The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay 49 tail lights

Finally got the bed on my truck so I could put on the new tail lights I bought from Brothers over a year ago. Put a 12V power source on to find out which lead was the tail light and which was the brakes. Pffft one of the bulbs flashed and died. Took the lens off and found out they had 6V bulbs. Now it's not a problem getting the 12V equivalent bulb but I was really surprised that the housings were not set up to run 1157 bulbs.
Does anyone make a repro tailight housing set up to run 1157 or is that why most of these trucks were converted to the later tailight?
I realize I could go to LEDs but at $100 a pair it's a little steep.

you bought parts for a 49, which was a 6V system, why would you expect them to be 12V?? you can get the right stuff most places, even NAPA, to convert to a single dual filament bulb

Bill

Baba, the second post down on this thread has a link to a bulb conversion chart. I can never get Tim's link to open but if it opens for you then you can cross reference the bulbs and away you go.
https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=829175

If you already have the housing you could go with the LED lenses for around $60.00. I have them on my 50 and are a great improvement. Far from original.

You can keep the stock bracket and get as much or more light than the 1157. Put a slight bend in the stock bracket so that a 12v 1141 bulb will fit the top socket & clear the lens. Put a #89 bulb in the tail light socket. Here is a side by side comparison of a modern 12v on the right and my '38 6v on the left. Keep in mind the 12v housing is mirrored and much larger where my '38 is not. I used the 6v equivalent bulbs to the ones I listed above for a 12v application. I'd show the brake light comparison but I can't step on the bake pedal AND take the picture too.

Now that that's cleared up and the 12v bulb is glowing brightly.

I have a revelation:
Hey Tim Lederman.......Got to your site with that link that
Alvin posted for the bulb chart, and now I can access your
entire site with no problems.

How crazy is that????????


Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

A short-lived miracle, Denny?

Where did you find them for $60? I haven't found any for less than about $90.00 but maybe that is what I'll do.
Also I did NOT expect the tail lights to be 12V but I DID expect that someone would make them to fit a 1157 type SINGLE bulb. I am aware that I can get 12V equivalent bulbs to almost any bulb made but didn't want to deal with the lousy 2 bulbs per housing 40's technology. Just seems that someone would have done an updated design in the last 60 years.

Here is just one example
You may be able to find them cheaper if you search



...click... ...click...

They are made by united pacific
12v

If yer bound & determined to spend the money. This guy's been trying to sell these for a couple of years now. They're listed for a '37-'38 but the should fit your housing just fine and they're about half the cost as buying them through a vendor.

Thanks!
I ordered the set from Classic Parts. It's worth it not to get rear ended especially with all of these crazy California drivers. I'm also adding an led third brake light.

Hey Gus, have you used those LED lens from Classic Parts? Are they 6v? it doesn’t
specify whether they are 6v or 12v.

Baba, how bout you, did you check what voltage they are set up for??

Denny G

I purchased mine from Tucker's classic truck parts
Made by united pacific

Each lens has 45 LEDs
7.7 to 14 VDC
I don't think they will work on 6 volts

Denny,

What size/base 6v LED bulb are you looking for?

Or, are you looking for the lens/bulb in 6v?

Looking at Baba's pics I just assumed he was 12v

I must like living dangerously. I've gotten rid of all remnants of the added turn signal / brake system lighting and I'm going with the original single tail light / brake light housing. I might not even add the optional bullet lights I have!

Sounds like you like living dangerously. With what I have into my truck I could not imagine what a hassle it would be with my insurance company to get my truck put back together the way I wanted it done. Of course maybe that is why I left the rear bumper on that my dad built back in the 50's.

Most led's run on anything between 5 and 14v.