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I was just wondering - when using high beam if both filaments should light or the low beam go out?

Typically just one filament but it kind of depends on what system you have.

Reading the owners manual and wiring diagram on the original system, the headlights are treated somewhat individually. There are some interesting combinations depending on which notch the switch is in and the operation of the foot switch with the switch in a particular notch. Looking at illustrations of the switch, some of the terminals appear to be very close together. If wires shifted, connectors might easily short possibly lighting two filaments simultaneously in the same bulb.

A sealed beam light system typically has both bulbs in parallel with only one filament on at a time -- controlled or selected by the dimmer switch alone. If your car had a sealed beam conversion, then I could see where both filaments might be on at the same time depending on how completely the original wiring was chased or changed at the switch & junctions when conversion was done.

Usually one at a time. If the hi beam goes out and you switch to low, both lights come on. So the low could not have been on with the hi.

If the wiring for your 1601 is standard, then Rusty and HH are correct, just one filament at a time.

On the 1601, if you pull the light switch all the way out, the right side light will stay in high beam regardless of the high beam switch position. In other words, only the driver's side light responds to the press of the high beam switch.

Packard calls this "country driving" mode.

Cheers,

Tom