38 Cad 90 V16 rear dome lights removal

[Mr Leery]

Hi Folks ..
Just joined up and checked the FAQ but did not see my question ..
how the devil do you get the covers off the dome lights to check the bulbs etc? .. no screws, no tabs ..
1938 Cadillac 90 V16 .. pics available ..

thank you,

john A.

EDIT:
the 2 by the side rear windows "slide out" .. haven't figured the center dome light yet ..

[Chris Cummings]

Hi John,

What does your ceiling light look like? 

Chris Cummings

[35-709]

On my '35 you turn the light cover a few degrees, probably counter-clockwise, and the lens assembly drops right off.

[Mr Leery]

you are correct .. appreciate the reply ..
we discovered it this morning and i was just about to let you all know..
the rears slide out and the dome twists out ..
bulbs are good, now looking for power source .. no power to door switches or light switches .. 
the adventure continues ..

john   

[Steve Passmore]

Could be that the power go's directly to the light and all the switches are just earths?

[Chris Cummings]

John,

If all of your switches and lights are dead, I'd suspect the body lighting feed wire from the main wiring harness behind the instrument panel.

Chris Cummings

[Brad Ipsen CLC #737]

I believe the feed to the dome lights and other items in the interior is fed on the right (passenger) side.  There was a big change from 38 to 39 on routing the body feed harness on the big series cars.  In 38 the harness to the tail lights and gas gauge is routed on the frame.  Only the interior lights are fed through the body.  In 39 this was changed so the harness for the tail lights, dome lights gas gauge, etc. was in the body.  It ran on the drivers side of the body above the head liner.

Steve,

Dome light switches were all hot switches until 41 when they changed to grounding switches.

 

[Steve Passmore]

Steve,

Dome light switches were all hot switches until 41 when they changed to grounding switches.

I thought that might have been the case with with single light switch Brad but as John talked about door switches also does that mean the sedans had 'live' door switches also?

[JoeCeretti]

Be very careful with those dome lights and associated wires. I rewired my entire car (1938 60S) but could not get to that wire due to it being inside the headliner. Only wire I didn't change. I planned on doing it when I redid the interior this winter.

Co-Part is coming to take my burned out car today. I spent the last few days carefully dissecting the source of the fire. It was 100% the dome light wire that shorted in the A pillar.

[Steve Passmore]

And not the unit you had in your glove box for the radio after all??

[JoeCeretti]

No, not that. I was able to dig around a bit in the debris and the pressed metal case surround on the converter was still fully intact. I measured carefully the area of burn and everything pointed to the fire starting on top of the glove box. After looking closely I could see a clear line burned where the dome light wire ran. right up the passenger side a pillar. Burned right into the metal. All of it was burned but the line was darker than everything else. It appears to have shorted on a roof bow.

A little bit of amateur forensics and I can't be sure but it really appears that way and is also logical as being the only wire still original. Every other wire I changed out with 1 gauge size larger than stated on the wiring diagram. All of them very carefully crimped and wrapped in correct automotive wire loom tape.

[Brad Ipsen CLC #737]

Steve,

Door switches are hot and very hard to fix.

[Chris Bryant #19358]

Hi Folks,

I bought 2 new switches from Bob's Buick parts in California and they are direct replacements - brand new. For 37-38 Buicks at least. I am in hospital right now so I don't have all my stuff to provide a positive part number.

Joe,
I PM'd you yesterday so look at your private email please.

Merry Christmas, all!

Chis Bryant #19358