I had a '63 Chevy pickup that had that kind of dimmer. My brother had a fortysomething Dodge pickup that you turned the key in the ignition, and then stepped on a starter on the floor. My '65 Corvair had a push button transmission on the dash.
I can remember being at the grandparent's farm outside Des Moines,Iowa, as a very small boy in the 50s, sneaking into the front seat of an old Nash Rambler, and pushing in a red button on the dashboard, and my heart popping into my mouth as the engine turned over.