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Technical Turn signals for Model A's

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by Ron Brown, Jul 16, 2019.

  1. Ron Brown
    Joined: Jul 6, 2015
    Posts: 1,711

    Ron Brown
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    D6348629-96F3-4BB9-AFE5-EC62B33342E7.jpeg 15C8D6D7-476D-49F3-B879-317B81959DB5.jpeg C118A9D0-3120-48BD-A059-8B884D9C30EF.jpeg B1BFDB31-2CE2-476E-85A8-0202920AE19B.jpeg 2C9709A3-E7B9-4FF5-BB88-ACBF8C9D4FF8.jpeg 3D32BE4B-07DA-484A-9A26-956065CB05BF.jpeg B3A5588F-7CB0-435F-A018-693DD290C80B.jpeg 4D6AF676-8969-49DC-B649-7D281B2E9158.jpeg 46CF19CC-802F-4508-81C8-22E97F1FC391.jpeg When I first built my sedan I installed turn signals by installing LED lights inside both headlight buckets wired to a flasher/toggle switch mounted on my steering column to tank brace...worked well but reaching around /thru the steering wheel became a pain in the arse...after cleaning the garage and looking for something productive to do I decided to see if I could utilize the old spark advance lever to work as a turn signal lever...here is what I came up with... the stainless box I made with scrap metal I had laying around, the actuating link I made from an old factory control rod that I cut to length and coupled back together...the switch I cant remember where I got it but I found the EXACT same one from Walmart (believe it or not)... used a die grinder to shape the toggle switch lever into a ball end.....I'm sure I'm not the first to try this and some probably much better than mine but I can tell ya....this was a great little project that works exceedingly well...Just make sure clutch and brake pedal arms clear when done...mine cleared easily.......got indicators coming so will be working on a way to install them inside...somewhere.
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2019
  2. Absolutely brilliant, it is so well thought out and executed it almost appears as though it was stock.

    This would win my vote on any tech week! HRP

    [​IMG]
     
    1947knuck, cpd682, Flat Roy and 3 others like this.
  3. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    I'm with HRP. Really good thinking here, right down to the geometry of ratio on the lengths of 'short arms' (spark to toggle arms)
     
    Stogy and HOTRODPRIMER like this.
  4. woodiewagon46
    Joined: Mar 14, 2013
    Posts: 2,269

    woodiewagon46
    Member
    from New York

    Old Henry is in his grave saying "why didn't we think of that", very cool Ron!
     
    Stogy and HOTRODPRIMER like this.

  5. 31Apickup
    Joined: Nov 8, 2005
    Posts: 3,365

    31Apickup
    Member

    Stogy likes this.
  6. Ron Brown
    Joined: Jul 6, 2015
    Posts: 1,711

    Ron Brown
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    thanks guys...hope some of ya'll can use all or part of this for yourselves...
     
    Atwater Mike and Stogy like this.
  7. Johnny Gee
    Joined: Dec 3, 2009
    Posts: 12,600

    Johnny Gee
    Member
    from Downey, Ca

    Awesome and just the kind of things I like seeing vs credit card built vehicles. Makes me want to show how I made window switches using common on-off-on toggles.
     
    Stogy likes this.
  8. winduptoy
    Joined: Feb 19, 2013
    Posts: 3,316

    winduptoy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Stogy likes this.
  9. rwrj
    Joined: Jan 30, 2009
    Posts: 721

    rwrj
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from SW Ga

    Wow. That's ingenious. Good job.
     
  10. oldcootnco
    Joined: Jun 10, 2010
    Posts: 67

    oldcootnco
    Member

    I am always amazed what I find on the HAMB. Great job.
     
    Stogy likes this.
  11. L7
    Joined: Apr 22, 2009
    Posts: 131

    L7
    Member

    I've got an old swap meet find. (trashy turn signal switch)
    I was thinking of utilizing it in a similar fashion.
    Thank you for adding to my thought process.
     
    Stogy likes this.
  12. Stogy
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 26,345

    Stogy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    @Ron Brown a great mechanical solution with a direct connection to vintage innovation...

    I take it there is a lever aside the Column near the wheel as a Factory/Aftermarket style? Can we see a pic of your driving point of view? I assume they do not self cancel...My Aftermarket inspired definitely doesn't. Again great mechanical sense and genius on your part and thanks for sharing.

    What is the other sprung lever for? My only other question is strengthwhen pushing up or down to actuate the switch...is there a need for stops to minimize breackage at switch level...I will say signals as a rule are handled fairly gently.

    Here a reality and I'm sure you have it covered and that is 4-ways. The inspired vintage switch I have has a 4-way integrated but most Newbie cars have it as a switch elsewhere. Is that what you did and I guess another way of looking at it might be in 29 it may not require them...
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2019
  13. Stogy
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 26,345

    Stogy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Toggles are traditional as apple pie...no doubt with an Aviation Connection...
     
    Frankie47 likes this.
  14. Hotrodmyk
    Joined: Jan 7, 2011
    Posts: 2,302

    Hotrodmyk
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    1. Northwest HAMBers

  15. Dedsoto
    Joined: Jan 7, 2014
    Posts: 320

    Dedsoto
    Member
    from Australia
    1. Aussie HAMBers

    That's brilliant, I see myself copying this for sure. They're sticklers for signals down here.
     
