SantaFe, you did some good rethinking and got a great result. I see what the FAM says. This era that you are in is all screwed up by Chevy and their diagram drafting techniques. This era 55.2-59 was a period where 12V came in, V8 came in, electric solenoids, ballast resistors and bypassing that resistor. They maintained foot start for 6 cylinder for a while, had electric solenoids for a while with no "R" terminal. All the while trying to draw an electrical diagram for all this. They did a poor job. As you can see they point to a "button" on top of the starter and call it 'Resistor (by pass)" Violet wire. Then show the battery feed coming in to the side of starter. Then they introduce a spring loaded start position switch. Not one word about a foot start on that diagram. The previous years (6V) had an on/off switch with foot start and no side terminal and of course no ballast resistor. Chevy just floated by 12V foot start with some cryptic wording like resistor (by pass) on the diagram.
1. When the AD guys go to 12V, they buy a side terminal foot switch and wire it to the coil. They buy a ballast resistor and wire it per my post. They turn the on/off ignition switch to on and hit the foot pedal.
2. I think the side terminal was energized so it could supply momentary voltage to the coil. It is Chevys first try at bypass. With a foot switch and a IGN 1 IGN 2 spring loaded ignition switch you wouldn't turn ignition to start position (IGN 2), you would just turn to run (IGN 1) which on the original switch is also "ACC". The start position is not used. Some of the newer of that kind of switch is very different. IGN 1 and ACC are isolated from each other and there are other changes in some newer which do not allow for a bypass. Be careful what you buy. Anyway back to first style spring loaded switch.....If you push the pedal without turning to run, as Jerry says, it will "start" for a second.
3. When Chevy started using
electric solenoid without a "R" terminal on the solenoid, You would wire the first style spring loaded as follows: Ign 1 to ballast, ballast to coil pos. IGN 2 to coil pos and to power solenoid.
4. When starter solenoids had a "R" terminal you went back to the side terminal idea. The R terminal was exactly like the side terminal. Turn key to start and "R" is energized. Let off of key and it returns to IGN 1 (run) and R is disconnected and IGN 1 takes over to run motor thru resistor. The wiring is: IGN 2/Start to solenoid (I) terminal. Solenoid R to coil pos (like the side terminal), IGN 1 to ballast, ballast to coil pos.
5. Not sure if early 55.2 6cyl foot start had on/off ignition, probably not. You have to improvise with a spring loaded switch as stated for a foot start.
lots of variables in the beginning I've tried to cover. SantaFe, good to see you are happy. I would use that ignition switch you have.
THIS is the switch for your case, albeit not original. Maybe a chrome bezel nut will fit it.
Just want to say I don't understand the FAM diagram regarding ignition. They show IGN 1, which is hot during run, spliced to coil pos. That would be 12V to coil without ballast. It would make more sense if it was shown from IGN 2 which would shut off and allow resistor to take over. Seems like a big error.
