You Told Me Once But I Forgot

[Rafe Hollister]

My car is almost ready to start after being on blocks over 6 months. So now I have become an auto electrician! I was ready to order switches, but then wondered about rebuilding mine. Most of them sorta worked, some you had to jiggle, others do an off and on. So I disassembled the switches, lost a few balls and springs, cleaned and wire brushed the parts, muriatic acided the wiring contacts, fixed a few wires, found a few balls and springs, greased the balls and dielectric greased the contact sliders and points. Then reassembled them all. Oh my, they work so smooth and positive!
I am still working on my new fuse/relay box, necessary for electric radiator fan and the EPS, and helpful for a few other things.

But I have a question, what is the part in the 2nd picture and what does it do? I think I asked this months ago, but I am old and I forgot. I'm learning not to ask questions until I actually need an answer!

Rafe Hollister

[IndStudenut]

Not sure on the first one. But the second one looks to be the backup light switch. Not sure without knowing where it came from. This is totally a somewhat educated guess.

[Rafe Hollister]

The first one is one of my dash switches disassembled before being cleaned, greased, and re assembled. Thanks for the try on the second one, but my car doesn't have backup lights. I was wondering if it was OD related?
Rafe

[r1lark]

I was going to say backup light switch just as Rick said.............

Is it a neutral safety switch for an automatic trans? Is (or was) this an automatic car?

[Skip Lackie]

Neutral safety switch was what I was gonna say. Seems like I've had that switch in my hand some time in the distant past.

[Rafe Hollister]

When I got my 56 Power Hawk it was a top loading 3 speed OD with shifter on the floor. It had the 'emergency brake' style handle that you push or pull for the OD. I understand that the top loader was not original, so perhaps it was originally an auto?
It isn't a throttle sensor for the OD?
Rafe

[r1lark]

It isn't a throttle sensor for the OD?
Rafe

No.................

[StudeRich]

I am sticking with back up light switch, but it could have been either, the only thing we know for sure is, it's Not Both Automatic Neutral switch and back up. You won't be able to use it with all your "Mods".

Are there holes in the stone pan behind the top of the rear bumper for the Lights ?

[IndStudenut]

An overdrive switch would look similar to this. And would be in the accelerator linkage somewhere (this pic is not of a OEM but close). That switch appears to have a bracket that would/could bolt to the steering column. Since your car has been modified I would say at one time it had either backup lights or an automatic(backup or neutral safety ). The line sheet for your car would indicated if it was born with either. I can't think of anything else it could be. Others here may have different idea's... if it has a part number on it somewhere you may be able to track down that way. If it is either one of the above suggestions obviously you could do away with it since you have neither at this point.

[bensherb]

I think it's a "neutral safety switch " for an auto trans. The Studes I've had, that had reverse lights, did have a mount like that for the column but the switch was a bit different; and, the biggest thing was that they were mounted inside the car on the column under the dash.

[StudeRich]

Pre 1961 both were under the hood.

[bensherb]

Sounds good; the only Studes I've had that actually had reverse lights were a '61 and '62. BTW, my '62 no longer does. Considering how un-effective they were and that my modern AOD trans and steering column had no provision for a switch, and I never got around to making a switch, and that I rarely drive in reverse; they are FAR more effective as modern amber turn signals.

[Bo Markham]

Mounts on the column, adjacent the transmission shift levers. There should be a little tit on 1st and reverse lever, where a small rod would fit through the eye and the other end fitting in the lever seen in the picture via the little eye in it.

Since you indicated the car was a 3 speed OD car, would conclude it is the back up light switch. Looking at the picture, looks like you have modified the column and changed out the original parts where the switch would normally mount. I'd say you will probably have to pick up a universal mount switch and install on what ever transmission your using?

[M-Webb]

Agree, looks like a backup light switch to me. I got a couple to try to adapt to a pickup project to put back up lights on. But have since decided to go with a floor shift trans. instead of the column shift it had before. So that kind of switch is not going to be work for me anymore. But anyway, the ones I have look like that. Try to trace the wires to the back of the car, see if you can find some that use to connect to something that might have been the lights if no longer there now.

[enjenjo]

If I am not mistaken a NV4500 has the provision for a back up light switch. I know that Rafe's T5 does

[M-Webb]

Frank, yes, I think you are correct about that.