1956 Back-Up Lights wiring to work without headlights on? | Ford Thunderbird forum club group 1955-2005 models

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1956 Back-Up Lights wiring to work without headlights on?

  • Thread starter Thread starter SoCa56TB
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SoCa56TB

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1956
One of the few options my '56 does not have is Back-Up Lights ($8.50 original option). I have considered buying the back-up light kit (that includes switch, wiring, reflectors, etc), which are about $85 from concours and casco, to add it. But I've read that it is an odd feature that it only works if the headlights are turned on ... does not work, not powered, unless headlights are on ... Ford thought only needed at night. Two questions. 1) Can someone with the backup lights confirm it requires headlights to be on; and, if so, 2) Does anyone know, has anyone seen a thread or info on whether there is a wiring work-around to power the back-up lights without the headlights on? I know, for example, there is a simple hack to make parking lights stay on with headlights on, that there is a simple diode sold by casco that is added to the headlight switch tabs that creates a bridge to continue to power the parking lights with headlights on. Anyone know of anything like that to make backup lights be powered when car is on, versus headlights on? Thanks.

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SoCa56TB said:
One of the few options my '56 does not have is Back-Up Lights ($8.50 original option). I have considered buying the back-up light kit (that includes switch, wiring, reflectors, etc), which are about $85 from concours and casco, to add it. But I've read that it is an odd feature that it only works if the headlights are turned on ... does not work, not powered, unless headlights are on ... Ford thought only needed at night. Two questions. 1) Can someone with the backup lights confirm it requires headlights to be on; and, if so, 2) Does anyone know, has anyone seen a thread or info on whether there is a wiring work-around to power the back-up lights without the headlights on? I know, for example, there is a simple hack to make parking lights stay on with headlights on, that there is a simple diode sold by casco that is added to the headlight switch tabs that creates a bridge to continue to power the parking lights with headlights on. Anyone know of anything like that to make backup lights be powered when car is on, versus headlights on? Thanks.
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I'm very close to positive that the headlights need to be on or perhaps either headlights or running lights for the backup lights to get power. If you have basic electrical wiring skills it's not hard to do a work around. I know for sure you can run a new wire that come on with the ignition and run that wire to where the wires come out from the neutral safety switch. That was how I did my 57. I then ran new wire to the trunk to power the BU lights. Later I discovered there already seemed to be wires from the factory going back to the trunk. I never fully verified that since I had already wired the BU lights with all new wiring except for the use of the existing wires coming from the neutral safety and BU light switch. Ford was nice enough to run the wires from the switch up thru the floor by the Automatic trans shifter and leave the ends there for future use. To get to them you would need to remove the carpet enough to expose the floor area around the shifter. If you are buying a kit from Casco they may have already planned for the needed wires and possibly with it setup to work anytime the car is on. You might call and ask. If the carpet is out the whole thing is easy to do even if you run all new wires because the switch and pigtails are there already. As I recall what I saw when I did mine, I don't think the power wires from the dash to the switch pigtails were there. The switch pigtails were just sitting there unconnected to anything. I would guess the 56 is similar/same as the 57. I bought a NOS backup light kit for my 57 and I don't think it came with any of the needed wires anyway, just the lenses and trim rings and sockets with pigtails to connect to the wires. Not sure what Casco kit has so that's another thing to ask them... does it include the wiring from front to back or is it just the assembly that's installed in the rear light housing. In any case, as I said, if you have basic DIY electrical wiring skills you should not have any problems doing the wiring part but you will have to pull the carpet if you want them to go on and off with shifter movement. If you can easily pull up the carpet you might want to check to see if the pigtails are there before deciding if you want to do the project. Attached photo shows what was in my car. You can just barely see the red wires that come up thru the floor and go to where the pigtails are. What I'm calling pigtails are the usual ford female bullet connectors.
 

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  • wiring near shifter along floor neutral backup switch 1957 tbird anno.JPG
    wiring near shifter along floor neutral backup switch 1957 tbird anno.JPG
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Yes, the headlights need to be on for the original wiring. However, it is very easy to wire the circuit to have them come on at all times. It is a simple wiring change.
 
SoCa56TB said:
One of the few options my '56 does not have is Back-Up Lights ($8.50 original option). I have considered buying the back-up light kit (that includes switch, wiring, reflectors, etc), which are about $85 from concours and casco, to add it. But I've read that it is an odd feature that it only works if the headlights are turned on ... does not work, not powered, unless headlights are on ... Ford thought only needed at night. Two questions. 1) Can someone with the backup lights confirm it requires headlights to be on; and, if so, 2) Does anyone know, has anyone seen a thread or info on whether there is a wiring work-around to power the back-up lights without the headlights on? I know, for example, there is a simple hack to make parking lights stay on with headlights on, that there is a simple diode sold by casco that is added to the headlight switch tabs that creates a bridge to continue to power the parking lights with headlights on. Anyone know of anything like that to make backup lights be powered when car is on, versus headlights on? Thanks.
Click to expand...
I just rewired my 56 Tbird so the backup lights are connected to the "A" terminal of the ignition switch. This way, the backup lights will work anytime the shifter is in reverse and the ignition switch is on. In addition, I installed a new neutral safety switch that will allow the engine to be started in "P" or "N".
 
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