47-55.1 Lighting question

[TX3100Guy]

I was under the 1953 truck today and was inspecting the transmission (four on the floor, which may be an aftermarket unit attached to my 261 engine) and I couldn't find any wiring or switch that would control backup lights.

Did the 53 series have backup lights? (mind you my truck has been disassembled in boxes for years and there are no lights currently attached to the vehicle.

[duramax55]

don't think they came with backup lights. In fact I'm sure they didn't

[nvrdone]

the truck may not have come with back up lights, but its an easy fix. On my M21 I made a bracket to mount a plunger type switch so that the plunger engaged the reverse shifter arm. Then I installed square led lights in the rear pan. works like a champ.

[mr48chev]

Going through the GM Heritage center archives it doesn't look like backup lights were standard equipment until 1968 on trucks. I think my 67 fleetside had backup lights but that truck had every bell and whistle that was offered on a 67 Chevy truck.

Now as to what 4 speed you have? SM-420 with the stick coming out of the middle of the hump or a car 4 speed with the shifter back close to the seat and three shift rods going from the shifter to the transmission? That will make a difference in what you do to make backup lights work.

[TX3100Guy]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

Now as to what 4 speed you have? SM-420 with the stick coming out of the middle of the hump or a car 4 speed with the shifter back close to the seat and three shift rods going from the shifter to the transmission? That will make a difference in what you do to make backup lights work.

Here are some pictures of the transmission (both side) and the interior floor shifter. Any assistance in determining what tranny is in the truck and thoughts on rigging a bracket with a plunger style switch to activate backup lights would be appreciated. I made a similar bracket on a 69 Jaguar XKE as a backup to the hydraulic switch (stock) that was plumbed into the brake lines, so I get the concept, knowing where to put it on this transmission is another thing.

[dsraven]

what is that switch up on the far right (closest to the front of the trans)?

[dsraven]

if nothing else, move the trans into reverse, figure out which lever moved, fab a bracket and plunger style switch so that the switch is activated by the shift lever on the trans when the trans is in reverse, mount up some lights, a little wiring and fuse. BOOM, done.

[dsraven]

sorry, far left. it's gonna be one of those days. lol.

[TX3100Guy]

Originally Posted by dsraven

what is that switch up on the far right (closest to the front of the trans)?

Is this what you are referring to? It's just a mounting point.

[dsraven]

nope, I goofed up and said right instead of left. it looks like a switch on the drivers side ahead of the forward shift lever and it would possibly be activated by the shifter shaft there. it would be a push on style wiring connector so the switch has what looks like a threaded stud sticking out of it.

[dsraven]

pic 3 of the first set of pics, on the lower side of the forward shifter shaft. a big hex nut with a threaded stud like a switch would look like.

[dsraven]

if it is a switch use a test light to see when it is activated.
have you figured out what your trans is out of?

[TX3100Guy]

Originally Posted by dsraven

nope, I goofed up and said right instead of left. it looks like a switch on the drivers side ahead of the forward shift lever and it would possibly be activated by the shifter shaft there. it would be a push on style wiring connector so the switch has what looks like a threaded stud sticking out of it.

I see what you are referring to, but it appears to be a plastic piece with a short rod coming out of it. The rod doesn't move in or out and the plastic section could only be removed by taking out the larger threaded nut. Since I have the transmission drained, I could take it out to see if its the remnants of a switch of some kind, but I'm always leery of taking things apart that I'm not sure what they are.

[TX3100Guy]

Originally Posted by dsraven

have you figured out what your trans is out of?

That is the $64,000 question. This is most definitely a resto-mod. A 1953 Chevy five window truck, with a 1959 Chevy 262 cubic inch engine, fitted with a supercharger from a 1959 Studebaker Golden Hawk.

From the photos you can see the casting marks on the transmission indicating that it is a GM model, but from where I still have no clue. I'm hoping that the detectives on this forum can help me decipher the casting marks.

