Found this toggle switch, was this a factory switch?

 

Dome light switch????

 

Switch is on/off for dash lights.

hope this helps,

tom

 

Second what Jersey_Devil said. Its the instrument cluster light switch. I've wondered why you would turn your instrument lights off but have the park/head lights on still. Its cool to see how things have evolved since 1950 in the truck world.

 

Yep, instrument cluster light switch. Strangely, it's designed to work only when the head/park lights are on.

 

Wasn't the headlight switch a rheostat?

 

1951and newer had the rheostat Abe
This is 50 and older
There I fixed it thanks

 

Truck in question is a 50. Rheostat on head light switch started with 51’s.

tom

 

I used my 48 F1 as a daily driver for 10 years. If you drive one of these at night you can't dim the dash lights - the switch turns them off for better visibility. That's where the idea for the rheostat came from.

 

Yep, you guys are right it’s for the instrument cluster lights or gauge lights.

since we’re on the topic, I plan on upgrading to 12V part of the conversion is the gauges and gauge lights. If I interrupt the switch with s voltage regulator should this take care of the entire circuit or are the gauges and lights a separate circuit?

 

The gauges and lights are on separate circuits.

 

If you're going to go 12 volts you'll have to change all the other bulbs as well, dash lights included. Instruments will need a voltage reducer. There are other things that must be addressed when upgrading too, other than the obvious.

 

It is the year 1949.
You are out on your farm, or between your farm and the City, at night.
No moon, no City lights, no freeway lights. Maybe the REA has not even gotten to your county yet.
No traffic behind or in front. Very very dark.
Even with that dim 6 volt bulb, dash is too bright. Needs to be turned off.
Try recreating the above sometime.
Also don't forget --- 6 volts using generator for charging.
Might seem like a small amount for 1 bulb, but using a charger that doesn't charge at idle or even very much at all at low rpm, and every watt (amp) begins to count when in the middle of nowhere, going slow on a dark narrow road, high beams on, all with battery about to give up the ghost.

 

And don't forget the heater fan blowing to keep fog off your windshield .

That's why I always kept an old towel or rag handy in my truck when it was my daily driver.

 

Just rub a pack of Bull Durham over the glass. Works wonders (don't smoke it though).