Convertible window switches

[Deleted User]

Here's another puzzle I've encountered. The power window switches on my '53 are chrome (looks like metal) on the front doors, and a sort of ivory looking plastic on the back windows.



Is this the way they came out of the factory, or is one set incorrect ?



If one set is incorrect, which one is it ?



Ryan

[Deleted User]

I'm not sure about '53, but the '52 was the ivory plastic.

[Deleted User]

royer wrote:

I'm not sure about '53, but the '52 was the ivory plastic.

Plastic in both front and back in '52 royer ?

[Deleted User]

Correct. The fronts look like the one in this photo.

[Deleted User]

Even better, here's a shot of a '53.

Thanks to the website www.hudson-cars.com for these photos.

Unknown

Matt is correct ... the Hudson switch assembly for the stepdown years is the same as shown. I believe the switches are shared with other marques of cars of the era, but will leave that to those who know. The knobs can be turned on a lathe from stock plastic.

[Deleted User]

Ken is correct. The exception to the switches all being the same is the 1954 model year. They were chrome and different from the 48-53 years. The Hudson switches had an ivory tinge or a greyish tinge. These switches will interchange with the late fourties and early fifties Packard switches. (Good luck finding them!) Switches are rebuildable and can be restored . I pity anybody looking for the 54 window switches.

[Deleted User]

Hudzilla wrote:

Ken is correct. The exception to the switches all being the same is the 1954 model year. They were chrome and different from the 48-53 years. The Hudson switches had an ivory tinge or a greyish tinge. These switches will interchange with the late fourties and early fifties Packard switches. (Good luck finding them!) Switches are rebuildable and can be restored . I pity anybody looking for the 54 window switches.

Ok, so here's what I have to work with at the moment. I'll resize and attatch the first picture to this post to see if it will fly. If this works then I'll post three more pictures of the front and back switches in my '53, and my '54 Convertibles.



1st picture is the door switches presently on the '53 Convertible.

[Deleted User]

Ok, that one flew, so here's the back window switch in the '53.

[Deleted User]

Now here's the front window switch in my '54 Convertible.

[Deleted User]

And here's the back window switch in the '54.



Its beginning to look like someone has "switched the switches" (heh) -- on the doors on the '53, and the back ones are originals.



Am I correct in this assumption, and if I am, then I'm on the lookout for a four switch panel for the driver door, and a single for the passenger door, for a '53, and maybe I have an extra set of '54's to trade if that's what someone wants.



Russell Chilton, where'd you get your switches ?



Thanks for the input everyone !! A Guy could go a little strange trying to figure this stuff out without some serious help !!



( Come to think of it, the world does seem to be getting a little stranger these days

---

oh-oh ! )



silverone

Unknown

In the pic showing your 53, the armrest and trim below (with ash tray) are not from a 53. In 1953 and 54, the difference in switches is no surprise since Hudson was nearing the end of it's run. Perhaps a change in switch suppliers occured.

[Deleted User]

Dave53-7C wrote:

In the pic showing your 53, the armrest and trim below (with ash tray) are not from a 53. In 1953 and 54, the difference in switches is no surprise since Hudson was nearing the end of it's run. Perhaps a change in switch suppliers occured.

Very interesting Dave, now we're off on an upholstery slant too !!



Could it be that the whole door panel on my car has been swapped with some other year, and if so what other year ? Will a '54 panel fit a '53 ?



I'll go find a picture of the entire panel, resize it and post it here.

[Deleted User]

Dave53-7C wrote:

In the pic showing your 53, the armrest and trim below (with ash tray) are not from a 53. In 1953 and 54, the difference in switches is no surprise since Hudson was nearing the end of it's run. Perhaps a change in switch suppliers occured.

Here's the whole passenger door panel. I wonder if the convertible had a little fancier panel than the closed models. I bet it did come to think of it because the Hollywood had the ashtrays.



As for the switches, I doubt Hudson would mix two different types on the same car, even if they were using up old stock. Something else is going on here.

[Deleted User]

silverone wrote:

Here's the whole passenger door panel. I wonder if the convertible had a little fancier panel than the closed models. I bet it did come to think of it because the Hollywood had the ashtrays.



As for the switches, I doubt Hudson would mix two different types on the same car, even if they were using up old stock. Something else is going on here.

One thing I did discover, is that somewhere in the past a previous owner decided to change the interior color from maroon to black, so he/she dyed some of the original stuff black, and covered over the original seats with black vinyl. Looks like the doors were done by an amateur with the way they're wrinkled up.



