Jubilee headlight wires...how...?

kris_h_97

New User
I'm trying to do some minor fixes to my newly acquired '53 Jubilee and one of which is my left headlight. I've tested down to a bad/shorted left headlight wire, thus my left headlight not powered on when my right works fine. Now, I'm looking into the hood trying to figure how to get these wires taken out and replaced and I'm not seeing a whole lot of room. Are there particular directions or suggestions that I should be looking into here? Or is it really just as tough as it looks? Simple job in theory, but I just don't know how to reach the headlight nuts to take out the wires.
 
Take the headlight bulbs out so you can disconnect the wires.
Then take the old wire out. Cutting off the connector may make
it easier. In most cases, that wire runs from one headlight to the
other one. Replace that wire with new connectors and hook it up.
I test them before and after I put the bulbs back in. Easier.
 
(quoted from post at 01:44:16 09/07/17) I'm trying to do some minor fixes to my newly acquired '53 Jubilee and one of which is my left headlight. I've tested down to a bad/shorted left headlight wire, thus my left headlight not powered on when my right works fine. Now, I'm looking into the hood trying to figure how to get these wires taken out and replaced and I'm not seeing a whole lot of room. Are there particular directions or suggestions that I should be looking into here? Or is it really just as tough as it looks? Simple job in theory, but I just don't know how to reach the headlight nuts to take out the wires.

You sure it's not just a bad bulb?
 
No, it's a good bulb. Checked resistance on it and checks out.
As far as the wiring goes it's really plain as day too. I tested the ends by the bulb, after pulling them off, and figured the wire is bad coming from the other side (where it branches off the right headlight wire).
My big question here is how the heck you get to the wire connections where they go into the bulb housing? Doesn't seem like there's any easy way to get to them without taking off the metal body shroud.
 
There shouldn't be any external connection if original lights.
The wire runs through the hollow mounting "bolt" and connects to the bulb.
 
Sure there is, but first, why don't you verify the lamp itself is good simply by connecting the terminals to jumper wires and touching to your battery. I use a plain 6-volt dry cell lantern battery to check lamps quick and easy with a pair of alligator clip jumpers. Even a 12v lamp will illuminate with a 6-volt source, but NOT vice-versa. The '39-'53 MPC has the diagram of lighting kit wiring. Lighting kits were never factory installed -always dealer supplied optional accessories. With each new lighting kit came a better wiring diagram and parts list. Another better idea Ford had with the 6-volt positive ground system was that only one wire was used to power the lights. It ran under the hood lip from the light switch to the left front headlight and there it was 'Y'd off and a crossover wire ran over the radiator to the right lamp. The lamps had the other wire lead self grounded internally to the lamp housing to complete the circuit. Original Tract-O-Lite headlamps used a special hollow bolt that the wire fed thru to inside the shell. If I was to take a WAG, I'd be looking at the ground connections of each lamp. A wire does not just go 'bad'. It is either making a connection or isn't unless it is cut and/or shorted out. We don't know how your lights are wired or even if original so get a wiring diagram and start tracing wires AFTER you verify the lamps are good with a battery check. You can then wire them correctly. DO NOT ever wire lights to the key switch -follow instructions in diagram...

TPD
 

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