37 Ford build--IE: old Header issues thread /37 Ford/5.0/GT40P heads

[35fordcoupe]

Okay, I got to the shop and verified that the switch is indeed wired to shut off the front running lamps when the headlights are turned on. The switch was part of the package from Ron Francis and the Part Number was HL-03.

The mating connector #'s = Wire Works # HL-03, A-C Delco # D1592, Standard # DS155, or Niehoff DR131K.

I found the installation instructions on the Ron Francis website and will try to post it here, but, it's 1.3 meg and I don't think it'll load. I can send it to you if you'd PM me that you want it or you can go to the Ron Francis website and simply search for HL-03. The instruction sheet clearly states that it's your choice to wire the front running lamps to be off when the headlamps are on...

And the file is indeed to large so if you'd like it, PM me or go to Ron Francis website..

Sorry, I hadn't seen the response until now. I just looked at the Ron Francis diagram and that helps put it together. I took a guess and ordered another switch last week. When comparing the two, the old one does not have the #7 terminal so I plugged in the new one which does, but I still get parking lights with the headlights. Looking closer my wiring harness has no wire in the #7 spot, but I'm not sure yet what I need to do from here. Any ideas 34_40 or Rich?

Looking at the truck write up again to do the opposite of what I am trying to do they spliced together the parking light wire and tail light wire, but my problem is that I don't have a wire in that parking light spot at all. That doesn't make since because the parking lights do turn on in both positions on the switch. I need to look closer at it again tomorrow. I was working on the heater today, but just took a quick look at this hoping I would plug in the new switch and get the result I was after!

[406Rich]

City fathers trying to get all the money they can.....

[Don Shillady]

Yeah, my bracket does look clunky but the good thing is that it only takes removal of the one bumper bolt to get it off for show, if ever. I painted the aluminum plate with aluminum color but maybe the bracket should be black or body color? I may yet paint it black to blend in with the bumper bracket iron. The problem with aluminum paint on aluminum is that it looks like it wasn't painted. I am close to getting the car running with the attitude of "get it running and then cosmetise later".

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

[randyr]

Yeah, my bracket does look clunky but the good thing is that it only takes removal of the one bumper bolt to get it off for show, if ever. I painted the aluminum plate with aluminum color but maybe the bracket should be black or body color? I may yet paint it black to blend in with the bumper bracket iron. The problem with aluminum paint on aluminum is that it looks like it wasn't painted. I am close to getting the car running with the attitude of "get it running and then cosmetise later".

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Hey Don, you're always welcome to share your pics & progress here whether IC2 is taking a break or not!
I think you're bracket looks really good and I agree with Mike that I like it better on the bumper than hanging off the light bar. Mounting it to the bumper bolt does make it fairly simple to remove if it ever became necessary, so maybe I'll have to consider that kind of option for mine. I'm a long ways away from that detail, though!

You questioned the "color" you chose for the aluminum part of the bracket, here's my 2 cents: I think black or body color would only draw more attention to it, which is probably not what you want. Have you considered just polishing the aluminum and shoot a clear-coat on it? Then it should just blend in with the bumper & the chrome part of the license bracket. Just a thought...

Thanks for keeping us informed with your progress. Nice work!

[34_40]

Don S., I think your plate mount looks better than hanging it off the light bar! I (naturally) run the same mount, but I really don't sweat the whole front plate deal.. kinda like headlights... I think they detract from the whole "flow" of the 20's/ 30's style car fenders. But we need'em for driving at night. Form follows function right?!?!

[34_40]

#7 spot on which switch?

[35fordcoupe]

If you look again at the GMC truck link that Rich posted a couple pages back there is a diagram with the spots on the head light switch numbered. My new switch has the #7 prong (old one did not), but looking closer at the harness plug my parking light wire is crimped in with the tail light wire into the same spot. Essentially I have the mod in that GMC truck link.

I guess in order to reverse it so the parking lights turn off with the head lights I need to cut the parking light wire out and crimp it into the #7 spot, separating it from the tail lights.

[34_40]

I never looked at the link hence my ignorance of the switch. But as I'm typing this out, I'll agree with you in that you can first use a testlight / voltmeter on that #7 connection and test run it before you actually cut the wire..

[35fordcoupe]

I'm not sure I know exactly how you mean, but there is no wire in the harness at all going to #7 on the switch.