This was a happy discovery for me, because I like the maroon waaaay better than the black, but still insist on doing the car as original. Like having your cake, and eating it too ! :-)

Unknown

Ryan,



The only things that remotely resemble a 53 front door panel are the horizontal pleats across the top. The rest of the "style" is pre 53. In your last pic, what appears to be a rear seat panel looks correct as it has the pleats on the bottom. As far as the switches are concerned, it's possible that the original switches failed and were replaced with whatever was readily/economically available at the time. Does it appear that your car was a victim of an amature restoration in the distant past?

[Deleted User]

Dave, from the pictures royer posted of the two '53's, the first one looks like it has the ashtray panel, and looks more "factory" than the second one.



The second picture looks like the door has been redone by someone not so fussy, due to the wrinkles evident.



Soooo -- do you think the first one is more factory correct than the second one, and if so, then maybe mine just has the additional curved strip that's incorrect ? The ashtrays are definately Hudson IMO, but maybe not correct for the year ?



Ain't this fun !!



Ryan

[Deleted User]

Sorry for the confusion, the first pic was of a 1952 conv.

russmaas

I believe this to be a correct 53 convert door panel

Russ

Unknown

silverone wrote:

Dave, from the pictures royer posted of the two '53's, the first one looks like it has the ashtray panel, and looks more "factory" than the second one.



The second picture looks like the door has been redone by someone not so fussy, due to the wrinkles evident.



Soooo -- do you think the first one is more factory correct than the second one, and if so, then maybe mine just has the additional curved strip that's incorrect ? The ashtrays are definately Hudson IMO, but maybe not correct for the year ?



Ain't this fun !!



Ryan

We see that the first picture shows the ashtray, door pull and woodgraining to be pre 53. The second picture shows the painted dash and door pull of a 53. The door panel photo posted by Russ is a 53.



Yes, it does appear that there was a rash of bad door upholstery jobs on convertible doors.



I'd say that the correct door panel for a 53 convertible would have horizontal pleats across the top and bottom, sans the wood graining and ashtray trim panel of course. Not sure at this point if the field/center of a 53 convertible door panel would have the diamond pleats like the previous years.



Fun...you bet!

[Deleted User]

russmaas wrote:

I believe this to be a correct 53 convert door panel

Russ

I think we're making progress now Russ, and I sincerely appreciate the input ! The door upholstery on your car looks a lot like the one on my '53 Coupe, only done in different materials --- and --- it is stitched exactly the same way, with the same trim. I know for a fact that the upholstery in my Coupe is original, because it is the done in the now extinct "checkerboard" figured velvet that no-one can get anymore. ( yep - I know about the Duralee stuff, but its not "exact", so dosen't interest me). Its original blue, and some panels have turned purplish, due to UV damage like a lot of the original blue stuff, -- but that's another story.



So, it appears from what we've discovered here is that I have '52 Hollywood door panels, on a '53 Convertible, with maybe '54 window switches.



Anyone agree with this deduction along with me ?



Ryan

Unknown

I thought I saw a set of ivory switches for sale at the Nationals ? Ron

[Deleted User]

Ron P wrote:

I thought I saw a set of ivory switches for sale at the Nationals ? Ron

Wow, --- anyone else see them, or know the vendor?



I'll contact him or her the minute I know who or how.



Thanks Ron.



Ryan

russmaas

Saw the switches and asked about them they were $800.

rambos_ride

I thought someone had some reproduced - or available - Bill Albright maybe?

[Deleted User]

russmaas wrote:

Saw the switches and asked about them they were $800.

Yeeeikkes Russ ---- was that for all four positions, or just the drivers door ??

Unknown

Ryan,



Have you checked out Packard sights for these switches?

[Deleted User]

Dave53-7C wrote:

Ryan,



Have you checked out Packard sights for these switches?

Yes, I have Dave, but only briefly. I'll get on the net in Packard land and see what's around in the next couple days.



Good advice --- thanks !



Ryan.

mars55

Ask and you shall receive. Check out this site.



http://www.packardpartsonline.com/electrical.html



This site has used '54 Packard window switches.



http://www.automotix.net/partshotline-packard-requests.html

Unknown

Hey mars55, how about shooting me some winning lottery numbers? LOL



Ryan,



As I understand it, the company that manufactured hydraulic window lifts, seats and convertible top cylinders supplied the likes of Hudson, Cadillac, Lincoln, Packard and others. So, assuming some commonality in the parts, you might want to expand your search.

ESSX28-1

Dave53-7C wrote: »

Hey mars55, how about shooting me some winning lottery numbers? LOL



We are 19 hours ahead of you, would our lottery numbers help?? LOL