[dsraven]

i'm thinking what you have is possibly a saginaw trans. that switch would be the transmission spark control switch they used for a few years in the '70's. it was somehow wired into the dizzy and would retard the spark so exhaust temp got hotter to get the early catalytic converters to work. they were usually unplugged by car guys and lots of guys would just plug that hole if the sender started leaking.
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/art...aw-four-speeds

https://www.google.ca/search?q=sagin...eqESa5NbZLKeIM

[dsraven]

yup, its a switch. thats how they looked back in the day. its not gonna be the reverse switch since it is not likely the reverse shift lever at the front. I would say the reverse lever is the rear most. 1st and 2nd would be the forward lever, 3rd and 4th the middle lever and rev the most rear lever, in my opinion, which doesn't count for much........
can you install a switch

[dsraven]

at the shifter end?
darn tablet keeps making me hit the send key. yeah, no, it't the tablet, not me.........

[TX3100Guy]

Originally Posted by dsraven

it't the tablet, not me.........

LOL sounds like my wife when when she's having a computer problem....


I hear you, I will likely doing something similar to what I did on my Jag. Take an L-bracket, drill it out large enough to hold the switch, and then find a mounting point where the switch is open when the shifter moves into reverse.


Which brings up another point. Given that this truck is a resto-mod, I want to find a new brake, turn signal, backup light fixture that I can mount on the sides of the bed. I need ideas??

[dsraven]

What I have done in the past is use a driving or fog light housing from a motorcycle and remove the sealed beam, then replace that with a stop/turn/tail/back up sealed light that is used for semi trucks and trailers. It fits in the housing with a little work. I use led style for brightness and durability. The ones I use have the back up light in the middle of the red lights. Check out grote online or truklite etc. I have a pic just not on my phone.

[TX3100Guy]

Originally Posted by dsraven

What I have done in the past is use a driving or fog light housing from a motorcycle and remove the sealed beam, then replace that with a stop/turn/tail/back up sealed light that is used for semi trucks and trailers. It fits in the housing with a little work. I use led style for brightness and durability. The ones I use have the back up light in the middle of the red lights. Check out grote online or truklite etc. I have a pic just not on my phone.

I like the idea and will research, post the pic when you can. Thanks.

[mr48chev]

The Transmission looks to be a Saginaw 456 or 441.

This being a 456 for a Camaro. It has the bracket for the torque arm and the shifter mount moved to the right side.

I finally found some info on that switch by the front shift arm. It is for allowing vacuum to the advance in the distributor in 4th gear on some models. There is a bit of info here.

https://www.novas.net/threads/73-sag...-switch.16626/

Sometimes you have to snoop on the other side of the street to find info.

[TX3100Guy]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

The Transmission looks to be a Saginaw 456 or 441.

This being a 456 for a Camaro. It has the bracket for the torque arm and the shifter mount moved to the right side.

I still can't find anything on that switch o why it was there on the 1-2 gear lever.

Looks very similar, if not identical to mine - with the exception of the linkage style, which I'm sure the previous owner fashioned.

[Tempest67]

here is the reverse light switch on my Muncie

The rod (coat hanger) goes back to the reverse lever

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by TX3100Guy

Looks very similar, if not identical to mine - with the exception of the linkage style, which I'm sure the previous owner fashioned.

I remember something on that linkage setup from 20/30 years ago but If it was made and sold they didn't make them for long and it may indeed be an owner cobbled together setup to get away from having the shifter back by the seat. I drove my truck a couple hundred K with the sifter by the seat and the only issue was when you had three guys in the front seat rather than having your lady in the middle. True they don't look original.

I did find photos of the Muncie switch that Tempest 67 showed. I don't know if those are adaptable though.

Access to do it would be a bugger but a simple solution might be an AD brake light switch fastened to a small and somewhat adjustable bracket fastened to the plate the shifter sits on that was actuated by the reverse arm when you put the truck in reverse. If there was room to do it. If the arm moves far enough to actuate the switch.

This is one of those deals where it would be a lot easier to help you figure it out if one were there looking at it rather than looking at photos.

[TX3100Guy]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

Access to do it would be a bugger but a simple solution might be an AD brake light switch fastened to a small and somewhat adjustable bracket fastened to the plate the shifter sits on that was actuated by the reverse arm when you put the truck in reverse. If there was room to do it. If the arm moves far enough to actuate the switch.

This is one of those deals where it would be a lot easier to help you figure it out if one were there looking at it rather than looking at photos.

This raises another dumb question. Where is the brake light activation switch? I haven't gone looking for it yet as I'm in the middle of a dozen other mini-projects, but now I'm curious.