Sorry to vent but had to tell someone-

I've been working on my 56 Victoria on and off for 6 years. Bought it as a basket case. Rebuilt engine, put in a 4 speed, everything new (brakes, lines, fuel tank, radiator, radio, etc.) Like most old cars the wiring had been "worked" on over the years. So I went completely over it, replaced most, and had all lights working. Sent car to body shop this spring and got it back about a month ago. So now I can start putting all the weather seals, gaskets, bumpers on it. In putting the lights back in I have come up with a problem that keeps eluding me. I have both tail lights but only one brake light, sometimes I have one front parking light, no turn signals, and so far I have one head light, either dim or dimmer. Not sure what happened! Battery ground is to block and body and another ground strap at rear of block. Oh yeah- I also lost my high beam indicator light in the dash. Radio works as do the dash lights and interior light.

If you have any idea what to look at let me know. I'm so close to having it on the road but have to get by this electrical issue.

Thanks!

Ol'ford nutCentral Iowa

56 Vic w/292 & 4 spd.

For some reason or other,you've lost the ground between all the components.The body is not grounded properly to the frame or the battery is not grounding completely. Since you just had the car painted,there is probably some paint where there was none before.Try cleaning every geound connection and see if that helps.

Good luck.These kind of things can really make you pull your hair out.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

I would look for a bad ground first. If that's not the problem, look at your bulbs. The lead contact against the brass pigtail causes electrolysis. Scrape the contact on your bulbs and your pigtails.

Kenneth

Fredricksburg, Texas

To check for a ground problem, make up some leads that you can temporarily attach to the light housings and the frame. Make sure the battery is grounded to the engine and the engine to both the body and the frame. Scrape the paint away where these grounds attach. Now you are ready to check the lights out by attaching the temporary grounds.

54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

This was my first thought- I even added a ground wire from battery to body by radiator support. I had battery grounded to engine by generator and ground strap from engine to firewall.

Like I said I have both tail lights, just one brake light. All dash lights work except high beam indicator. And the headlights have their own ground wire in the loom to the junction block on the left fender. ALL the bulbs are new and work. As is the ignition switch and light switch.

I have had to walk away from this project for a few days after fighting it all weekend. But I'm ready to start again. When I find problem I'll let you know.

Ol'ford nutCentral Iowa

56 Vic w/292 & 4 spd.

The pin type terminals use on a 57 are bad about corroding inside the junction blocks. Get a good spray terminal cleaner and  a small wire brush and clean all the affected pins and sockets. Maybe just a bad connection.

Glen Henderson



Freedom is not Free

Letohatchee, AL

For the brake light, check turn signal switch. If you have one brake light then the brake light switch works. Does the turn signals work? All these goes through turnsignal switch.


Tero from Nurmijarvi, Finland

56 Country Sedan, 61 F-100, 61 F-600, 55 F-620, 52 Mercury

http://www.dlc.fi/~teros

http://www.y-block.info

http://www.hollowheads.net

http://www.fordnationals.net

Just a thought.  In the junction block on the inner fender, some of the connections are singles straight through, some are doubles, which can make a 3 or 4 way connection.  Might be where things are crossed up.

On a job like this, we always want the problem to be caused by one snafu, and fixing that will fix all the problems.  This is not necessarily true.  Sometimes you have to attack one problem at a time until they are all solved.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

I have not replaced the turn signal assy yet. But I do have a new one to put in. Old one had wires cut off (maybe a problem) and I repaired them while hunting for new unit.

As for the pins on the fender--- there is an idea! I never knew some fed miltiple pins. That would account for trouble with headlights and maybe front markers.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR BOTH OF THESE SUGGESTIONS

Ol'ford nutCentral Iowa

56 Vic w/292 & 4 spd.

Started at junction box - found out of the 8 pins only 6 were hot. 4 for headlights, 2 for parking lights, 2 dead- no front turn signals. At the rear of car I have both tail lights and only right turn. Forgot to check brakes.

I think my next step is to install new turn signal switch in column, since these wires were cut off when I bought car.

Hopefully I will get this repaired this weekend! Then on to new carb and install alternator to replace generator. My wheels have been sand blasted and are at powder coater. New tires and I should be on the road.

Ol'ford nutCentral Iowa

56 Vic w/292 & 4 spd.