What cars have a light switch that turns, not pulls out?

I'm looking for a headlight switch that rotates instead of pulls out. I know my old Ranger had one, but the dome light is on a dial, and I don't want that extra **** as part of the ***embly. I just want a simple rotating switch for my parking lights/headlights. Any ideas?

 

Volvo

 

My wife had a mid-nineties Saab that had a turning light switch.
It was black plastic, ****, though.

 

49 Plymouth-I think.

 

How about any newer car with the headlights on the T signal switch lever?
Change the knob so it's "cool" looking and mount just the end of it in the dash with a JB Weld custom mount, or mount the whole T signal switch out of the column in or under the dash sticking out so it works too.
It could even be mounted incon****uously under the front of the seat in some cars. Just reach down and move the lever or turn the knob...?
I've seen a lot of "FadTs" with all the controls in the seat riser.
I usta have my radio mounted there in my truck, but the jerky wrappers and sunflower seed shells kept jamming up the tape deck...


(What's a "dome light"? is that a "*** beer" at a football stadium?)

 

Paul, is that any year Volvo? How do they operate the dome light or is that a seperate switch?

Same question on the Saab.

Knobs don't matter, as I have a plan...

How about we call them interior accessory lights?

Oh yeah, I also am looking for a simple On/OFF rotating switch, for the heater fan.

 

the wife's '84? 740 Wagon has one

the interior overhead accesory ilumination device is operated by a switch at the unit itself..

somewhere in one of my piles of junk I have an aftermarket heater control knob from probably the thirties, a simple bakelite knob on a rheostat with an off position and a little clamp to attach it to the lip at the bottom of the dash....

Paul

 

My '71 C-10 has a switch for the wipers that would work, turn for low wipe and turn further for high wipe. you could wire it so first was park light then second was head lights and park lights. the knob is held on with a little allen head set screw so you could "switch" knobs HA HA.

My saabs have the turn to light switch also, you could bust it apart and make something work. I think all saabs 900 and 9000 would have that type switch.


here's a 68-72 switch and knob on eGay now for 5 bucks

 

I thought of a wiper switch, but can it handle the amps of the headlights?

 

my 2003 Dodge Ram pickup has a switch like that. Only the head and tail lights. The dash dimmer and cargo light are on another switch.

 

Problem with the newer switches is they switch relays that then switch the headlights.So you would have to run a relay

 

Jeez.
Back when I was in the Navy we found you couldn't look up common items in the parts book by their normal names.

You'd find "flashlight" under: Illumination beam generator, portable, type A/N 933/U.
Batteries were listed as: DC power supplies, portable, size D, 2 each.

Only thing in the whole book listed by it's right name was: Can, ****, one each.
That's where you wanted to throw the book until you learned how to find stuff in it.

 

A relay on a new switch huh? That sounds like more wiring, and I'm trying to keep it simple.

Here's a sneak peak at my knobs...

 

Newer Ford Trucks and most other new Fords.

 

what? didja steal 'em off Grandma's Magic Chef cook top?

I like em!

 

A three position wiper switch should work.Most have a push for washer but you just wouldn't use it. i can get ya a cat part # if ya want.

 

Cole Hersee probably makes one also most auto parts stores handle them

 

I had to leave for a while. Here's some better pics of the Ply switch. It's 6 volt so it should take the amps and 12 volts easily. It takes bullet connectors and has 3 positions. I'm using it for -OFF-LOW-HI. The bullet type terminals on the back have spots for taillights-T-instrument panel lites-I-(same position) P-park lights ( which I'm using for low beam) and H-headlites. The stud with the nut is power in. I'm using this in my model A for a simple set-up without dimmer switch. This switch should be OK without a relay but I'm using $6 radio shack relays for the system.
Your knob should work.

overspray

 

Lucas makes a 3 position switch
dim
flicker
off
old britbike joke

 

I bought a '53-ish Studebaker dash out of one of the coupes that I found loose, a couple weeks ago. Headlight switch in those is a three-position toggle, in fact it has 4 switches like this paired on each side of the gauges. Interior lights are on one, I think the wiper and the heater or defrost on the others (have to go look at it again). Probably just going to hang that on the wall, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

 

If you can get to a NAPA store get a look at the electrical Users Guide
The have all kindda switches some very retro cause the have had em for years

 

Note on the wiper switch: wipers operate by switching the NEGATIVE (that's how they get 'em to park after you've turned 'em off). My experiments with using a wiper switch for headlights caused a nervous breakdown, as the contacts never made sense (until I realised they switched negative power).

Rotary headlamp switchs:
Volvo (every one I've seen)
Mercedes (at least since 1977)
Chrysler (post war to 56??, possibly pre-war, too)
Citroën (as a separate stalk, operates the horn; and beam switching, too)

Rocker headlamp switches:
FIAT 850
Iveco truck (available at NAPA)
Studebaker (Lark to '66)

Relays are no big deal, and are a better bet for brighter beams as well. All you really do is run the switched lead to a relay up near the item to be switched, the power comes from a fused battery lead, the only extra lead is a ground, which you can run to the relay mount.

Now for the $64,000 question: why not run a Twilight Sentinal?? All you need is a unit from a Caddy (almost all Caddies since 1965 have this option), a GM headlight switch, and a means of grounding one wire upon switching the ignition 'off' (all GM ignitions provide this). The units are nearly bullet proof, adn it cleans up the dash perfectly. I hid the headlight switch under the dash, where it was inconvenient, but possible, to reach. The sensor needs to read ambient light, but most cars have a speaker grille in the dash.
For me, this is the best option, as you never forget your lights, the dash is clean, and with practice, you can 'command' the car to shut off it's lights.

Cosmo

 

Chad, a lot of Fords have them. If I read it right,you don't want a dome light wheel.My '92 Taurus has a turn type switch & the wheel is a separate ***embly.

 

my 51 plymouth has the same switch as the 49.... that will most certainly work. it does have a seperate switch knob for the dome light. hope it helps.

 

My wife's '97 Ford F-150 has a rotary switch.

The '64 Studebaker Avanti and '73 Avanti II I had several years ago had neat rocker switches illuminated with red bulbs (airplane stuff).

 

My friend Jason (Cueball on the rare occaision he ever posts...) sent me an email that I should not be afraid of relays. They are my friend.

Wow, so alot more cars have them than I thought. Does the late model Ford stuff require a special plug?

 

I think I just found one at a Caterpiller supply house site. No frills and rugged as hell. I'll keep you posted.

 

Here's a sneak peak at my knobs...Attached Thumbnails

__________________


What type of Airplane did they come off of...???

 

My Kaiser does. But I think a lot of the stuff on it switched with other cars, a lot of mopars it seemed, so that one for the '49 plymouth is probably the same.