  16. Ron Brown
    Joined: Jul 6, 2015
    Posts: 1,711

    Ron Brown
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    84244DF3-5ECD-4B68-836C-A9F343A2E174.jpeg ECBB45DD-3426-4A69-B8D0-95DE8DB95EF8.jpeg A993CB70-786A-4177-A584-E42C47B7F3F9.jpeg


    Stogy...The Model A has factory spark advance lever on left and throttle lever on right. I never removed them and they are right where you would normally find a turn signal lever. They attach to a pair of long rods that go down the steering column and terminate at the two springs you see. A linkage goes from left lever to distributor and right lever to carburetor. I am running dual Strombergs and electronic distributor so no need for the linkage. Nice thing is the lever at the steering wheel comes out of the column thru a port that only allows it to move up and down a very short distance and actually creates it own stops, so no need to worry about breaking the switch, no matter how hard you pull on the lever. They are not self cancelling.

    here are a couple pics from the drivers seat...the lever on the right is not used so I may find a use for it later, like maybe a drag chute release...
     
  17. Stogy
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 26,345

    Stogy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Thanks Ron yeah that's fantastic and there's that funny Model a Dash Face always Hollering away to someone and this one is a she as there is the added bust below...:D
     
    Ron Brown likes this.
  18. Ron Brown
    Joined: Jul 6, 2015
    Posts: 1,711

    Ron Brown
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    No prob...yeah I made the dash extension so I could get a couple more gauges in....funny thing, spent all day making one for a single gauge then realized I wanted 2 gauges so spent next day making another for 2 gauges....good thing I have lotsa spare time as I usually spend more time redoing stuff that I didnt get right in the first place...gota luv it
     
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  19. Ron Brown
    Joined: Jul 6, 2015
    Posts: 1,711

    Ron Brown
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    CA1EB925-B679-4338-AAED-703D3EE8A1E0.jpeg 7DB23970-7BF6-4DBD-B5DB-4119AB15F56E.jpeg DDB8C319-2727-4FA2-BFD4-50E246C17704.jpeg DA90D97E-ECD0-4BAD-A0AA-F96AB6C3DDC8.jpeg 8E741E75-754F-46F2-8880-71549A3D4F97.jpeg 70733A67-F615-47CC-B9D6-BF3A37231ED5.jpeg ED8C8F76-8219-4602-824C-DD3D64791E28.jpeg Final chapter...finally got the turn signal indicators...built a bracket, again out of scrap stainless I had, to hold them and installed...wired up and everything works well...
     
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  20. flatford39
    Joined: Dec 3, 2006
    Posts: 2,799

    flatford39
    Member

    Really innovative....I might steel that. Question for you. I thought you replaced the banger with a flathead in this car or was it another car you own???
     
  21. Ron Brown
    Joined: Jul 6, 2015
    Posts: 1,711

    Ron Brown
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I have the flathead all done as well as a 37 tranny all rebuilt, even bought all the Clings adapters to make it all work, but the banger runs so good I've decided to leave it as is for now...the trans and engine is just sitting in a stand for now.
     
    1947knuck and flatford39 like this.
  22. 1-SHOT
    Joined: Sep 23, 2014
    Posts: 2,693

    1-SHOT
    Member
    from Denton

    IMG_9827.JPG You could always use one of these. It self canceling when u make the turn and it only takes a double thro signal contact switch to work. I bought mine on evil bay
     
  23. baspinall
    Joined: Dec 8, 2009
    Posts: 447

    baspinall
    Member
    from SE PA

    Great idea Ron. Maybe I will use my A Steering column .......
     
  24. Tim
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 17,086

    Tim
    Member
    from KCMO

    Damn Ron I absolutely love this. Along with dang near anything else you post. Thank you!
     
  25. Ron Brown
    Joined: Jul 6, 2015
    Posts: 1,711

    Ron Brown
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    heck mighta used that if i knew before doing all this work...... lol....but the main reason I did this is to utilize the existing dist adv lever for activation.
     
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2019
    1947knuck likes this.
  26. Ron Brown
    Joined: Jul 6, 2015
    Posts: 1,711

    Ron Brown
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    great...hoping it motivates some guys to use their imaginations...I luv this stuff.
     
    1947knuck and baspinall like this.
  27. Ron Brown
    Joined: Jul 6, 2015
    Posts: 1,711

    Ron Brown
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    thanks Tim.....I try to please........lol
     
    1947knuck and Tim like this.
  28. Flat Roy
    Joined: Nov 23, 2007
    Posts: 533

    Flat Roy
    Member

    Great idea. Thanks for sharing.
     
  29. Steves46
    Joined: Sep 23, 2008
    Posts: 533

    Steves46
    Member
    from Florida

    Absolutely brilliant idea!
     
  30. ramblin dan
    Joined: Apr 16, 2018
    Posts: 3,609

    ramblin dan

    Great work. Now you got me thinking again!
     

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