Chevrolet Cab 11 Instrument Lights

[Owen Evans]

Paul/Bob, thanks for your responses.

Originally Posted by Bob Carriere

The NOS switches I had purchased with original waxed wrapping were all heavily oxidized with a white powder an the contacts were sometimes working sometimes not. I kept them for posterity and replaced all 3 switches with "made in China" ....$2.99) Princess Auto switches which came with a little ball ends on the switches. To this date they are still working fine. I did have to do some dentistry since orientation of the on / off was reversed but was an easy fix.....and matched the wiring diagram that I was following in the manual.

Good point. I have three NOS 3-way switches (part no. 5801115), and they all have the 'white powder' oxidation. I'll be checking them over the weekend to see if any of them actually work.

I picked up a handful of these switches as modern replacements for the tail and stop switches:

https://www.leviton.com/en/products/735

They are clocked the same way to match the notch in the tail and stop switch name plates, but I suspect that these are also of finest Chinese manufacture. Based on Bob's second post (#4 above), I believe the original instrument name plate for the 3-way switch should look like the attached. As you can see, I don't make a living out of photo editing..

I may just use one of the modern replacement 2-way switches, and have it operate all three instrument lights (I don't really need the blackout function); that way, I can use my existing switch name plate. Unless I can get one of my 3-way switches working....and find the correct switch name plate.....

Originally Posted by Bob Carriere

NOTE.... my cab 11 did not come with rubber front fender marker lights but depended on the second light bulb inside the headlights.....since I converted to sealed beams I retro fitted modern yellow bumper mounted markerlights......would love to revert to inside the HD if I can re silver the reflectors.....but would still keep 12v bulbs.....Mac's sells halogen rero fit 12v. bulbs.

My cab 11 was fitted with the british 'Butler' sidelights, but beyond repair. I'm replacing them with the rubber ones; for the cost of one 'butler', I can get two rubber ones! My headlights have the second bulb in them, so I intend to use the rubber lights as front turn signals.

Now, I just need to figure how I'm going to do the rear lights (in the UK, I will need tail, brake and turn signal on each side).

Owen.

Edit: on closer inspection of Bob's photo, the 3-way switch name plate looks like it has 'OFF' written at the bottom; photo now edited. Excuse my myopia....

[Bob Carriere]

You are correct Owens what we call a 3 way switch maybe wrong and is actually a left and right position the middle (off) is slightly lower position. Still can't figure out why they had a split as the instrument panels I have examined ( I have Chevs and old GMC) only have two little lights........ i.e. I am using a NOS GMC cluster because that is what I have and have seen enough mix match on early cab..even early cab 13 to say it is acceptable.

Cheers

[Owen Evans]

Originally Posted by Bob Carriere

Still can't figure out why they had a split as the instrument panels I have examined ( I have Chevs and old GMC) only have two little lights....

Hmmm. Given that my instruction book which identifies the three lights in the wiring diagram (August 1940) states 'built for British War Department' on the cover, I wonder if the third light with the blackout hood was a purely British requirement? In the summer of 1940, we were getting bombed on a regular basis, so blackout conditions prevailed.

Given that by July 1941 (or possibly earlier) the third instrument light had been deleted, I guess it wasn't all that successful.

Owen.

[Bob Carriere]

Mine is built for the Department of National Defence
Canada

date July 1940

Out of curiousity.... when you check the diagram the said swithc toggles between off and one light or off and two lights....????/

....also noticed there are no provision for a rear axle convoy light !!!!!!!!

My truck never left Canada so never had a need for total black out system.

will need to look up the wiring diagram I used from the MB C1 manual.

Cheers

[Owen Evans]

Originally Posted by Bob Carriere

Out of curiousity.... when you check the diagram the said swithc toggles between off and one light or off and two lights....????/

....also noticed there are no provision for a rear axle convoy light !!!!!!!

Correct on both counts, Bob. The diagram in my book shows the switch toggles from ONE LIGHT to OFF to TWO LIGHTS. Also doesn't show the axle light or switch.

But my chassis does have the remains of a 'Butlers' axle light and what may once have been a bakelite switch on the rear crossmember; I suspect a later addition. Similar to the attached photo, but the remains of the switch is on the actual crossmember.

Owen.

[Bob Carriere]

My cab 11 frame did have the holes punched out for installing the big HI beam switch so I did and found a NOS rear axle light which I retro fitted.....and painted the rear axle cover flat white. 30 years from now someone will try to figure this one out!!!!!

Bob C