Early roundie headlamp switch...whats the deal?

[arminyack]

So I've been working on some electrical stuff lately. One the the items was getting my headlamps on relays. Easy enough, got that done....but why is it my front parking lights only turn on when the headlamp switch is at the #1 position? Once I turn the headlamps on, the front parking lamps go out? And I checked the switch..that's indeed whats happening right out the switch. Is my new old stock switch bad, just like my original? I doubt it...what am i missing

-Andy

[Guy Cocquyt]

Was this happening with the original headlight switch too?

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[arminyack]

3 minutes ago, Guy Cocquyt said:

Was this happening with the original headlight switch too?

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Ya, exact same thing...

[Guy Cocquyt]

I would rule out the switch then and check the wiring. Do you have a good wiring diagram and a circuit tester?

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[02Les]

That sounds correct, at least for a Euro car that has the parking light (city light) in the headlamp reflector. When you switch to have the headlamp on there is no need for the 5w parking light to be on as well. 

Maybe it's different for US cars????

[Conserv]

56 minutes ago, arminyack said:

So I've been working on some electrical stuff lately. One the the items was getting my headlamps on relays. Easy enough, got that done....but why is it my front parking lights only turn on when the headlamp switch is at the #1 position? Once I turn the headlamps on, the front parking lamps go out? And I checked the switch..that's indeed whats happening right out the switch. Is my new old stock switch bad, just like my original? I doubt it...what am i missing

-Andy

 

Andy,

 

What year is your car?  Before 1968 (1969?), parking lights on U.S. vehicles turned off when the headlights turned on.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited July 18, 2019 by Conserv

[arminyack]

Mine is  '68. It is very possible that my memory is so bad, that this is how it is supposed to be!

[tahoedon]

That is the way my 68 works

[Mike Self]

My Feb 69 production car has the parking lights go off when the headlights go on...I think all the early US cars with flat front turn signals have that feature.  As 02 Les points out, the Euro cars don't have a parking light bulb in their front turn signal housing; that bulb was incorporated in the headlight.

 

I suspect that when the factory started fitting the bulge parking lights (a US-unique part) the wiring was changed to leave the parking lights on with the headlights.  Can anyone with a '70 so-equipped verify?  I think this was he same time that headlights were first wired to only be on with the ignition on...

 

mike

[Guy Cocquyt]

I have a 1970 which has the running lights on with the headlights. Manufactured in late 1969 for the NA market.

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[Conserv]

34 minutes ago, Guy Cocquyt said:

I have a 1970 which has the running lights on with the headlights. Manufactured in late 1969 for the NA market.

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Bulge or flush front turn signals? Either way, do you believe them to be original? My extremely early 1970 (VIN 1668093, September 8, 1969) had flush turn signals, but I suspect the bulge turn signals arrived on or before January 1, 1970.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

[Guy Cocquyt]

Mine were bulge driving lights and they were original with 2 light bulbs rather than the late dual filament bulb fittings.

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[Conserv]

4 minutes ago, Guy Cocquyt said:

Mine were bulge driving lights and they were original with 2 light bulbs rather than the late dual filament bulb fittings.

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Thanks, Guy,

 

This supports Mike’s theory that the appearance of the U.S.-only “bulge” turn signals marked the change from (a.) parking lights and headlights on separately, to (b.) parking lights and headlights on simultaneously.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited July 18, 2019 by Conserv

[Mike Self]

6 hours ago, Conserv said:

Mine were bulge driving lights and they were original with 2 light bulbs rather than the late dual filament bulb fittings.

That's something I've never seen before--the bulge style front turn signals with a two bulb (vs twin filament, single bulb) setup.  Betcha the factory was (once again) using up stock, since the bulge fixtures were only for the US market, and must have been required by a Federal front lighting standard that the flat signals didn't meet.  Hella must have had a bunch of two bulb brackets and to use them up, mated them to the now required-in-the-US bulge lenses...

 

mike

[TobyB]

1666365 had the 2- bulb bulges,too.

 

Dinky little bayonet bulb for running lights.

 

They were wired to stay on, but the switch had a terminal

(unused) that went off in the headlight position.

 

t