My limited search skills turned up nothing on this question, sorry if I missed it. I have a 54 3100 that has no turn signal. I have an original turn signal from another 54 that I would like to install rather than putting in an aftermarket. Is it possible to install the switch with the existing wiring or do I have will have to substitute a 2 filament socket for the brake lights in the rear and the running lights in the front and run new wires to them? Thanks for any suggestions on how best to proceed.
You will need dual filament in rear. Front can be single or dual. Some existing wiring may be used and some wires will need to be added. Does the 54 turn signal donor switch assembly have wires hanging out? How many? What colors? Post a few pics of it. We will help you wire it no problem. It's fairly simple. Make sure the donor bell and switch fits OK. We can test the switch before you install. Need the questions answered and the pics. We all have the wiring diagrams. There are many. I assume you have park lights up front? Are you 12V? You will need dual filament tail lights on both sides.
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
6 volt, keeping everything as original as possible, including the parking lights up front. It's a 6-wire ribbon, I bought a new replacement from Jim Carter's, I figured for $30 I'd avoid doing things twice at a minimum. White, purple, pink, dark blue, yellow, light blue, exactly the same as what was there. Looking forward to learning, especially why a dual filament is needed in the back but not front, this stuff is just beyond my basic abilities. Thanks.
These diagrams are very helpful, if I read them correctly, I can use the existing sockets and bulbs front and back. Bartomos and some of the other threads talking about other signal installations lead me to think otherwise. I certainly don't know but I hope leaving everything as is will work. Thanks all.
Page 5 looks like the harness never enters the steering tube, but most of what I have seen so far say otherwise. Does the ribbon come out in the same place as the horn wire and from there go under the dash?
We got off on the wrong foot here. I have deleted my diagram. I do not want to use the cut and splice explanation. I recommend all new wires. You can do what you wish as long as you hook it up correctly.
Tim's instructions say feed ribbon cable down column and out where clamp was removed.
Edit: see the Jorb post.
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
I don't want step on bartamos replies but I might be able to help with a few diagrams and photos.
The terminology is the greatest barrier in solving the problem.
The front fender lights are two filament light bulbs. There is a two filament bulb on each side, left and right. They are called front left & right parking lights and front left & right directional lights.
The rear lights are two filament light bulbs. There is a two filament bulb on each side, left and right. They are called rear left & right tail lights, rear left & right directional lights and rear left & right stop lights.
The front parking lights receive power from a terminal on the headlight switch. The rear tail lights receive power from a terminal on the headlight switch. Each parking light and tail light has their own dedicated filament within each bulb. The front parking lights and the rear tail lights wiring circuit is separate from the turn signal switch.
The turn signal switch is switching between two sources: the flasher module and the brake light switch. The rear left directional light and the rear left stop light share the same bulb filament. The rear right directional light and the rear right stop light share the same bulb filament. Depending on the the turn signal switch position.
The front left directional bulb filament and the front right directional bulb filament do not share and are dedicated for their use and will receive power depending on the the turn signal switch position.
The 1954 speedometer gauge has a single filament bulb socket for a indicator light between the 0 - 90 mph numbers. That single filament bulb is connected to the P terminal on the flasher module.
All the ribbon wires are enclosed inside the steering mast and come out with the horn wire.
The bulb socket housing provides the ground. Make sure there is a good body connection to the housings.
You might be able to find a three wire flasher connector plug at the automotive parts store.
......and the turn signal switch "routes" the flash to the appropriate bulbs appropriate filament, controls the brake signal and activates the flasher. On a dual filament bulb, as Jorb says, one filament is only for running lights and is connected to the headlight switch. The other filament is for both stop and flash. On a turn, the Turn Signal Switch turns off the brake light signal to allow that filament to flash. Otherwise it would not flash because it would be receiving steady voltage from the brake switch. Jorb has you covered on the wiring. Good diagrams. I have removed most of my info in favor of Jorb's detailed info.
You will need new rear light assemblies. Available Here. These light assemblies will have sockets that accept dual filament bulbs and have two wires.
In the front, you could dedicate the single filament bulb for turn signal only and disconnect it from the headlight switch. If you want park or running lights, you will need the dual socket treatment up front. Also available
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
That was incredible and an incredible help. Thank you, I have a very clear understanding now, I hope I can put it into practice. Using Jorb's description as a map, I took a much closer look at the wiring and have concluded that a new harness is badly needed, the splicing and the wear and tear are just too bad to leave in place. I hope to have an update on the project, but it's not likely to be soon. Thank you all.
New harness in hand, no surprise that the turn signal wires are just cut-off wires. It looks like the blade terminals from the switch itself would like to be plugged into an insulated plug to which those same cut-off wires would connect, but I don't see anything out there in the usual catalogs or on Garble. Putting on new insulated blade terminals isn't a big deal, but they will be pretty visible and I would like it to look as original as possible. Besides, it is really hot down here and as little time as possible under the dash is a worthy goal. All suggestions welcome.
Here are the connector parts you could use. They are era correct 6 way Packard 56 series. One female shell and one male shell. Your J. carter contacts will snap into one of these. Then you need the female contact for your harness ends. Del City, Terminal Supply and Way Tech have these but probably have minimum orders. Buy them where you wish or use the newer thin style connector and just use 6 pins, but don't think the J. carter contacts fit. Not sure.
You can also just splice and leave a service loop for future replacement of switch.
It was a long time in coming, but thanks to all the helpful instructions, re-wiring is complete and turn signals are a go. I was lucky to discover that my light assemblies were set up for 2-filament bulbs, so I saved some expense there. Those wiring harnesses are not as foolproof as claimed, there was more than a bit of patching and soldering to make things fit, but it wasn't terrible. Thanks everyone for the input.
