I know this question has been asked and answered a million times. However today I'm feeling like a real *******!
I have a 1953 Ford F100 that I am trying to get turn signals to work on. The wires I have are as follows: 1 wire each from the left tail light and left front marker light. I wire each for the right rear turn signal and the right front marker light.
I have 1 wire each for the headlights (decided I didn't need high beams).
On the column clamp on style turn signal mechanism there are a total of 6 wires. Red, orange, yellow, blue, green and brown.
On the light switch there are 5 terminals.
One marked for power, one marked for headlights, one marked for front marker lights and one for tail lights and another not marked but on the same side as the tail light terminal.
None of the wiring diagrams for a 1953 F100 I have found on the internet shows a turn signal hookup. I also do not have a dimmer switch and do not want one so that changes this as well.
Can someone in plain English tell me where and how each of the wires go?
Currently I have the headlights wired to the headlight terminal. They work fine. I have one tail light hooked to a terminal marked for the rear light and the other rear light hooked to the terminal next to it on the same side of the switch the lights work.
I have both of the front turn signal/marker lights hooked to one terminal that gets power on a half pull of the **** and goes off on the full pull.
Now how do I tie in the turn signal wires?
I will offer up my 1st born for help!! Sorry for the long post but I'm almost done with the truck.

 

As the 53 prob did NOT come standard with turn signals, what you have is an aftermarket t/s arraignment. Without being there it's gonna be real difficult for anyone to help you...it'll be a crapshoot. That t/s switch you have prob won't even involve the stock headlight switch..... go on-line and google for a turn signal switch for a 1953 Ford truck. Here - try this: http://midfifty.com/instructions.php?ID=203

 

It did come with signals. There are turn indicator arrows on the dash cluster.

 

Your switch probably was a add-on. Here's one like it I believe

http://static.speedwaymotors.com/pdf/910-62860.pdf

Get a testlight(very important when doing this kind of work).

Do you have any questions after looking at the above link?

 

If your switch is more like the one below, then you have a little problem. I had the same truck with the same switch, and it's not made for modern taillamps with the turns and the brakes built in together. But there is a way to do it, and it worked fine for me. Write back in if this is the case.

 

That illustration is pretty much what I have. The signals worked before I tore the truck down. I think the problem is the light switch. There is only one lug on the switch for the front marker lights. One lug for the headlights and 2 lugs for the tail lights. and of course a lug for power.

 

The headlights are not your problem, you have them working. They are a totally separate circuit and have nothing to do with the signals.

I guess signals were an option in 53, mine didn't have them. Someone added the switch on the column, and simple lights in the fenders and on either side of the tailgate. It's one of the first things I got rid of.

I put modern lights(like the ones that fit on trailers) on the rear, and took the front markers apart and retro-fitted sockets that would accept dual filament bulbs.

The problem comes with the rear lights. On a modern taillight, you have two filaments, a bright one and a dimmer one. The dimmer one is for the marker light. The brighter one is for the brake lights AND the turnsignal. That's the problem, the brake and the turn use the same part of the bulb in the rear.

The more modern switch like in my first post accommodates these lights. You will see the switch takes a wire from the flasher, and another wire from the brake switch. This type of switch mixes these signals together properly so you can run the turns and the brakes on the same filaments in the rear. If you want to buy another switch, you can simply wire it in like the diagram shows.

If you want to keep using the switch you have, you will need to get a little trailer conversion box. I was doing this project about 10 years ago, and the box was about $12.00. I don't know how much it costs now. This little box is made for cars that have European style rear lights. These cars have separate amber turnsignals and red brake lights. If you want to run a American style trailer on a car like that, you need this little box to take the amber turns and the read brake signals, and combine them properly to operate a trailer with the combined turn/brake lights. This is exactly what you need for your truck, you have a left turn wire and a right turn wire coming out of your signal switch. You also have a brake signal wire coming from the pedal switch. You can hook these 3 wires to go into the box, and then it will give you two combo wires to run to the rear of the truck to run the combo taillights. I mounted my little box on the firewall on the left side of the steering column. Here's a diagram that is sort of related. It may help you get the jist of what's going on. I don't believe you need a flasher with your switch, if I remember right it's built in.