I've owned cars where that ran totally different functions: 1. A headlight bright/dimmer switch. 2. A windshield washer fluid pump switch with an outer ring that actuated the wipers. (They could run together at the same time, or with a "heel & toe" push on the ring, you could get the wipers to swipe.)
I had a 1960 Falcon that had one of those. Right next to it was a rubber bulb you pumped with your foot for the windshield washers. At night it was funny, go for the brights & wash your window. Try & wash your window & kick the brights on. Step on the gas & the wipers stopped, fun with vacuum wipers. Cars were so much more fun back then.
Was a time that all the cars had one of those for the hi beams. Are you sure it's not the starter? Anybody remember hitting a foot switch to START the car?
Yes. My '38 Ford pickup had a foot starter. My kid just sold an old Ferguson tractor that started with the gear selector stick.
My 53 Indian has the dimmer switch on the foot bord. But with a 6v system it's really a dim and dimmer switch
Most cars probably pre- 1973 some even later, had those for the High Beams. My '68 Mustang had another foot lever to activate a one pass of the wipers..
I remember one April 1st a couple of radio morning people spent the morning rush trying to convince people that there'd been a new law passed requiring all new cars to be built with the old floor mounted high beam switches. Justified on safety grounds, if I remember right. They also claimed existing cars had to be retrofitted. Based on the listener calls they broadcast, lots of people believed it. I honestly think so many people bought it because they wanted it to be true.
Not sure exactly when Mini switched to the steering column switch, but I believe it was when the MkII came out. I know my '70 has it on the turn signal switch.
Foot starter switch was cool. Foot hi/low beams was cool too. I remember a number of cars as I grew up that had variations. GMC truck, Jeep, much more fun to drive back in the day. Don
I seem to remember that cars were to run high beams standard and the dip switch was added to be Courteous to on coming drivers. (edited I can't spell)
Oh and I forgot to mention, we used these foot switches back in the earlier days to activate the growler siren and air horns... Actually, they're still used for that purpose on some rigs.