Adding directional signals(46-47)

48Sed

Does anyone have info. on cutting the steering column tube to add directional signals.

I want to cut the slit in the tube and was told there was a template for doing that?

(46-47)

Thanks

Jon B

There's probably a very good answer to your question.  But that never stopped me from throwing in a bad answer.

I adapted a '52 (6-wire) Hudson turn signal switch to my '37, and made it self-cancelling, in the following way:

First, the clamp holding the switch, requires no drilling.  It simply surrounds the tube and is tightened.  Your '46-47 (unlike my car) has a column shift and -- unless I'm mistaken -- there is a special clamp that holds the t.s. switch and incorporates the gearshift bracket.  No?

Next, the self-cancelling.  I think Hudson used pins that were inserted in holes in the underside of the steering wheel.  Cancelling levers extend from the switch, through the tube and are contacted by the pins, as the wheel is turned.  The hole is cut so that the levers on the switch can pass through the tube.  (This much, you probably knew).  I think that -- by holding the switch into position so that its bracket can be bolted to the bottom half of the existing "Handi-Shift" bracket -- you can easily determine the location of the hole and its approximate size.  Perhaps you could apply masking tape to the column before "eyeballing" it, which will make it easier to mark with a pen or pencil.  Then with a hacksaw, drill, or combination of both, you can make the hole.

Ol racer

FYI

Ive bought Universal Turn/Sig NOS Switches on EBay that have a roller that rides under the steering wheel that cancels the turn signal after making a turn. Some have a 4 Way feature too. Think paid $20 -$25 and they work well. One Truck I put amber bulbs in the fender Lights and another I bought small chrome St Rod lights at a Truck Stop for in the grille....

48Sed

I am looking at putting a stock assembly in as I have one already
Thanks.

Jon B

Also, the stock assembly (thought it lacks the emergency blinker feature) does not call attention to itself (as some of those big honkin' aftermarket switches do), AND it has araceway with a special chrome casting at the bottom, which neatly carries the wires down the steering column and under the dash.  Every aftermarket setup I've seen, has the wires taped to the steering column, not a particularly "finished" solution to the problem.

48Sed

Would that converter work on 6 volts?

48Sed

I am putting the lights on a 46 with single lights but just have the 3 wire switch as I forgot the 48 has the two lights.

Jay_G

On my 46 truck I used the standard 46 wheel and out pins in from a stepdown wheel.  Then bolted on the turnsignal housing from a 46 3 wire housing with the stepdown switch inside.  It all fits together.  there was a little messing with the stepdown switch to insure the canceling pins worked correctly.  But it was really simple from that point as I use the stepdown wiring diagram.

Restoration Supply also has a really cool box that does everything using 3 wires from the turnsignal switch.  It works with 6 or 12, positive or negative ground.  It even self cancels (timer) if you need it.  I put one on my 37 and it works great.  It gives lots of options for connecting up to your vehicle.

Jay

48Sed

Jay

Are you running just a single light on the rear one on each side?

Jon B

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I have the 6-wire (1952-3) turn signal switch on my '37 (it works great for the single-lamp taillights) and I'd love to have emergency flashers.  I guess I would have to install four separate 6 volt relays in order to isolate the four signal lights (Left Front, Left Rear, Right Front, Right Rear) from one another and yet have all four blink in unison in case of emergency -- right?  The flasher switch (I have a 1940's vintage "Protecto-Flash" internally lit red knob) would activate all four relays, each of which would then switch each of the lamps over to a common circuit with power provided through a blinker dedicated only to the flasher circuit.

Of course, it would be great to find a single 6-volt relay unit with four separate relays in it, but that's probably wishing too much.

48Sed

Thanks for the great info.

Ken

Did you mean 6v?

Glowplug

You have the option of using new manufacture 6 Volt DC relays when working with the HUDSON 6 volt positive ground electrical systems.  

I recently began the complete rewire of a 6 volt positive ground 54 Hudson using an alternator and  modern wiring harness which includes a fuse block.  To effectively use the maximum amount of current when interfacing the available 6 volts to each accessory I use relays and reset able circuit breakers on high current circuits.    

Six (6) volt relays are not usually stocked at your local auto parts store.  But, you can order them from electrical suppliers. To this end the following pictures and contact information are provided to show you the relays I purchased to complete my project.  I ordered my relays from NEWARK an electrical supply house that can be reached via telephone at:  800-463-9275 or on the INTERNET at www.newark.com .  The relays are designed to be mounted on a circuit board, but you can easily solder individual wiring to the relay covering each connection with a shrink tube to create a neat and secured relay harness.  Secure the relay harness with a Zip Tye.

48Sed

Will the 52-53 switch fit in the 48-51 housing?

alansking

May I perhaps suggest a way to add indicators without needing flasher unit or even separate lights, consider adding flashing LED's into std running lights, two flashes per second are ideal plus if you use an orange LED you then have a perfect indicator , I find fitting them into the side lights as simple with various size LED's available from 2mm to 10mm , of course this requires an indicator switch but LED's can run on various voltages.

48Sed

Ken

Did you mean 6v that the Hopkins unit would not work on?

What do the 6 wire switches go for usually? 

Thanks