I have a '40 COE (round dash gauges, emblem ahead of vent doors).

My truck has front parking lights on the headlight stalks.
In the interest of expediting the truck's complete re-wiring, and taking into account I am incorporating REAR turn signals, I am considering swapping the headlight stalks out with a 2nd pair I have that do NOT have parking lights.

That got me to wondering, and in combing google & available online original Ford lit, it seems COE parking lights are very hit or miss, including some supposedly post-'40 trucks shown with no front PLs.

Anyone know- was there a hard break for FoMoCo making these standard equipment (and if so- what year?) or were they optional?

 

All of the early COE trucks had parking lights installed at the factory. The 1938 and 1939 trucks had the parking lights inside the headlight so you don't see a separate light. When sealed beams came out in 1940 this was no longer workable so separate parking lights were added. Remeber two things when researching old Fords on the internet:
1 - These trucks are old. Many of them had parts swapped out over their life.
2 - Many people incorrectly identify old trucks. The year stated for a vehicle in internet pictures is frequently wrong.

 

If the headlight stand is the same as on my 1940 1-1/2 ton panel I believe you can replace the parking light bulb socket with an offset pin socket for an 1157 (12-volt) or 1154 (6-volt). There is not enough room for an 1154/1157 bulb, but Joe's stocks a Vintique HR-13465-6V bulb with the same globe size as the Mazda 63 parking light bulb. You would have to figure out how to make it glow amber. If your COE is 12-volt you can buy a conversion kit with a new socket and small amber bulb from Mac's and others. I pretty much decided to go really visible and use fog light appearing parking light/turn signal housings from Rodtiques.com. Put "Custom antique style tail stop & turn fog lights" in the search window.

 

Thanks guys. 38 Coupe- that makes perfect sense. I must have '39 fenders.

Truck is still stock/ 6V. I swapped in the '39 stalks today- the sockets, buckets & bezels for my 40 PLs were too rough to use, the '39 units were actually in better shape.

Another question : are PLs, technically, legally required for a 1940 vehicle? (he asks AFTER doing the swap….)

 

I think all 38-47 COE fenders are the same. I might be wrong, there may be a detail difference...

Technically you are supposed to have parking lights. However, it may not matter. Are you licensing it as a classic that does not require inspection? Are you licensing it in a way that requires inspection? Even if it requires inspection you could probably bluff an inspector and say "I don't think the truck had parking lights from new."

 

Ya- I don't think the fenders changed either, but obviously the stalks did. The '39s fit exactly the same as the '40 stalks did.
Truck will be licensed 'classic' via Hagerty or the like.

 

What are you running for tail lights?

 

You will register the COE with your state DMV which also sets inspection requirements; check your state website for info. Hagarty and others provide classic car insurance. The inspector did check parking lights as part of last year's NYS inspection, but also asked for me to activate the turn signals. I said truthfully that turn signals were neither required nor installed (on my truck) in 1940. This was a shop that is used to classic cars. 38 coupe probably has the best tactic. Worst case, the kit Macs and others sell probably would work in the 1939 headlight buckets. But I'm about as far from expert as possible.