Convoy Light wiring on a VN era M35

Hello all,

I have two questions about the deuce:

1. A friend has a 1964 M35A2 that he has a convoy light mounted on. He wants to wire the light properly but doesn't have a manual/TB for it. Right now, he just twists a couple of wires together when he wants it on (oy! it kills me everytime he does it). I scanned through the Tech Manuals on the left but didn't see anything. Is there a "proper" way to wire these by either tapping into an existing harness downsteam of the light switch or by wiring to a seperate switch installed on the dash? I can't remember how ours were wired on the M113s in Germany. I don't remember a seperate switch for them.

2. He frequently goes to VN era reenactments and wants to represent the vehicle as a mid-60s era truck assigned to an aviation unit. I say they wouldn't have had woopie lights on the vehicles in theater, he says maybe. Any ideas/opinions? If they did, would they have been wired the same as they are now (see question 1)?

Thanks

Mine has a seperate switch. It tapped in in the harness along the outside of the fire wall and than ran back along the frame to the posts. I put the switch in one of the knock outs near the center of the dash. Not sure if that was the correct spot but I works for me.

Hope this helps.

Tom

I think if you search around.... someone posted the instructions for the lights.

My switch is attached under the dash and labeled warning lights with on and off. It is the same switch as the master power switch in the dash but this one is on a bracket under the dash. If you want I can try to take pics later. The military took the lights off but left all the wiring and switch in place. I am going to use the switch to turn on and off my 12 volt acc converter.

I have photos of trucks with beacons in Vietnam. Out of several thousand Vietnam truck photos, perhaps 4-5 (other than fire trucks) have beacons - and from memory they are all wreckers.

HTH,
David

Convoy light switch goes on a little L bracket affixed to the bottom edge of the dash so that it hangs down under the edge. Wire from the switch goes to a t-plug that is inserted into the harness feed to the headlight dimmer switch at the dimmer so that the convoy light only operates when the headlights are on. Wire from the other side of the convoy light switch goes down under the cab and then is split and runs up inside the mounting tubes to the lights.

I've still got the instructions from when I did my instalation in case somebody wants a copy...

Here are the instructions.... One of these days I will get time to add my tips for installing the things...

on my 819, i taped into the power wire for the rear work lights with my switch mounted in a hole next to the work lite switch, a 6" jumper wire was all i needed.
in the deuce or non wrecker i would come off the amp gauge instead of the dimmer switch, this way the beacons can be on without the head lights being on, if needed be you could add a fuse or cirect breaker to the beacon power wire

Thanks for all the info. I'll get this to him and we'll get these lights wired up right! And a lot safer-I'm surprised he hasn't grounded out that hot wire by now. Then I'll see if I can get him to put it on something that can be removed for those VN reenactments.

I don't specifically remember having a seperate switch for the woopie light on the M113 but that has been quite some time ago. Seems I thought they were wired into the service drive and came on automatically with the headlights. Could be that different vehicles were wired differently.

Thanks again.

Re: RE: Convoy Light wiring on a VN era M35

DDoyle said:

I have photos of trucks with beacons in Vietnam. Out of several thousand Vietnam truck photos, perhaps 4-5 (other than fire trucks) have beacons - and from memory they are all wreckers.

HTH,
David

Click to expand...

David is right. Not many trucks with convoy lights. If he wants to be accurate. Take the beacon off and get a flight line flag instead.

I know it's an old thread, but what I did today fits the conversation.
I mounted my beacons a while ago, but didn't get the switch and plate until today. Removed the flame heater switch and mounted the beacon switch there. I haven't hooked them up yet (tomorrow), but plan to use what I can from the flame heater wiring. AKA, batter power in, and maybe some of the factory wiring out but re-routed.


I for one love the way the beacons look on the deuce. I feel they MAKE the truck. Especially with the tan.

I know I'm highjacking this thread but I'm restoring a VN era wrecker and should could use a pair of beacon lights. Anyone got a set available? I can make the mounting brackets etc. I really just need the beacons.

I got mine from Ken Spencer. Don't remember his screenname on here.