OK, the title is the best I could do.

I know wagons/Nomads didn't have lighting specific to the cargo space, but Nomads do have the dual B-pillar lights, and other wagons have a dome light which do light up the interior space along with the cargo area (especially if the rear seat back is folded down).

Paul (WagonCrazy) made a comment in MPC's wagon build thread re a 'gate switch', so I thought I'd start a new topic rather than cluttering up MPC's build thread.

Paul? Did you install a 'gate switch' to automatically turn on the interior lighting when the tailgate was opened in your current Nomad build?

I don't recall any wagons (nor Nomads) coming with a 'gate switch' to automatically turn on the interior lighting, ALTHOUGH at least some Nomads came with a manual switch enabling someone loading or unloading items to/from the cargo area to switch the lights on at night when necessary. I'm trying to confirm if my current '57 Nomad came with such a switch (I think it did), and if ALL nomads came with the switch for all years? I know my '55 Nomad came with the switch, although I'm not remembering exactly how the switch was mounted.

I'm totally unsure if other wagons came with such a switch at the cargo opening or not??

Can someone more knowledgable (or with a better memory?) fill in some of the unknown info re this topic?

The way I recall the interior lighting being controlled was 1) either door opening provided a ground via the door switches to the interior lights (which always have power), and 2) manual operation of the switch at the rear gates opening gave another source for the necessary grounding.

Another question I don't recall answer to: Did the '55-57 headlight switch have a position function to turn on the interior lights, as later cars do? I suppose an operators manual would answer some of these questions if I could lay hand on one promptly!

Gary