this may be a stupid question... why is there a toggle switch for the instrument lights? This is my first 50 f1. I am rewiring the truck with a rebel harness and was debating about if i should and how i should wire it. are the instrument lights not illuminated with the headlight switch?

where is the factory location for this switch?

thanks in advance

 

Been discussed before, no real answers. They didn't do it in 51 and on, so I guess you can judge its usefulness and criticality.

A toggle for the courtesy lights is real useful, OTOH.

 

my original thought before i studied the diagram was that it was for courtesy lights added by the P.O

 

The instrument panel light switch goes way back on Ford models. It wasn't exclusive to the 48-50 trucks. I'm not sure how far back they used it, but I know that same switch was used back in the 30's at least. The dash lights do shine a nasty reflective glare on the windshield right in front of the drivers eyes at night, and that switch allowed one to turn off those lights to be able to see more clearly. I could be mistaken, but didn't Ford add the dash light rheostat in the light switch for '51, eliminating the need for the off/on switch?

 

The factory location is on the lower left lip of the dashboard. There is a slot in the underside of the dash for mounting the switch. Keep in mind, when these beauties were built, street lights in the rural areas were uncommon. By keeping the cab dark, the driver has maximum night vision with the 6v headlights. The headlight switch controls power to the dash light switch.

 

I was probably cheaper than putting in a rheostat.

 

As I recall, one of the previous threads had a post theorizing that farmers following a combine or whatever in the fields at night would want to kill the lights for better vision.

 

I definitely remember driving my old 50 F1 at night when I was a kid having that reflection in my face, and how handy, yet odd, it was to have that switch.