turn signal help help help

[stan zoerner]

well the cop said " I thought you were wavin' at me ,luckily I had my owners manual to show him that on 19955 Champion's turn signals were an option "Honest ocifer, would a guy wave at a cop when nothing is wrong,but you want to turn right??? Hence my problem; I took off the steering wheel and it sure looks like every thing is there{self cancel,wires,,,atleast down the steering column].,But there's no handle thingy{or at least I can't seem to figure how a arm ,with a hole in it at the end, to get secured on there to operate the mechanism..Any help or direction pointing would be much appreciated,,I don't mind being friendly to the police but...It was almost as crazy as when they said "and by the way, why do you have three pedals when your shift lever is for an automatic?????

[rockne10]

There should be a cover plate on the left side of column jacket, just below the steering wheel; two screws to remove the plate and install what would have been the factory signal switch. It was cheaper to build them all ready to accept the switch, than to supply two different columns and harnesses. Many had dealer installed Signal-Stat switches clamped externally to the column. These are still available. So are the originals if you look hard enough.

Brad Johnson
Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
33 Rockne 10
51 Commander Starlight
53 Commander Starlight

previously: 63 Cruiser, 62 Regal VI, 60 VI convertible, 50 LandCruiser

[Roscomacaw]

Geez, by '55 most cars were delivered with turn signals. I don't think I've run across one that didn't have them. From what I've seen, most Studes have had them since '53.

Brad, you've got to be thinking of 52 & earlier cars. With 53, the TS switch was housed in the housing below the steering wheel and above the shift collar. The switch mounts into that housing and can only be installed by removing the steering wheel.
The switch comes with a gang of wires that feed thru a passage in the outer column tube and exit below where the column's clamped to the lower edge of the dash.
IF it's truly a car that was ordered without them, that housing should be empty but willing to accept the switch and lever. The rest of the wiring should already be in the car's harness and he'd have to add the connector block, a 6volt flasher and a 14amp in-line fuse (fed from the ACC terminal of the ign. sw.) to power it.

Miscreant adrift in
the BerStuda Triangle


1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe

[rockne10]

quote:Brad, you've got to be thinking of 52 & earlier cars. With 53, the TS switch was housed in the housing below the steering wheel and above the shift collar

Right you are! Since I only manage to attack one project every five years or so, my memory fails more often than not.

[PalmerGA]

quote:Originally posted by stan zoerner

But there's no handle thingy{or at least I can't seem to figure how a arm ,with a hole in it at the end, to get secured on there to operate the mechanism..Any help or direction pointing would be much appreciated

I went through this a while back. Had to replace my whole switch, cancel, etc. If I recall, there should be a long machine screw that goes through the switch and down into the collar, where it then screws into that hole in the turn signal arm. (I think). It's not hard to do.

Jim's pride....
1963 Daytona Convertible

[Roscomacaw]

Stan,

If you feel around about 5 or 6 inches down the column - below where it clamps to the dash edge - and there's a bunch of wires coming out, then it's likely there's a TS switch inside the housing below the steering wheel. If there's no wires, then there's probably no switch. You'll need to find a switch, a lever (maybe you've already got one?) and the few screws (including the long one Jim's mentioned, that secures the lever to the switch)to install the stuff. Then you'd need - if it's not already lurking behind the dash someplace - the connector(s) that the TS switch wires would connect to.
Part# for the switch is 533519. Lever is 535371 and it takes a 10-32 screw of 1&1/2" in length. There's also a seperate plate that the switch sits on than in turn mounts to the housing. PN 533627 [^]


Miscreant adrift in
the BerStuda Triangle


1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe

[stan zoerner]

this is why I will probably never own another type of car evr again . I asked for help,and in less than a day, people from SDC have pointed me in the direction I needed to go. LONG LIVE THE SDC....

[PalmerGA]

When I replaced my turn signal switch, I could not find a new one at any of the usual sources (Stephen Allen, Stude Intnl, etc.). One of those places told me to call Tom Karkiewicz in South Bend for a used one. I did and he had one (harness included) for $45 - guaranteed for 30 days. Tom's number is 574-287-5934. Nice guy... very helpful.

My part number was different for my 63 Daytona, but I'll bet he can help you if you can't find NOS. Good luck.

Jim's pride....
1963 Daytona Convertible

[Roscomacaw]

I might as well mention that I MIGHT have a useable used one from a 55 around here. Palmer's right - there's virtually NO NOS TS switches of that vintage to be had. Used will probably have to do. Fortuneatly, the earlier switches were all metal and with a bit of lubrication, should outlast the later types with their brittle plastic self-cancelling cams.
The levers show to be available new from SASCO tho![]

Miscreant adrift in
the BerStuda Triangle


1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe

[N8N]

The hardest bit will be finding the lever. I had to search for a while to find one for my '55 (which had a Signal Stat on the column, as the original switch had failed.) I eventually did find one at SASCO but only with a black knob. The 57-up ones are far more plentiful. They will work but the end of the lever will be too close to the steering wheel, and you'll be knocking the switch with your knuckles going around corners. You can't bend a later lever to work, at least not easily - the metal is not very ductile and will crack. The 55-only grey knob is near impossible to find, but I got one from Jon Myer. I think he still has some. Some careful work with a hair dryer will help it slip on the end of the lever; if you use a heat gun be careful not to get it too hot or the plastic will bubble and you'll have to buy another knob.

For the later cars with the plastic self canceling cam, the cams have been repro'd (finally) and are available. Happy happy joy joy.

good luck

nate

(with functional turn signals in my '55)

--
55 Commander Starlight

http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

[Roscomacaw]

Stan,

I was pokin' around in the shop a bit ago and I scared up a column that has a TS switch in it. If your car doesn't have one, let me know.

Miscreant adrift in
the BerStuda Triangle


1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe

[stan zoerner]

I have been involved in hotrodding for something like 30+ yrs. and I have never expierenced anything like this in my life. people always have good memories of Studebakers,I guess.I can't go anywhere without someone saying "cool car buddy" or something like that. There is a bus driver that goes by where my car is parked that swears he is going to convince his wife that they "need one" and my ride is far from a show piece...yet. In less than 48 hrs.I have had "friends" from SDC offer help and directions and information for my problem like no other time ,and with no other kind of car.I'm talkin' 32 roadster w/455 Olds power,55 Chevies,lowered 53 Ford business coupe .I love this ,it takes me back to the old Hischool days when everybody wanted to help work on a "rod".Mr. Biggs,any parts you think would be helpful would be extremely appreciated, however, I want to take the steering wheel off one more time and make sure I need a switch . Yhe self canceling thing is there and I want to make sure there isn't a switch in there too,if some one else needed one and I didn't ,after all, I would of course ,return the favor to them, but this just blows my mind...Thank you ALL for pointing me towards a great lifestyle very much like the 50"s and 60's that I grew up in, and thought had dissappeared...

[N8N]

Stan, I hear you. There's still some communities like that around, I have been driving VWs for years and the aircooled guys and some of the old school watercooled guys are still like that - in fact, I just got a call from a local Corrado owner today - and so are some of the Porsche guys (the ones that drive the old stuff, not the gold-chainers.) But you are right, driving a Studebaker is downright easy because people are genuinely willing to help. It's getting easier and easier the more people get online too, because junkyards are pretty useless at least in my area, but you can shop from the comfort of your couch and get what you need in a couple days anyway. Sometimes progress is a good thing!

nate

--
55 Commander Starlight

http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel