I have what I believe is a new 1953 ignition switch that I want to put into my '50 F1 but I want to wire and use the starter button for that original look and feel. I read somewhere on this forum how to do it but I can't find it.

The switch has 4 terminals. The center post is labeled "S" and the three other posts are labeled "BAT, "ACC" and "GN"

Any ideas on the correct way to do this.

 

This should be pretty simple.

I'm not 100% sure on the labels, but you can quickly test what they stand for.

Bat should be your power source...constant hot.

Acc is accessories, hot when in ACC position and when in ON position.

GN <i>should</i> be hot when in ON position only

S <i>should</i> be start and hot only when clicked over in the starting position.

I'm assuming you've already got the wiring set up and are only asking how to hook up this switch. If you need addition help, let me know.

Hook your wires up to the appropriate posts, but leave the S post empty. Connect the wire from your push button to the GN post, and that should be it. Your button will only be hot when the key is on, and will pass on the signal to your selenoid when pushed. BTW, when I was in college I had a teammate think he'd be smart and move my truck. Dummy couldn't figure out how to start it. It's not a major theft deterant, but it's something!

 

Thanks Blue.

 

I have the same set up in my 51 that youare asking about. I have a 56 ignition switch (because I wanted my hood lift lineal actuator off the "start" position to require the key to open the hood)

I have the entire wiring flow in a power point diagram. If you have trouble visualizing the wiring, send me a PM with your real e-mail addres and I'll send you the diagram.

Anyway, here goes:

Run a wire from the "Battery" terminal on the STARTER SOLENOID (the one the positive battery cable hooks up to) to the "B" post on the IGNITION SWITCH.

Run a wire from the "GN" position on the IGNITION SWITCH (which I think is a stamp error - it should be IGN for ignition) to the positive post on your IGNITION COIL. You may need a ballast resistor in line with this wire for your ignition - different subject.

Run a second wire from the "GN" position on the IGNITION SWITCH to the "I" post on the STARTER SOLENOID.

Run a wire from the "ACC" post on the IGNITION SWITCH to power your FUSE BLOCK for the accessories you want to have switched on with the key (radio, heater, wipers, etc).

Run a wire from the "B" post of the switch to power the FUSE BLOCK you want to have hot all the time (lights, horn, etc)

Finally, you can wire the STARTER BUTTON two ways. 1) to turn the engine over independent of the ignition (so you turn the engine over and not start it - this preoils the engine in stressful conditions); or 2) with the ignition on.

For 1) Run a wire from the "B" post of the INGITION SWITCH, to the STARTER SWITCH; then from the STARTER SWITCH to the "S" post on the STARTER SOLENOID.

For 2) Run a wire from the "GN" post of the IGNITION SWITCH, to the STARTER SWITCH; then from the STARTER SWITCH to the "S" position on the STARTER SOLENOID.

A FEW WORDS OF CAUTION:

Unless you have a NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH on the truck, THE STARTER MOTOR WILL TURN OVER THE ENGINE ANYTIME THE START BUTTON IS POWERED. That means either all the time, or when the ignition switch is turned on depending on which of the two options you choose above.

This means that unless you have that neutral safety switch, the truck engine will turn over and start IN ANY GEAR. And if it's not in neutral or park (depending on whether you have a stick or automatic) it's gonna move..... A LOT....by the time you can stomp on the brake - about 2 to 3 feet!

Also, if you opt for the first set up where you can turn the starter without the ignition on...also.....if the truck is not in neutral or park, and you hit the starter button..ANYTIME..the truck is going to move...about a foot.

This can be VERY embarrassing when parallel parked, or nose to nose in the "Pigley Wigley" market parking lot.

Good luck,
Julie!

 

Hmmm, sounds like the voice of experience!

 

Uuuuuuhuuuuuuu!

 

Julies, sweet idea on the linear actuator to lift the hood. I have an original style switch on my 50, so I couldn't do that without changing the switch, but it's deffinitely an idea I'll remember.

So far as wiring up the switch, the method I laid out will make the switch hot only when keyed on. My truck is NOT wired up that way, but is hot all the time. This is very handy for timing, compression tests, etc., but there is inherent danger like Julies said. Most Ford starters are strong enough to pull our trucks around AND start them at the same time (I did this once when I lost a clutch rod--it taxes the battery, but does the job) so however you wire your switch, don't underestimate the repercussions of your choice.

Also, depending on the type of wiring in your truck you may or may not need to make connections to various points on the fuse block, starter selenoid, etc. But it sounds like the switch itself is all you're worried about.

Let us know how it turns out.

 

Hi Blue,

Yeah I have a full front tilt hood - fenders come up with it. It got to be a real challenge to yank up the hood assembly from the fender, and it put a lot of torqing on the whole thing.

So, I bought a 400lb rated 12 volt 12" lineal actuator, welded two brackets to hold it to the front cross member (in front of the radiator) and to the hood brace. I have a three position (on-off-on) toggle I use to reverse the polarity to the actuator - which makes it reverse direction. Since I have the starter button - I was able to use the "starter" position on my (56) ignition switch to power the toggle. So, you need the key in the ignition switch and turned to the spring loaded "start" position to open the hood. I made sure to put a pin in the lower bracket so I can get under and disconnect it to raise the hood manually if I get a dead battery. But I'm the only person who knows how to get it out - theft deterent!

I have a diagram for the switch wiring on that too

J!

PS My start button is hot all the time too. I use it for tuning, etc. like you, but also, since there may be weeks between the time I drive it, I will usually turn over the starter with the ignition off to get some oil flowing up the the rings and valves before I start it. Seems to work pretty good.

 

I do the same with my truck if I have to run it in the winter here in SD. Thankfully it does work well. And there are times when it got so cold here last winter that my 58 yr old truck was the only vehicle we had that would start! I was real glad I could turn her over some before firing her up in those super low temps!

 

Could I get a copy of the Power Point? It would help me out a ton.
gwbrenn@hotmail.com
Thanks!

 

How did this turn out?

 

Thats the exact same setup I have. You wire the starter to the center pole for just the ignition switch, no button. If you want to put the key in the on position, then hit the starter you run a wire from IGN to the button, from the button to the solenoid. If you want to hold the key in the start position AND hit the button to start (what I have), run a wire from the center pole to the button, then from the button to the solenoid.

Any of those ways will work. The only difference is how the button gets power. In my truck the key can be on, but the starter button does nothing...the key has to be all the way over to start THEN hit the button...making it an antique "anti-theft" system.