The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay steering column - turn signal question?

I'd like to upgrade my steering column to have turn signals. Can anyone tell me: 1. what year the AD trucks had factory turn signals? 2. Can I use/swap the steering column with my 49 panel? I'd like to keep the stock look so I'm not considering going with an IDIDIT column. I did a search but didn't find much except troubleshooting turn signal problems.
Thanks.

Okay, well I found the answer to one of the questions. Looks like 54 and up had factory turn signals. Now I need to find out if a 54 column and steering wheel will work in my 49.

What I do when I have a question like that is look at the aftermarket vendors. What I found is that they have a rebuilt column for 47-53 and a different part number for 54. So that raises a red flag. It may be just the length and not the box mounting or steering arm spline, don't know. Usually the steering wheel splines will fit a lot of years, depends on the style/originality you want and horn and cap fit. Lots of AD guys here will know.

1954 was the first year that GM sold factory accessory self-cancelling turn signals that were integrated under/in the steering column. In earlier years, GM had accessory clamp-on turn signals (some of which were self-cancelling).

Here are some pictures of NOS accessory set-ups. These and many other aftermarket set-ups were produced for the early columns. These are absolutely period correct.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/8129410745/in/set-72157631868452754
Here is the 54 column cup with and without signals, I think you could retrofit this to your column.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/8129302195/in/set-72157631868452754
http://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/8129338389/in/set-
72157631868452754
These are now sold as reproductions (classicparts.com).

He answered question 1 himself, he needs question 2 answered, which I tried but I'm not up on AD columns.

I hope somebody is able to answer Question #2 for later than 1953 trucks. "Can I use/swap the steering column with my 49 panel?"

He did not answer question #1. "what year the AD trucks had factory turn signals?"
GM (the factory) had accessory turn signals for trucks well before the 1954 accessory turn signals.

My guess for question #2 is that the 1954/55 steering column should be able to be swapped in (maybe bolting differently under the dash). Maybe someone knows if the older steering wheel would bolt onto a 54/55 steering column. The 1954/55 turn signal "cup" and signal mechanism parts would not match up as they door to the underside of the 54/55 steering wheel.

Wow, what am I missing? he ask about factory, then his second post said 54, then you said 54? Sooooooooooo factory accessory and GM accessory, factory is factory, GM is GM and aftermarket is aftermarket. I looked up the column sold at classic truck parts and said they are different part numbers. That says they are different somehow. So that's a partial answer for No. 2. A further answer was given by TC. TC can you please look at your two answers and clarify "54 was the first year for GM Factory"... with "GM (the factory)...well before 54". Just for little ol me.

Read it slowly. Just for little ol you and me.

it's the difference between an accessory signal unit [likely not GM manufacture] that clamps on the column and the factory optional signal unit that dwells in a cup that surrounds the column, even if no signal unit is present - that is, "built in" signal units were offered from 54 on, before that, accessory clamp on units were available [probably from the dealer only, not the factory]

and this should be in the Electrical forum, the topic is not specific to panel/burb body trucks

Bill

When someone asks when was the first year for factory turn signals. Do you think they mean clamp on GM and other companies add on accessory turn signals? or do you think they mean factory integrated turn signals? In his second post he sees that 54 was the first year for what he meant. So therefore he did get the answer to no. 2 already as I said. You proceeded to confuse the issue with GM factory, GM (the factory), Factory accessory, self cancelling and clamp on. Which I read every bit of and was confused. Was asking for clarification. A GM accessory is not Factory in the usual sense. They had accessory catalogs at the dealers and you could buy from the dealer and have things installed. Read all that slowly. Bartamos, poltergeist.

Now I understand your point. Thanks.

When Craig posted "Looks like 54 and up had factory turn signals." I should have corrected both him and myself.

There were no "factory" (installed) turn signals in 1954. All 1954 truck steering columns and steering wheels were delivered from the factory to allow (for the first time) an "integrated" GM accessory turn signal (that could be installed by the dealer or someone else).

I think the proper, non confusing, terms we should remember (me included) should not include the word factory. The proper terms are standard equipment, optional, GM authorized accessory and aftermarket accessory. Standard equipment is obvious, optional (RPO)is ordered and installed at the factory, accessory is purchased and installed at dealer and aftermarket, purchased and installed by the owner. This is just to be extra "anal", in the psychological meaning of the word. I see what you mean Tim, when I read the 54 brochure, it talks about "housing below wheel" to "allow" for turn signals but they are not listed in optional equipment so, as you said, they were not "available" as STD or Optional but the 54 column was designed for their own guide accessory. As Bill indicates, the "bell" housing was there as a "space saver". So to be completely boring, technically there was no turn signal mechanism available from the factory (oops) in 54 but 54 was the first year for the bell, don't know when turn signals became std/opt..55.1 or 55.2. A 55.1 and a 55.2 Brochure would tell. It's very tricky reading because they also supplied extra lights for turn signal use which makes it seem like the mechanism/switch would be STD or OPT. No mention of the switch in the brochure nder accessory or optional equipment on oldcarmanualproject. Weird marketing people back then.

