Ignition Switch

[sidewalkman]

Hi Gang, Merry Christmas

I was hoping someone had a picture or diagram of the wiring on the back side of the ignition switch?

I'm re-routing some wires and wanted to know what pole is ignition on hot!

[simplyconnected]

Hi Gang, Merry Christmas

I was hoping someone had a picture or diagram of the wiring on the back side of the ignition switch?

I'm re-routing some wires and wanted to know what pole is ignition on hot!

Merry Christmas, Scott. It's your lucky day because the TRL has a wiring diagram for your 1960 Thunderbird. It shows the ignition switch with the wires.
Look on the diagram for, 'Ignition Switch' (right next to 'headlight switch), then locate the terminal labeled:

• B - battery (input power to the switch)
• IGN - feeds the coil and your GEN light.
• A - accessories (hot when the key is on)
• S - start (center post, energizes the starter solenoid)

[sidewalkman]

Merry Christmas, Scott. It's your lucky day because the TRL has a wiring diagram for your 1960 Thunderbird. It shows the ignition switch with the wires.
Look on the diagram for, 'Ignition Switch' (right next to 'headlight switch), then locate the terminal labeled:

• B - battery (input power to the switch)
• IGN - feeds the coil and your GEN light.
• A - accessories (hot when the key is on)
• S - start (center post, energizes the starter solenoid)

Perfect, I found my Neutral switch (reverse lights) wires and it runs into the light switch and the reverse lights only come on with lights, so I'm wiring them to come on all the time regardless of lights. I like to have people see I'm backing up in the day.

[simplyconnected]

I'm glad you found the wires. Have you got a picture? I also have questions, Scott:

• What color are your reverse light wires?
• What headlight switch terminal were they connected to?

And again, if you simply move the reverse light wire to your headlight switch 'A' terminal, the bulbs will work regardless of switch position.
The importance here is, overcurrent protection. You want the backup lights fused. - Dave

[sidewalkman]

I'm glad you found the wires. Have you got a picture? I also have questions, Scott:

• What color are your reverse light wires?
• What headlight switch terminal were they connected to?

And again, if you simply move the reverse light wire to your headlight switch 'A' terminal, the bulbs will work regardless of switch position.
The importance here is, overcurrent protection. You want the backup lights fused. - Dave

I'll document it for you when it's done and take some pictures, I'm putting a 7A fuse inline. It's next up, I'm in the middle of the electric washer conversion. My new headlight switch just arrived so early in January I'm tackling the whole thing.

[simplyconnected]

...I'm putting a 7A fuse inline...

Sorry for not making my statement more clear. The Headlight Switch 'A' terminal is protected by the top fuse holder on the back of the switch. If you follow my suggestion you won't need another inline fuse. Your backup lights worked before without blowing that fuse and they will work again using a different terminal.

Can you answer these questions:

• What color are your reverse light wires?
• What headlight switch terminal were they connected to?

- Dave

[Deanj]

Dave, we've been down this road before because some our reverse lights are connected to the lamps. Have you concluded why so many were connected incorrectly?

Dean

[Joe Johnston]

Backup light power was always from the headlight switch until some time in the early 60's when the supply lead was relocated to the Ign switch. The thought at the time was "why would you need back up lights coming on during the daytime when you don't have your headlights on?"

This topic has been on the forum before, but I don't think it was ever determined the model year for the change. Perhaps 1960??

[simplyconnected]

By today's standards, Ford installed underpowered generators in SB's. Peak output produced 30-amps of 12-volts when the engine was at driving speeds. It also required 1/2-hp to run off the crankshaft. (Today's alternators require 2-hp off the crank.)

Power in watts = volts (12) times amps (30). That equals 360-watts. That's three, 100-watt and a 60-watt light bulb to run the car and restore battery power.

In winter, northerners wake up in the dark and it's cold outside. Overnight the battery drains, the oil becomes thick, gasoline doesn't burn well and the starter motor labors. We run the ignition, headlights, heater, radio (for traffic and weather), etc. At idle, the GEN light indicates a DRAIN because field windings and voltage regulator relays draw power. The generator never has a chance to charge a battery if the trip is short.

Ford had to conserve power so they shut off all unnecessary devices. All the options we take for granted today were expensive luxuries back then. Some SB's had NO backup lights and a dealer-installed courtesy trunk light ran off the Tail Light circuit. Electric wipers were barely around. I laugh at the windshield washer belt setup, when a simple slot-car motor would have cost very little to move fluid. Oops, slot cars weren't around either.

Dean, read Joe's post because he's right on. Many years of 'progress', competition and government mandates have totally changed automotive standards to what they are today. In some instances back then, we simply didn't know better.

In 1958, all cars used non-detergent oil. The label didn't SAY that because detergent oil wasn't around yet. It was simply, 'Motor Oil'. - Dave

[sidewalkman]

Backup light power was always from the headlight switch until some time in the early 60's when the supply lead was relocated to the Ign switch. The thought at the time was "why would you need back up lights coming on during the daytime when you don't have your headlights on?"

This topic has been on the forum before, but I don't think it was ever determined the model year for the change. Perhaps 1960??

Must be a late 60 change because mine requires at least parking light for the reverse light to work.

Dave, I haven't been able to determine how it goes into the headlight switch, the neutral switch wiring comes off the bottom of the column then into a plug, the plug gets power from the headlight switch, but it's a maze that's wrapped so when I put the new switch in I'll do some further investigation. The wire is black with a red tracer on it. Goes straight back to the reverse lights, and then another same color goes up into the loom, but there's no black with red on the light switch which is why I figure there is something in the loom going on. I'll let you know

[Deanj]

Great advice, and oh by the way your back-up lights were optional. Having the white lens doesn't always mean your car had that option. Your back-up lights only work when the parking lights or headlamps are on. Ford was saving a couple amps back then.

This was a quote I made from another post with respect to the reverse lights. This wasn't totally agreed upon at the time, but I see power conservation was an issue. I haven't got around to switching my connectors as 1960 cars made in January still had the back-ups come on only when the park-headlamps are on. BTW, swapping the generator to alternator, although belt slippage is a little problematic, was a great improvement. I can read the instrument panel at night stopped while running the A/C or heater and lights.