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Here we go. One of the spun brass lamp housings with retainer trim ring and fitted captive seat for a 7" sealed beam bucket.

Brings back memories. My late dad was a metal spinner by trade.  Apprenticed back in 1936.     The turned wooden former was known as a "chuck". It was amazing to see the different tools/levers that were used in the forming process, plenty of upper body strength was acquired from that trade.   Aside to pots and pans we have at home that he made , I have some spun brass car lamps that he made back in the 1980,s that were to go on a project. Will put up a photo when I dust them down.

Nice shots young Carps.

FYI...

when diagnosing electrical issues..

print and learn this test sequence..  https://i.imgur.com/kviX0VQ.jpg

i use it every day..

it is the first step..  not the last step.

 you should continue if you are having headlight issues.. checking the positive voltage at the headlights with the other test lead on the positive battery terminal so you check the voltage drop..  if you have significant voltage drop.. check at the dimmer switch using a jumper cable hooked to the positive battery next to the car..


this is how to find resistance in the circuit..   resistance in a circuit is like somebody kinking your garden hose..

All handy Wayne .           I find a common cause with  deficient  lighting  is as already explained ,a poor earth .   Another problem can be caused with older vehicles when lights get upgraded to Halogen   for example, current draw is increased ,this then introduces loss  in wiring of too thin a gauge that suited the older system ,or still a "lossy" earth connection now breaking down . The latter is more familiar to those who have experienced for example the loss of tail /brake lights when brakes activated ,even though the tail lights worked on their own  and your switch is ok . The increased current is not handled by a poor earth  of the socket to body ,or oxidization where the bulb metal body contacts the holder .  .

Makes good sense  Peter . I never considered the connector  part . Many would notice though that unplugging a firewall connector will show some pins with visible oxidization  .     With the switch .    Easier and cheaper   to simply plug in a relay than have to replace a switch that could have lasted longer than it did .

Pretty much agree with your comments Peter .    With fusing  though I query the cct breaker  vs fuse benefit . If there is a short the reset time will be very short .  I would fuse each  side  both hi/lo separately  .In this case one is better than nothing .   I had an FE Holden with the  a   cct breaker inbuilt to the light switch  ,these were factory ,and the contacts or the bi metallic strip was so weak ,the lights would be intermittent on a bumpy road .    I am familiar with another cct breaker  problem that I struck in my old 46 Mercury  .   The vehicle would simply shut down from time to time ,and flicking to neutral and coasting I could restart ,pretty scary rolling along in traffic on a freeway . This went on for months  as I replaced an ignition switch[Toyota steering column] along the way.   I could not find any loose connections .  One summer day ,sitting at traffic lights she stopped running .  Luckily behind me were fellow rodders who helped push the vehicle off the road .  I ended up hot wiring the coil to the battery and drove home ,determined to fix it .  I "stressed " the ignition system by disconnecting  the +ve coil terminal   wire that comes from the ign switch and  loaded it with a headlamp and switched the ignition on . The lamp burnt for a while  ,so I  switched the wire to high beam  to load it more ,very quickly it shut down .  I turned the ignition off . Sat behind the wheel  ,uncovered the wiring panel in the console that had no fuses ,all circuit breakers .   Flicked on the ignition switch  on ,the light worked and shut down ,and a faint "click" . It was a circuit breaker . Whoever wired the vehicle had wired the ignition system through the heater/aircon circuit breaker  :evil: I replaced the breaker and rewired the ignition to "unfused" status .  

 With  regard  to  the feed wire for lighting I usually connect to the starter  solenoid battery terminal .     I have seen enough corroded wires at battery terminal add ons  to form my practice of steering clear . I also relay  start  circuits on automatic vehicles .  It is a long run of wiring  from the neutral safety switch loop from ignition sw to starter solenoid  . I had a hot start issue with one of my 66 Mustangs  fitted with the non clapper starter motor ,the starter solenoid was inefficient with heat,not helped by old light gauge wiring.    Used a relay to apply the "start" 12v and for 10 years it has not missed a beat.

Did this get fixed?

My condolences also Frank .
Lost my dad at age  94 almost 3 years ago . Although expected  as inevitable  at some stage as the years roll on, it is  still hard to take.

Frank.

Happy New Year all .   Got up bright and early, dropped the top on the 66 Mustang convertible  then headed out  to grab some fuel and a bag of ice for the Esky  to keep the drinks cold in preparation for a Hot Rods in the park  day down on our coastal peninsula .  Weather looks great today 27 degrees C with cloud cover  after yesterday's 39/40  swelter .
I get back and find my wife not feeling 100% with some minor  bug .   Now it will be a day in the shed setting up the steering in my 38 Chev pick up .   The Esky  with liquid refreshment kept cold with the bag of ice can keep me hydrated      

One quick test .   Use a voltmeter or a test lamp and  check the volts between engine block  and the +ve coil terminal with ign "on" . Then  check whilst cranking .

It does sound like  lack of voltage supply to ignition during crank cycle from the initial description

Hi Beck.   We got the lean burn units here with the last model Valiants produced around 1980 . Thinking back I think the distributor had no vac advance fitted  .    In Australia the distributors were made by Bosch as were the points versions made for Chrysler until 74 when they went electronic with the Chrysler box,  and GM and Ford until the eary 80,s until they changed  to the 4 pin module HEI .  The beauty of this was that parts interchanged . The Chrysler version had the pick up coil as a bolt in unit like points and the cam assy had the reluctor sleeve .  So any earlier points version of the three makes  would take the Chrysler bits for conversion to trigger the module ,and by a simple coil swap you had HEI . This worked well for our Valiants  from 70-74 with the "hemi 6" . And indeed for the latter 74 onwards where the pick up coil replaced points  where you could simply ditch the Chrysler box which in reality was just transistor switching of a conventional coil and replace it with a module and coil swap to get HEI .

I have done a "Google" search on the net under "Chrysler valiant electronic ignition"   and some wiring images come up .  Single ballast is there if this helps.

Frank.

Hi Jeff.
Is the 79 unit the Chrysler box with a 5 pin plug and dual ballast resistors and conventional coil? These were used on our Chrysler Valiants from 74-79
I would double check the wiring . A "Google"  on that system under "Valiant electronic ignition" should give you the right connections  if you do not have a manual . Sometimes when stumped. Start from the beginning. Looks like a simple wiring fault from the description of not getting any voltage when in cranking cycle.

I have converted one of those  set ups to real HEI .   Chucked the box and coil as well as the ballast.
Used the two wires from the distributor pick up coil to trigger a 4 pin Bosch module used commonly on many 80,s vehicles here in OZ with HEI . The module then connects to a HEI version of a conventional coil  . Only snag was getting the pick up coil polarity right to the module. Will not harm it, just throws the timing way out.

Now  116  homes lost ,close to 100 from the one township Wye River. Fires are still going  with more hot weather  arriving on New Years eve.  I hear now that some in the USA are victims of tornados   .Spare a thought for those whose Christmas period is far from enjoyable.