[Don Shillady]

Although the Francis switch may be different from the Speedway switch, the only sanity I found was to remove the switch and put one lead of a resistance reading on the +12V input post and then test the resistance at the other posts when you move the switch position. If the switch is in the circuit you may be deceived due to other "loops" in the circuit so you need to have the switch in your hand OUT of the circuit when you make the resistance readings. I tried so many combinations that I ruined one of the headlights and had to buy a pair to replace one, ouch! Now I am in deep consternation for removing my Gennie shifter and replacing it with a Lokar. My floorboard is now a mess with a larger hole and I hope to cover the disaster with a new plywood board! Along the way I learned/found some of the cone bolts in my 700R4 tail stock are 3/8" SAE crammed into the holes of what were supposed to be 10 mm x 1.5 pitch metric. I don't know if I stupidly put them in or they came that way from "Eat My Shift" but apparently GM used metric bolts from 1981 on so I am replacing the four mount bolts with the metric bolts. I have learned to really appreciate the nut/bolt selection at Ace Hardware! One boss stripped but since the bolt was shorter than the boss the correct metric bolts will have access to about 3/8" of the correct thread at the very end of the longer bolts. Live and learn but I want that rear cone to survive driveline vibration! I found a "how to" install a "tail mount" Lokar on the Internet for a '41 Willys trans swap but in my opinion putting the shifter only on the two upper cone mounting bolts is asking for problems and I am glad I have the full multi-point shifter kit but it sure makes a mess of new holes in my roadster floor. Hopefully plywood can cover a multitude of sins/cuts!

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

[34_40]

I'm not sure I know exactly how you mean, but there is no wire in the harness at all going to #7 on the switch.

I was meaning that if you put a testlight or volt meter on that connection and see if it did indeed power up when the switch was in the running (park) mode and then did it go out when you pulled the switch to headlight mode.. That's all. No more, no less.

[Don Shillady]

Maybe this is my real home page even though my '29 replica has a SBC engine. Thanks to 34-40 for setting up a thread for me related to early speedsters. I did contact a person up near the Va/WVA/Md border area who has a Model A speedster and I sent him pictures of my build but he has not answered, maybe he is busy? As I said elsewhere I am like Rodney Dangerfield with a 'glass body replica '29 Ford with Ford badge but a SBC engine, just "no respect" but still a lot of nostalgic fun for me! Its not a real metal Ford and has a SBC engine but the restorer on my street (Dick Ivey) still likes my replica! Anyway this message is to announce the Re-birth of a '76 Corvette engine which "we" got started today (9/19/2012 at 2:35 PM). It started right away and we set the idle at 700 rpm (yes the Tach works!) where it has a mean rumble in spite of having a very mild cam but mainly due to the the turbo mufflers. Some of my earliest receipts are dated in 2005 so it has been a long time abuilding and I am posting here mainly to get the attention of IC2 who surpassed me long ago but I did get it working finally! I had a LOT of expert help from Mr. Chester Houghtaling who has an engine shop just up the street from me and he helped set the distributor up since I had to use a rebuilt points distributor with a Pertronix magnetic breaker kit because the position of the engine and the firewall is such that there is plenty of space for a large diameter distributor but the ledge in the firewall just barely allows the 3 7/8" diameter distributor and several modern distributors just would not go in the engine. Anyway we used a rebuilt (Advance Auto) points distributor with a Pertronix internal magnetic points kit and the outside of the cap required wires for a 327 SBC but anyway it fired up OK. I had some leaks of transmission fluid and some oil around the filter which I will tighten tomorrow. Anyway it really was amazing to me that the engine started so easily and then has a slight rump sound at 700 rpm. The cam is just slightly hotter than the old 300 HP stock cam but I am just hoping to cruise with this car so if it is only a 270 HP engine that is OK with me. I can recommend Mr. Houghtaling strongly for calm, confidant, thoughtful work and he has built a number of engines for competition as well as rebuilt engines for pedestrian transportation. He even has a dyno in his shop and it is amazing it took me so long to find him when he is only about 1/4 mile up from me on the same road! His shop is back in the woods on the opposite side of the road from me and my garage is some 400 feet back in the woods as well but I should have found him sooner! Perhaps some folks here have used his expertise for race engines built by "Progressive Performance", Ashland Va, but it is embarrasing for me to find him so close by and he showed up to my garage, got my distributor problem solved and the engine running in 5.5 hours of clock time!!

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/Teen Rodder

[34_40]

Well I was all excited when I saw this thread had a new posting in it thinking Randy had finally made some progress and was sharing pictures....

But NO! It's Don S. and he's got his motor running for the first time. That's always a special day for certain. Congrats.

[randyr]

Well I was all excited when I saw this thread had a new posting in it thinking Randy had finally made some progress and was sharing pictures....

But NO! It's Don S. and he's got his motor running for the first time. That's always a special day for certain. Congrats.

Sorry, Mike! I've been sidetracked with still getting things ready for the EFI 5.0/AOD swap into my F100. Hopefully I can get it all figured out before the old 352FE lays down on me......I have a thread about it over on the Ford Truck Enthusiasts site. Engine swap - '92 Mustang 5.0HO/AOD into '66 F100 - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums Over there I'm "37 Fordguy" which is probably what I should be here but, duh, I didn't think about at the time. I joined here first. It's all good. I'm happy to be here no matter what my user name is!

Thought about doing a thread over here, too but just haven't gotten around to it yet. I'm still collecting parts and learning how to adapt the wiring harness, etc. Hopefully, it will be a nice improvement on mpgs over the 8.5 mpg I'm getting now!

[34_40]

Just miss your posts is all, like you said above. It's all good! Hope your truck rehab goes well and maybe I'll check out your "other" thread..