OKey doke, so I am troubleshooting the dash in our Bird. I've got most of the lights working. Still fighting turn signal function and tail lights/brake lights. Also, trying to figure out if there is lighting for the speedo dome. Can't quite see up in there. Hoping one of the 55 Bird guys can help me. Need to know what all lights are in the dash and should be lit up with parking or headlights on for interior lighting at nite. . Spent 4 hours one evening last week and got some stuff working but wiring has been kinda modified over the years and I am trying to get the basics working. Of all things, the silly radio fired up and works after 43 years of sitting! I assume it has lights too. Anywho, hope to get some insight to my adventure here.



Thanks !!

This won't help now, but you can find a wiring diagram (schematic) in the T'Bird shop manual, or, if you get lucky, at the local Library for free.

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

main speedo dome is naturally back lit.

lites are for hiLo, fuel gauge, temp, others are gen and oil which are activated when necessary, you know!

       A  L  A  N   F  R  A  K  E  S   ~  Tulsa, OK    

The brake lite switch on the brake line close to the master cylinder is a know high failure rate item, so if you are having brake lite issues check it first. Pete

For night driving there are 2 lights that are accessed from the back of the main module in the same area as the oil and gen idiot lights. Their wires are both color coded the same as all the other dash lights such as the heater module the left hand air cable etc. If memory serves this is a white with blue tracer circuit and it gets its power from the rheostat on the main light switch. There is a fuse on the back of the light switch that might be for this circuit. The idiot lights are different color code from this and each other. The rheostat allows this circuit to be made brighter or turned down when the head lights are on. These lights will also illuminate the speedo needle. All this is probably similar for 54 & 55 cars

Doug T

The Highlands, Louisville, Ky.

bird55, did you didn't take that picture as you were driving down the road??!!!???!!!!!. . . . .

From the mountains in South Central PA

 

Alrighty guys, I dug in Friday and after 7 hours I have everything working! What a fun brain teasing job that was. Much better to tackle stuff like electrical gremlins when by self I have learned . Had my tunes cranked up, plenty of Mountain Dew and the electrical nightmare is done! Just need to get my license plate light working or reinvented and we're legal. I do have the electrical manual and schematics I got from Larry's and boy was that helpful! Thanks for the info guys. We're getting closer!!