Pardon my ignorance, but picked up a 53 chevy half ton pickup. Has the old 6 volt system and foot starter. I assume there should be some sort of key to get power to ignition but nothing i can see even rigged up. Might someone have put in an aftermarket type ignition switch and know the wiring? Sorry for such a basic question but assume there is nothing wired into the cab for a switch. How would i wire it up? Photos help lol thanks
kinda hard to read...but yeah, there should be an ignition switch. It just connects power from the battery to the coil. If you just want to get the truck running, you can use a toggle switch. If it's converted to a 12v system, there needs to be a ballast resistor between the switch, and the coil, to drop the voltage down. (most coils work on around 6 to 8 volts). Kind of hard to read the drawing, I know...click on it, that will make it bigger.
RIght thats all i want is to get it running as im selling it. Old owner (jerk) says it ran and I see nothing in the cab to use a key on (not that he sent one) nor anything like a switch... So i am on my own and never really wired up a switch from scratch. So just looking to see what wire goes where on the switch and maybe match to what wires are already there. Not to be a dope but could you lay it out for me like wire goes from this terminal on ignition switch to X and wire goes from this terminal to Y... thanks!
If it's a 6 volt system, you need to connect the battery to the coil. If you don't know what you're doing, you can cause smoke and fire and destruction, by connecting a wire to the wrong place. so, you need to really pay attention to what you're doing. Do you have an ignition switch you want to install? If so, how about telling us what it is (or post a picture), so we will know what the markings on it are, and can then explain to you what they mean, and what to connect them to.
hiya. no ignition switch.. was going to pick up one from a local store ..like a universal one. Then was going to see what wires i have and trace them out to see where i stand. Sure appreciate.
If you push on the stater pedal and it cranks over( meaning starter makes crankshaft turn) and you have fuel in the carburetor you then need to run a jumper wire from the non ground side of the battery ( one cable hooks straight to the block,this is "ground" hook your jumper to the other one) to the small terminal on the coil that does NOT go to the distrbutor ...you have now "hot wired " your truck...if your points ,condenser,coil,cap, rotor and fuel are good it SHOULD run...disconnect the battery side of your jumper wire to shut it off...keep a fire extinguisher handy and good luck!
As King Ford said, this is all the wiring you need to just start it, as long as your foot starter cranks the engine.
but pay attention to what terminals are grounded on the battery and coil. The coil gets ground through the points, which are inside the distributor.
Universal ign. sw. won't fit in the hole without butchering the dash, so use a toggle sw. until you know what you have as far as run/no run ...
"Old owner (jerk) says it ran and I see nothing in the cab to use a key on (not that he sent one) nor anything like a switch..." And the OP said the old owner was a jerk.
The foot starter is mechanical. The ignition switch is on the right hand side of the steering column. It's a on/off switch. You turn the key to the right and then step on the floor button. This is the layout. http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1948_51truck/51ctsm1203.htm
The drawings are good but Universal switches don't work worth a shit in these trucks as they don't fit right in the original hole for the switch and always come loose. If you just want to try to get it running get a heavy duty toggle switch and stick it though the bottom of the dash so the handle aims down. wave the finger and switch on wave it the other way and switch off. I ran that way for a long time after I lost my keys and had to rig it to get home one night. Stock ign switch is at the bottom of the dash just to the right of the steering wheel.
Hmm why am I a jerk? Imagine you get a truck which you were told runs well only to find no key/ignition and get no response from seller whatsoever? Which of any of my statements makes me a jerk?
don't worry about it, some guys here are jerks, and like to insult people. Did you get enough info yet to see if you can start the truck? if you have any more questions, ask....
If I "picked up" a vehicle, I would notice if there was a place to insert the key, before taking the vehicle. The OLD OWNER could have driven the vehicle each day, as outlined in the above wiring diagrams.
Forgive my wordiing of 'picked up'. I should have been more clear and say "the truck was shipped to me". I bought it from photos only and didnt notice the missing key/ignition. Not sure how that makes me a jerk but anyways...Im sure there is more than enough info here... and a great drawing lol!! Much appreciated. I went by the truck yesterday and traced out from the coil wire into the cab. It goes under the dash to what looks like what once was the keyed ignition cylinder. I couldnt get behind the dash to see the other wires connected to the back of the 'switch'. id really prefer to just see what is there (wires) before i do anything. What I have is basically a hollow cylinder where there should be a keyed cylinder. As mentioned, several wires appear to be coming out of the rear of the housing cylinder which i want to trace out. Thanks!
The original ignition switches have a removable lock cylinder, and there is a slot down inside the switch, that you might be able to turn with a screwdriver. If the switch is still good, and not mangled inside, you might be able to just purchase a new lock cylinder (with key) and install it, and be done. but without some clear pictures of what you have, we will only be guessing.
Understand now. If you never saw the vehicle before the purchase , you had to be taken back, when you discovered no key and no ignition, when it was shipped to you. I apologize for misunderstanding / misjudging your comments. The wiring diagram, near the beginning of this thread, is highlighted with "electrical 12-2". That info is taken from the shop manual. Not many wires coming from ignition switch, a basic system back then. You should be able to trace those two wires.
^^^this... Most of us are more than willing to help you out getting this thing going. I know the excitement of the first fire up and how much fun it is! Snap a couple of pics of the underhood/ignition coil area and the dash where your empty cylinder is and we will be even more helpful!
Sorry as well for not being clear with my wording.. and thanks for your reply! not a good picture of the key cylinder so i will get more tonight. anyone ever seen a white switch almost like ones found in your house? it flips to like 3 positions.
that's probably an aftermarket heater switch. Follow the wire. the ignition switch looks like it's probably an original switch.
My '57 originally had a foot starter on the original 6. Even though the mechanism was mechanical, it activated a switch directly mounted to the starter. The ignition was a separate circuit which was controlled by a off/on ignition switch. Wiring is critical as others say to keep away from fires. Try a screwdriver in it to turn it as it's like a lock with the switching in the back of the switch. Or if you trace he wires you can wire a simple on/off switch. Also make sure the switch can handle the current too. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Under the dash is one screw under the ignition switch. Take it out and the switch is way easier to work on. The white switch is a Delco-Remy, marked "air", "def" or "heat" and is used from '35 until mid '50s in both cars & trucks. Some '41 - '48 Chevs with lots of accessories have a row of 4 of them. From the looks of what we can see of the dash, I wouldn't bitch about the condition.
I'd be temped to just buy a lock cylinder and see if I could gently wiggle it into place...might want to make sure the switch part, way down inside there, is properly aligned first. http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/LOC0/LC14200.oap?
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