The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Tail light solutions for a 47-53

I'm getting ready to start work on a 1951 and was wondering what tail light solutions were available off the shelf. I'd particularly like to see some pictures of what people have done.

I did cruise through the galeries, but there aren't very many photos there of the back of trucks.

i use lights in the bed roll and i am very happy with them it cleaned up the rear of the truck. they are hot lite'z from pros pick/wireforce.. there are pictures in my community webshots but i don't know how well they show up. ron

Form follows function:
http://www.chuckthetruck.com/files/quarter_sun_small.jpg

We're running those big lights on both the 53:
http://www.chevygmcofkc.org/Gallery/data/3021/1100_1223-400.jpg
And the 54:
http://www.chevygmcofkc.org/rides/ocoulson/54/images/DCP_0032.jpg
Big and easy to see, I've had several people tell me they are "F*rd" Lights as well as several say they are trailer lights.

When the 53 goes back together it will have 54 round style lights on it with superbright bulbs. Both the orignal correct (for your 51) lights and the round 54 style lights are available from all the vendors.

MONGO

I installed LCD tailights that look like the originals.... much brighter than the old ones

http://electrostaronline.com/electropods-automotive.html
i fitted three of these suckers inside my stock original tail lamp housing and they are nice.
red and or white. no one is the wiser...

Thanks for the replies. I'm particularly interested in an older look. I'm going to keep it as old looking as possible, with a few extra improvements for reliability and safety.

I've been looking around the web and cannot find any pictures of the round "original" style tail lights. That's odd.

Have you considered the originals.I added an extra light socket for turnsignals.I also purchased the glass lenses with blue dots.Have been using them for sixteen years.

I haven't seen any pictures of them and my truck does not currently have them. Even the parts retailers I could find didn't have pictures... only prices.

Sorry,i misunderstood what you meant by off the shelf.Here is a couple of pictures of 1947-1953 tail lights.There is a right and a left bracket that holds them on.The left has the bracket for the license plate built onto it.click the links button up top and then parts,you will see a list of suppliers.Hope this helps.

left tail light
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/1907/lefttaillight27ex.jpg

right tail light
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/9328/righttaillight28fc.jpg

Thanks... that's great. My next question would be if anyone makes something similar with turn signals and a backup light.

I had tail light problems, but fixed it with grounds. I'm running stock tail lights with 12v lamps and grounded it from the battery to the engine, engine to frame and cab to engine. My tail lights are almost as bright as normal brake lights.

Here's what I did on my '53:
http://www.whizzerick.com/flasher_rear.JPG

Simple brackets with off-the-shelf trailer/truck lights.

One easy solution is to get the turn signal at NAPA that are seen commonly on jeeps. They incorporate turn signal, brake light, running light and back up light.

They bolt right onto 54 brackets.

americanclassic.com prolly has pics of the '53 type round light in the catalog on their site.

-W