1957 Chevy 3100 Headlight Switch Help

[jesse2135]

Hey guys I am in the process of rewiring my truck and the guy i bought it from didnt have the headlight switch hooked up for some reason. I took the switch out but there are no labels on the terminals. Does anyone have a diagram or picture of their switch? Here is a picture of the diagram that came with the wiring kit and of the switch itself. Thanks for the help!

[LDO]

Don't think you have the correct headlight switch for your truck. Here is a picture I saved from the web for a reference when I did mine. I ordered a new one from Classic Chevy and wired mine similar to the pic but I wired my running lights to stay on at the 2nd detent of switch.

[mr48chev]

LDO beat me to it, the switch in your truck appears to be a standard issue later model switch. Not that it's entirely a bad thing but it will take a bit of figuring out.

I'm not sure what that switch is, I thought it was mid 70's GM but it doesn't match the most common one for Chevrolet in those years.

The two ones that are at the bottom of the photo are probably to the dash lights that run through the resistor one being in and one being out. The bar running down the middle is probably the hot feed in and the others are the headights and park/tail lights. The headlights will only be on when the knob is pulled all the way out and the park/tail will be on when the switch is pulled to the first notch or all the way. an ohm meter or continuity tester should help you figure that out.

[jesse2135]

I was looking online and could not come up with any certain switch. Everywhere i looked one site said it was like the one in the picture you put up and others had the one that i put. But that makes sense, i have been trying to find a diagram for any car online that the switch the truck has to see how it is labeled as that switch looks like it was used on various models. Just havent had any luck yet. I found this site right now as an example

http://www.classicchevy.com/chevy-he...itch-1957.html

which shows the switch that i have and some applications. You guys are correct, my truck is not listed in the applications. I might just do some more looking online and try to find a service manual for them.

[TX58]

My dome light doesn't work, I see it shows where the dome ground connects to but where does the dome power connect to?
Posted via Mobile Device

[Russell Ashley]

Originally Posted by TX58

My dome light doesn't work, I see it shows where the dome ground connects to but where does the dome power connect to?
Posted via Mobile Device

In a TF the dome light power connects to the other tab on the "Batt" connection on the switch. The light has power to it all the time is is turned on by grounding the other side of the bulb.

[Divine 59]

Might also check the "rheostat" type portion of the headlight switch you have. This part of the switch looks like a spring. If it is broken or corroded your dome light won't function correctly. It will also affect your instrument gage lights. The dome light is powered by the "notch" at the end of the travel of the knob of course. May also check the ground on your dome light as another possible cause.

Good Luck

[Russell Ashley]

Originally Posted by Divine 59

Might also check the "rheostat" type portion of the headlight switch you have. This part of the switch looks like a spring. If it is broken or corroded your dome light won't function correctly. It will also affect your instrument gage lights. The dome light is powered by the "notch" at the end of the travel of the knob of course. May also check the ground on your dome light as another possible cause.

Good Luck

Divine, The rheostat doesn't have any thing to do with the dome light, only the dash lights. The strap on the light switch is the ground for the dome light.

[jesse2135]

TX58, Heres the diagram that came with the new switch for my 57'