Hello all!

About a week ago I made my first post to introduce myself and my truck (
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...d-56-f100.html ) and I have been busy fixing some issues I mentioned at the time. The one that I have been spending the most time trying to solve is a non functional turn signal which of course has led to a number of related electrical issues....

Anyhow, I have something on my F100 that I cannot find any reference to in my shop manual or in any of my parts catalogs, (Mid Fifty, Dennis Carpenter, LMC or Mac's). Here are some photos:



it is the device connected to the bottom if the shift column. Her is a closer photo:



I have traced one wire back to it, ( the green one coming out of the center), and it appears to beconnected to a backup light!? It is located on my rather unique rear bumper. Here are more photos:





I assume it is some sort of switch that engages when the shifter for my Fordomatic transmission is set to reverse but what else does it do because there are 3 other wires connected to it?

In any case your input would be appreciated.

On another note... I have removed the lights on the bumper because they were not functonal and very rusty. I would like to replace them with something as close as possible to the originals. Here are some photos after I removed them:





The red light is 3 3/8" wide and is sort of a shallow beehive . The yellow one which I assume was once clear or white??? is 2 1/4" wide and a more pronounced beehive shape. I have searched the web and am not finding anything that comes close to a match so if any of you have a source you can point me to I would appreciate it.

Turn signal update... A new bulb and a new flasher and a new fuse got them working but there is a short or something somewhere that causes the left turn signal not to work when the headlights are on and when the headlights are off the right tail light and parking light blink also but much dimmer than the Left. I have ordered new pigtails for all the lights from Mid Fifty along with some other wire and connectors and I think I can find the short eventually by replacing the wiring but again if you know something specific for me to look for please make your comments known.

Lastly... My speedometer that is not functional is due to a bad cable AND due to the fact that the pointer is boken completly off. I also ordered a rebuilt speedometer core from Mid Fifty along with a cable....

Geeze this new hobby is going to be expensive!

Thanks for your help!!!

Tom

 

My guess at the gizmo on the shifter is a reverse/neutral safety switch........ reverse lights when in reverse and only allows the truck to start in park or neutral... of course having never worked on a stock 56 I am guessing they had these
The weird light problems are probably not caused by a "short" but most likely a bad ground or grounds for the lights.....those new pigtails you are getting should fix them up...just be sure the ground wire goes to a good ground point.
Good luck and nice looking truck.

 

The truck will only start in neutral and not in park. I guess that when it is in reverse that sends power to the backup lights. Any Ideas where to get a replacement if needed?

 

I have to believe that is not a Ford switch, but a cootie-bob'd replacement. Does your manual show the proper piece? It's probably supposed to be inside the cab on the column.

 

Yes, and time consuming, but it is a lot of fun. Just take your time and fix it as you can. That is what a lot of us are doing.

 

Both of my ford-o-matic trucks have a switch similar. Ford-O-matics should only start in Neutral according to the owners manuals, but mine always did in park to(slight later years). The red wires are as follows: when you hit the key, the ignition switch send 12V out the one red wire down to the switch, if its in the neutral position, the 12V goes through the switch and over to the S terminal of the starter solenoid to engage the starter. I'll look mine over and let you what I find.

 

Ross...It looks exactly like the NSS pictured in the Ford car & truck parts catalogs in that exact location.

B2AZ-7A247-A . NSS / Fits: 1953/56 F100/350 & 1953/56 P350/500 / 1952/54 Passenger Cars.

It's not shown or listed in DC's, carolina-classics, or Midfifty's catalogs.

Internet parts search turned up a big fat zero. Dave, who works at obsolete Ford parts seller Green Sales Co. in Cincinnati (800-543-4959) might know where to get one.

 

Also, any chance you could put a few pics of that engine compartment up on here? Looks like a super clean original motor and would love to see "how they were"

 

By request here are a couple of quickies of the my stock engine compartment. It is pretty clean especially after hot pressure wasing it this past weekend. I rented a hot pressure washer to primarily cleam off the 50 years of grease that had turned into dirt filled tar around the spring couplings but while I was at it I cleaned of the engine a bit.





Thanks for all the answers regarding the neutral lockout. I guess no one has any ideas on a souce for replacing the lights?

Tom

 

Wow. You engine is still yellow. Mine is rust colored (well it is rusty).

I wondered if the firewall was painted body color or not. Mine was painted black at some point in time.

No clue on the lights. Mine does not have that big bumper and no back up lights at all.

 

My Father-in-law, that drove this truck beginning in 1958 untill he passed on in 2007, kept it garaged when he wasnt at work and the dry air in California just kept the rust off everywhere. I have seen more new rust appear in the month I have had it in Minnesota, (especially after the pressure washing) than I care for. The anti-rust battle now begins...

 

That is a battle everywhere.

My intake has a couple of flakes of yellow paint left on it. That is it on the engine as far as color.

Does your oil bath filter still work or has it been converted to a paper filter inside?

Somone stuck one of those tiny "hotrod" paper filter things on mine. LOL

 

To be honest, I have not yet looked

The engine runs great so I am focusing on the known thimgs that need repair. I suppose I need to check it out soon though... I need to flush the radiator and put in coolant, change the oil and oil filter and I had planned to deal with the oil bath air filter then. My current list also includes installing seatblets, replace the broken speedometer and cable, rewire the lights, new tires and alignment ...all so I can drive it to work a couple of times a month while the weather is still good.

 

Yep...you have the bug.

One of the first things I did was put tires on mine (after all the fluid changes). It came with old weather cracked bias plys. I had a hard time holding it in the road at 30 MPH. Some used radial tires fixed that part. Been tinkering with it every since.

I hope you are out driving it and enjoying it soon. I love driving mine everywhere.

 

I found these beehive style lights on line but the are L.E.D.'s Maybe would work for you. They do have some rubber grommet mounts that may fit nice in your bumper. Here is the link Beehive light - Shop sales, stores & prices at TheFind.com I hope this help out. I didn't see the larger sizes but you may be able to contact them and see what they have to offer.