GM factory-installed directional-signal assembly option (Regular Production Option) in 1954 - no

First integrated-into the steering column GM truck accessory directional-signal assembly in 1954 - yes

The steering-column/steering-assembly is different 54/55 vs 47-53, but might the 54/55 steering-column/steering assembly easily work in the earlier truck? Maybe someone knows if the steering components match up - the differences might only be in the outer column (and the steering wheel)?

Pages 1-3 of these installation illustration show/explain how the wiring from the switch in the cup is routed into a hole in the steering column, down the steering column, and out a hole in the steering column under the dash.

A cup covers the switch/wires and the hole in the column under the steering wheel; and, a metal cover is screwed over the lower-down hole in the steering column where the wires come out of the column under the dash. This allows a "neat" installation of the accessory turn-signal switch/cover - no wires running on the outside of the steering column.

This is why I think it could be possible that the 54/55 steering-column/steering-box might work in an earlier truck. There is a different 54/55 column-to-dash clamp/rubber, but the 54/55 dash is different from 47-53. The 54/55 steering column might fit in a 47-53 truck/cab with the 47-53 steering-column-to-dash clamp/rubber? But as I posted above, the 54/55 steering wheel would have to be used (and, the 54/55 horn button).

Here is the unique lower cover Tim is referring to.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/8129365096/in/set-72157631868452754

"unique" Brad? that's a term that refers to "a single instance or item", the wire cover was used for 2 AD years and all 5 of the TF years ... as was the entire turn signal assembly

Bill

Wow, thanks hope I get a passing grade on my next paper. Don't you capitalize the first word in a sentence? If this is where we are at I think I will take a break from the forums for a bit, enjoy yourself Red.

Brad, sorry if my conversational writing style on a discussion forum offends, don't see a need for grade school grammar, nor do my arthritic old fingers, although you might note I do capitalize proper nouns and acronyms - I wasn't criticizing your linguistic skills

I do understand your focus on the AD series [and appreciate the voluminous AD info you've provided], but I also commonly point folks who are looking for parts for their specific year to sources they appear unaware of because they were led to believe their particular year is 'unique'

to add to the topic here, I'll also point out that the same turn signal innards were used in some range of car years, the tri-5's at least, but no doubt earlier, and I suspect the cup and the wire exit hole cover were the same for the cars as well - I'd also be interested in whether the hole cover was present on vehicles even when signals weren't, to protect the horn wire - I have found them on TF trucks without signals

as the [improperly capitalized] banner says "Because Knowledge is the best Resource"

Bill

Last summer I scored a '54 AD signal light switch with bell hub that is going into my '51, this part is easy, just one hole for the wire to come out. You must use the '54 wheel, the back side is larger then the non signal wheels.

Woodildo

Hi everyone,
I'm sorry I wasn't keeping up with my postings and answers (shoulder surgery) but thanks for all the information. I've tried digesting it all and I think I have a clear understanding of when the integrated turn signals were available.

Red58w wanted to know if the wire cover was used on the earlier ADs. Both 49 columns I have with the horn wire have a cover held with a small screw. There is only enough exit room from the cover to accomodate the horn wire. I don't know if that answers the question or not. Maybe he wanted to know if there was a blank off plate for vehicles that didn't have the turn signal installation.

Now the questions I still have are:

1. Is the 54 column a straight swap with all things considered like bolt pattern, steering box output splines, dash mount, etc.? This assumes I can find one with the turn signal "option" already installed.

or

2. Can I modify/adapt the 49 column to use the upper 54 parts (Cup, column bearing/wiring,cancelling disk, steering wheel and wire cover)?

Number 2 also begs the question will the wire cover's swap out also?

Thanks to all for the attached pictures and installation instructions.

Woodie, do I understand correctly that you found a kit and installed it on your 51? Did all the wires fit out the single hole cover or did you leave the cover off or modify the single hole to accomodate the additional wires. Can you tell me what all parts were in the kit so I can figure out what to buy to adapt my 49 column.
Thanks
Craig