53-55 6V Radio & Lighter Wiring
It would make sense for the radio dial lamp to be able to be dimmed by the light switch rheostat along with the other instrument panel lights. However, in the three very low mileage unrestored cars I've documented the brown radio light wire is attached to the back of the light switch and thus cannot be dimmed. Those three cars include a mid 53, early 54 and late 54 so this appears to be a common trend in the wiring over two years. This photo is an example of the three cars and is from a 3040 mile late 54.
Yager 54 353 (Medium).jpg
The most vintage wiring diagram does not show the radio, heater, cigarette lighter or E-brake warning. Those were all considered options or accessories back in the day. So that left restorers guessing unless they made good notes on how they were wired before disassembly.
Eventually (around 2004) someone created a color wiring diagram that included all of those except the E-brake warning. In that version some of the wire colors for those options are incorrect. It shows the radio lamp and cigarette lighter lamp connecting to some unknown location that eventually connects to the front lug on the light switch controlled by the rheostat. I suspect ever since then restorers have been connecting the panel lights, radio light and cigarette lighter wires to the rheostat. But is that how the factory did it?? The photographic evidence I have shows otherwise. Still more data is desirable before a conclusion is made.
I know the PV manual calls for checking for dimming of the radio lamp. But there is always a possibility that came from the logic that it should have been able to be dimmed and reinforced by the late color wiring diagram.
So my question is do any of you have photos or other wiring information that would show us how the radio lamp was actually wired to the light switch by the factory? The cigarette lighter lamp is also of interest.
Yager 54 353 (Medium).jpg
The most vintage wiring diagram does not show the radio, heater, cigarette lighter or E-brake warning. Those were all considered options or accessories back in the day. So that left restorers guessing unless they made good notes on how they were wired before disassembly.
Eventually (around 2004) someone created a color wiring diagram that included all of those except the E-brake warning. In that version some of the wire colors for those options are incorrect. It shows the radio lamp and cigarette lighter lamp connecting to some unknown location that eventually connects to the front lug on the light switch controlled by the rheostat. I suspect ever since then restorers have been connecting the panel lights, radio light and cigarette lighter wires to the rheostat. But is that how the factory did it?? The photographic evidence I have shows otherwise. Still more data is desirable before a conclusion is made.
I know the PV manual calls for checking for dimming of the radio lamp. But there is always a possibility that came from the logic that it should have been able to be dimmed and reinforced by the late color wiring diagram.
So my question is do any of you have photos or other wiring information that would show us how the radio lamp was actually wired to the light switch by the factory? The cigarette lighter lamp is also of interest.
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