Another question; my original ignition switch was shot so I got the more expensive repro switch. How am I supposed to wire it up? I've got the small harness that does the ammeter and switch to pos. side of coil but I don't know which side of the switch to hook it up to ( as your looking at the switch from the back, there are two terminals looking at you.) The original switch had a wire in conduit going from it's center to the distributor, what do I use for that? Don't see anything in the cataloges. Thanks again for the help everyone. Tyler

06-30-2012, 08:27 PM	#5
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: wiring help On the switch, one terminal goes to the coil primary + terminal, if the terminals are marked, and the other switch terminal goesto the wire from the distributor. It doesn't matter which terminal either wire goes to on the switch. On the headlight wires, they run inside the frame rail on the left side, then split near the left side of the radiator shell. The left headlight and horn wires ONLY run through the two holes on the left side of the shell. The smaller harness (no horn wires) splits at the left side of the radiator and runs along the bottom of the radiator and to the right side, where it goes up and through the hole in the shell to the right headlight. The fan shroud (your's must be missing) has either a curled trough for the wire harness to lay in, or it might have 3 metal tabs to hold the harness.

06-30-2012, 09:12 PM	#7
tyler Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Randolph N.Y. Posts: 105	Re: wiring help Tom; Thanks, very well explained. Yes, I do still have my shroud but never thought to look there, I'll check it out in the morning. It's all starting to make sense to me now and that's not always easy to do when dealing with me. Mitch, thanks a bunch for the pictures, a big help. I still need to know what to use for a wire going from the ignition switch to the distributer for my new switch. This forum is great. Thanks again. Tyler

06-30-2012, 09:33 PM	#8
Mitch//pa BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 11,454	Re: wiring help try this link it goes from the distributor to the switch http://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/5000

06-30-2012, 11:51 PM	#9
pat in Santa Cruz Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: santa cruz, calif Posts: 2,011	Re: wiring help if your radiator does not have the tabs to hold the right side harness, you can run a black zip tie through the lower tubes and tie the harness back ( gently) so it does not end up chafing against the pulley.