1940 Lasalle 5019 dome light

[Ben Medlock]

Working on wiring for this car and I'm trying to understand the dome lighting.I understand the power comes from the main headlight switch. This wire is always hot so what keeps the light from being on all the time? I understand from my authenticity manual that there is suppose to be a switch on the post between right doors..... can't seem to find that switch...... So I assume this switch that I'm missing breaks the ground making the light go on/off. Assuming my assumption is correct, that means the light housing would have to be insulated from all metal frame contact. I could put a rubber gasket between the light frame and the cab frame but what about each screw.... rubber washer on each???

Can someone tell me if I'm on the right path of thinking?

Thanks is advance

[tturley]

There is a switch on the right side B pillar. I will take a pic in a minute and post.
I believe the switch is connect through the cigar lighter and clock and it breaks the power source

[Brad Ipsen CLC #737]

The switch is not on the ground.  It is on the hot side.  This changed in 41 and after the ground was switched.

[tturley]

Dome switch

[tturley]

Whoops
Upside down, thought it was going to Australia

[Chris Bryant #19358]

Dear Ben,

Please put an inline fuse into the power wire! Joe Ceretti who is no longer a member of CLC lost his 1938 60 Special to a short in the wire to his dome light when it shorted to his right front A-pillar. Cheap and sensible precaution.

Chris Bryant #19358

[las39]

According to the diagram, feed comes from light switch.
I connected mine so dome is turned on when twisting the knob. Pillar switch is left on position because mine is very brittle.
Originally the terminal turns on glove light, clock light and feeds instrument switch.
Fuse is always a good thing.
Se diagram

[Ben Medlock]

Thanks for the help all.I bought wiring harness from YNZ and the instructions from those guys stated hot wire from main light switch to body plug on dome light. Then they provided another wire stating lamp switch to dome light (ground). That's why i was thinking the ground was to be switched. Anyway, i now have the hot wire going direct to dome light switch with the other wire going from switch to dome light. so, the light housing is grounded to frame and the hot is switched.... what i would call typical.

Now i just have to find a switch.

[tturley]

The glove compartment light on the 5019 is a mercury switch that activates when door is opened

[Steve Passmore]

Now i just have to find a switch.

Here you go

http://bobsautomobilia.com/?subcats=Y&pcode_from_q=Y&pshort=Y&pfull=Y&pname=Y&pkeywords=Y&search_performed=Y&q=dome+light+switch&dispatch=products.search

[Brad Ipsen CLC #737]

As far as I am concerned the switch that Steve linked to is the correct appearance for these switches.  Cars often have the all plastic switches that you see and people think they are original.  I don't think these are correct.  They were an aftermarket fix at the time for the correct switches that didn't last very long.  One observation that confirmed this in my mine, there were boxes of the plastic ones for sale at Hershey in the 80's.

[las39]

As far as I am concerned the switch that Steve linked to is the correct appearance for these switches.  Cars often have the all plastic switches that you see and people think they are original.  I don't think these are correct.  They were an aftermarket fix at the time for the correct switches that didn't last very long.  One observation that confirmed this in my mine, there were boxes of the plastic ones for sale at Hershey in the 80's.

Interesting. I thought the 1939 had the plastic type switch matching dash and escutcheons, and chrome switch for the 1940 matching chromed dash switches and escutcheons.