The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Cab Lights

Being that I am a hoarder and hang on to everything I have set of Yankee 77 cab lights and thanks to VEW and Thor I now have some place to use them. So the question in all of this is what is the proper spacing. I have 5 lights, I have seen 3 mounted but 5 looks better to me. I have looked through the FAM but have found anything. Does anyone have a answer?

I think I'd just put them where they look good. Evenly spaced with one in the center and the end ones not too close to the sides. That's probably what's done as they're accessory items, not necessarily factory.

DOT regs call for 3 lights in the center to designate clearance, and then a light out on each side to designate width. Thats how most trucks come from the factory across all years, manufacturers. If you want authentic, that's the approach. I've seen others evenly space them aftermarket. Its up to you.

Not sure what is DOT approved, factory or after market, but this is how my 1956 Chevvy 6100 looks

Front two turn signals look stock from factory.
The two on top maybe a option or a dealership add.
the mid fifties is where GM started adding turn signals that were standard. It was a option on a lot of vehicle and standard on others.
When you get into 60 its pretty much standard.
And to add to the fun. A lot of lighting and other items were dealer added.
So you see a lot of options. I have seen heavy duty. 56 models with just the two lights on top others with 3 some all in middle others spread out.
Seen them with the signals on the fender tops and others without.

They all look DOT ready.

If you want modern where to they go requirements.
They can be found in this document with pictures.
Length of vehicle matters

I've seen them both ways--equally spaced, or 3 in the middle and one on each end. Don't know which arrangement it technically "correct". I say go with whichever set-up makes you happy.

I know this is an Old Thread I'm reviving, but I never really got an answer. I have looked at the FAM, there is no mention of Cab Marker Lights, they my well be a dealer installed option as mentioned before. Can someone you provide a picture of their Cab Lights for reference/

I asked Gemini on google for a template: https://gemini.google.com/app/67a3b...m_medium=owned&utm_campaign=base_all

I'm pretty sure they were not a factory item, no mention of them on the Heritage accessory page, no wiring in the shop manual diagram. My '57 2 ton LCF has no cab roof lights, I did add all DOT spec'd grain box lights as well as lighted west coast mirrors.

I googled "1958 Chevrolet Truck Cab Marker Light Spacing " The AI answer was center, 8.25 inches on each side, then 12.5 inches on each side from there.

Almost all of the TF trucks I've seen with marker lights only had two, one on each corner of the cab roof. Many were Arrow #39.

Mike B

I think I gave $40.00 for all 5 of these some years back, I didn't even have Thor then. These are Yankee 77's. I'll mock up the 5 and see how that looks..

Craig - Sorry to be a little late to the party, but I recently got a very cool resource from fellow Bolter Bill Hanlon that has a little something on topic for your question. Bill sent me a Canadian 1955-57 Chevy/GMC Truck Parts Catalog that also included a portion of a 1958-60 Canadian Chevy/GMC Parts Book. In the later partial book, it included a "Clearance Lights" accessory listing page which I've attached below. It doesn't show the specific style of clearance marker light you have, but does have a drawing of what looks to be a '58 or '59 Big Bolt with clearance lights installed on the cab center and a bunch on the cargo box behind the cab.

If nothing else, this might be food for thought in deciding your placement scheme. Looking forward to seeing what you end up with.

Dan, the image of the clearance light you posted looks like the Arrow #39 light.

Mike B

My Dad's '65 C60 dump truck had five-three in the center, one on each outer edge. Both of my school buses are the same way, a '65 and '67. Dad's rig also had the turn signal/marker lights as round housings attached to each fender at the highest point of the flare, and that seems kinda unique. But maybe it was a factory option versus front signals in the hood mounted park lights?

I have seen trucks with 2, 3, and 5 lights mounted. I tend to like the 5 light arrangement myself.

I had a little time the other afternoon to play with the Cab Light layout. I realy like the 5 light setup, the 2 and 3 look odd too me.

First I tried spacing the lights out with the corner light toward the outer Cab corners. The corner lights looked out of place. I moved the corner lights in and moved the spacing closer together.

With that worked out I moved the light back farther from the eyebrow of the roof line. I settled on the center right being set back in 4 inches, the inside lights at 5 and the outer at 6. It more closely follows the roof contour.

I'm playing on using Rivnuts instead of trem screws for mounting. The Rivnuts will allow ease of removal and any maintenance.

Don't see any pics.

None here either.

Sorry Y'all... each time I tried to load the pictures I would get logged out.. So let's try it again

Craig, will all the bolts and wiring end up being hidden on the inside by the inner sheet metal and not out in the headliner? Getting a wire up the drivers door post can be a challenge, but it is doable. Also, having a speaker hole above the mirror makes it easier to splice all the wires together.

Mike B

Craig, I agree with what you settled on for positioning (I think it was your third picture.) Looks good.

Your right it's the 3rd picture. As far bolts or screws and wiring, all that can be run between the roof panel and the headliner.

One reason for wanting to mount the lights, I plan on adding a new wiring harness soon. I can use the original dome light wiring to pull in the new leads.

Look like they belong there!

Many states did not require ID lights, but any truck involved in interstate commerce had to have clearance and ID lights. Clearance lights show the side clearance of trucks over 80" wide. This has been the regulation for the almost 70 years I can remember. As far as I know, all states now require ID lights with one in the center and one one either side between 6" and 12" from center.

I did a little research years ago, like 50, and found that as crenwelge posted there are specific requirements for lighting position.

After a certain date, ICC required marker lights for interstate trucks in addition to clearance lights. I don't know when that was. I found that in Washington State 1951 model trucks required only two cab lights and starting in 52 WA adopted the ICC configuration even for intrastate trucks. This reg no doubt varies from state to state but my cab has two lights and I pull trailers with 5 lights in the ICC configuration interstate and so far in 50 years no one in the 11 western states has said anything about it.