A Study Of Switch Plates

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi all - following on from Dirk Leegwaters thread on his reproduction Chevrolet switch plates, I now pose the question, did Australian Chevrolet Blitzs ever utilise the two switch plate system as well as the single plates for each switch? This two-plate system appears to be on the 1943 onward trucks utilising the round gauges. If so, does someone have an example of the switch plates to see how they differ, if at all, from the Ford switch plate.
Bob

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Bob

Thought I'd add another variation to the question, most of the reproduction pictures I have seen have five switches. My late '45 HUP as a six switch plate. I've attached a couple of pictures to illustrate the differences. Can anyone shed some light on when this change took place and is it peculiar to HUPs.

Cheers Phil

Copy of IMG_0329.JPG Copy of Wiring Harness info(2).jpg Wiring Harness info(6).jpg

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hey Keefy and Rod D, tell us about the Chevrolet instrument housing that has the 5 & 3 switch plates. Show us the comparison between the Chevrolet and Ford plates. Do the Chevrolet ones exist here in Oz as they do in Europe according to Dirk L?
Bob

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi all - for the edification of all I have now answered my own question of the two switch plate configuration in Australian Cab 13 Chevrolets. I found an example and have managed to decipher most of the script. It is in the below detailed truck that I'm posting in the Sell section. What I need now is a good image of these plates or to borrow them to replicate.


General Motors of Canada Ltd
Chassis Model R106
Cab Model
Chassis Serial 3-8443-60514 M
Engine Serial PR 3946943
Order No E-52-384
Date of Mfg 30 6 44 AUS M

R106 is a RAAF designation - a C60L. This one possibly had a steel dropside GS body. It was assembled in Melbourne.

Bob

[Grant Bowker]

I know many parts were different between Canadian and Australian trucks, but I have doubts about at least the left hand plate in the two plate configuration shown above. A spot light seems odd for a wartime truck. As well, the lettering for the cab light label seems to be placed over the border line around the edge of the plate. The printing also looks "off", but that could be my eyes. I'm more used to seeing black printing to match the border on the plate.

On a related topic, does any one know how it was decided for trucks using the 2 plate configuration whether the left plate was set up for 5 switches or for 6?

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi Grant - the problem with this plate is that the original scripting was painted over and removal of that paint in the field would have destroyed the original. Therefore a couple of those descriptions could be incorrect. WIPER could even be WIPERS. This is why I have been asking for a better example, that at this stage surprisingly, has not been forthcoming. My two main Blitz gurus have been silent on this topic.

Bob

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Phil Waterman

Thought I'd add another variation to the question, most of the reproduction pictures I have seen have five switches. My late '45 HUP as a six switch plate. I've attached a couple of pictures to illustrate the differences. Can anyone shed some light on when this change took place and is it peculiar to HUPs.

Never seen another one of these 6 switch plates until Sjoerd van de Wal offered me to buy his example. I bought it as a conversation piece.

It has the usual switches plus an extra one in the 5th position (from the top) for “clear headlamp isolation”.

AC2AEED2-3810-4141-820E-EF321EA7313E.jpeg

[m606paz]

This is a plate found on Ford Fat-5.
Seems to be original..

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Mariano,

They are late war plates made of steel. I can see a bit of a round gauge on the right side. I have seen earlier ones made of brass.
The brass ones only control one set of lights with each switch while this type allows three combinations of lights on three switches.

The blank space on the ignition plate is for the Autopulse (fuel pump) switch when fitted.

As is so often the case, two holes have been enlarged to fit non-standard switches. Very hard to find plates that haven't had this done to them over the years.

Cheers,

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Jacques Reed

Hi Mariano,

They are late war plates made of steel. I can see a bit of a round gauge on the right side. I have seen earlier ones made of brass.
The brass ones only control one set of lights with each switch while this type allows three combinations of lights on three switches.

The blank space on the ignition plate is for the Autopulse (fuel pump) switch when fitted.

As is so often the case, two holes have been enlarged to fit non-standard switches. Very hard to find plates that haven't had this done to them over the years.

Cheers,

The brass ones are Ford, never Chev. The unused centre place is again Ford, because on Chevs it is used for the trouble lamp socket (that when not in use is stored in the pouch on the front of the side curtain bag hung behind the seats).