The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs Let's fabricate some taillights...

OK, how hard can this be? We've been admiring the little bullet shaped taillights on that Suburban on Ebay .

Actually, I would like something like them, but perhaps larger, and maybe two or three pairs.

I'm thinking one pair for taillights, one pair for turn signal and one pair for backup, mounted so close together that they are nearly touching, just below the beltline. (Or the tail and turn in two of them using a double filament bulb.)

So I need to go to the FLAP store and measure a few generic lamps, preferably something round, and then hunt for some kind of parabolic cone in steel, stainless, or fiberglass that would fit them, or at least come close enough that they could be modified. Then making a template to match the curve of the body, figure out how to cut the cones to match the body curve. If they are steel, a chunk of sheet could then be welded in to conform to the cutout, making a mounting surface. A hole drilled in that for the wires, and a home-made gasket would just about top it off.

Any ideas? Where can I find some bullet shaped cones to play with. Anybody out there have any connections in a metal spinning shop? I think these would look extremely cool in chrome or unpainted stainless, mounted on the back of the old panel, just below the body midline.

Can LED taillights be made to act as tail/turn by varying the current through the LEDs?

Let's brainstorm about this...

The tail lights you want are from a 39 Chevrolet. Pontiac and oldsmobile used similar ones, but they mount differently. GM used these lights on 49/50/51/52 station wagons to meet the needs of adding signal lights to their lineup. They also produced these for the suburbans and panels that had modified wiring harnesses (longer). 1937 Fords and Lincolns are a little bigger and dodge also have some that would work. If you want to try something a little diferent look for the bullet lights used on motorcycles. I have also seen lights with clear or white lenses that could work for your use. I have bought the 39 lights for as little as $10 to about $100 for a mint set. keep looking they are out there.

Patience is a virtue. I found a decent '39 talilight bare housing on eBay a few weeks ago for $10. I'm going to go by the GM tech bulletin from '48 and add the high-mount taillight.