The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Tail Light lenses for 1954 3100?

Just ordered a new set, and was surprised that they did not fit. My C/L lens screw spacing is a bit over 2.75", but the replacements were only 2.5". Vendor says I have 1956-59 lights, which are different from 1954-55 1st series. It certainly is possible that the PO used a different assembly, but they sure look right.

Anybody ever run into this?

I have. I ran into the same problem with my '55 2nd, which had the same smaller lamps you have. The replacement lenses didn't fit. I ended up putting new lamps on, and changed from painted to stainless at the same time. I'm inclined to think in my case, the plant that built my truck (Baltimore) may have had an overstock of '54/'55 1rst tail lamps, and simply used them up before swapping to the proper '55 2nd assemblies. Other than the size, the lamps are virtually identical.

the light bodies don't look any different but there are a number of different lenses, see here [47-54] and here [56 up], compare the pictures for round lenses

Bill

FYI you'll get better (more) light through the lens with plastic lenses over glass.

I think that the 54/55 Chevrolet pick-up truck tail-lamp lens was plastic.

I think the 54/55 panel body tail lamp lenses were glass (on the lamp on the panel/suburban rear door, and the canopy express door/end-gate, and the suburban end-gate).

I think the 1947-55 optional rear side-lamps ("bullets") had glass lenses.

As posted above, the diameter of the 1954-1955st and 1955nd pickup tail-lamp lens was different from the 1956 and later pickup tail-lamp lens diameter. But, I might be miss-reading the Master Parts Catalog regarding both the 1st and 2nd series 1955 having the same size lens as the 1954 lens?

Thanks, guys. Tim, does it show the centerline spacing of the screws? I think the overall OD is the same. But the hole spacing sure is different. Bill, I followed the links to the catalog, but the pix don't really identify the spacing.

the spacing isn't specified, but every different lense had a different configuration for the screws, some were toward the top or bottom of the circle, some more toward the center, which is what results in the different hole spacing, the tabs for the screws are in different positions on the light cup

Bill

harryr -

I bet that you are right ... some time in the past sixty years, a previous owner installed different tail lights. The right side tail light was an extra cost option in 1954, which may have prompted the change.

The lens screws on my reproduction '54 tail lights are 2-9/16" center-to-center. The reproduction '54 lights look like the originals.
> TOP: Original '54; BOTTOM: Reproduction '54

I bought the reproduction '54 tail lights at the Truck Shop. '54 lights and '55(2nd) lights are shown on the same page.
> The Truck Shop tail lights

The plastic lenses on the '54 reproductions have the correct "GUIDE R-T8" at the bottom, "Guidex" in script at the top, and have ripples molded into the plastic. (Purpose unknown.) You can see it in the orignal/reproduction photo above and in the illustration in the 1954 Accessories Installation Manual.
> 1954 Acc Inst Man

The reproduction '54 bezels are stainless. I painted mine black because the stainless bezels were only available on the delux 5-window cab. My 3104 is a standard 3-window.
> Jim Carter tail light Tech Tip

FYI - Reproduction "GUIDE R-T8" lenses without the bucket or bezel are available ...
> 1954 tail light lens

Looking at photos, but no first hand knowledge -- the lens screws on the '55(2nd) lights appear to be closer to the edge of the lens and maybe nearer to the horizontal center line. Both would cause them to be farther apart than the screws on a '54 light. I don't have measurments. Also, the lens is different.
> '55(2nd) tail light

- Lonnie

Hi List,

I found this post while researching tailights for the 55 first series. Lonnie stated that stainless bezels were available for the deluxe cab, was that just the bezel or was the body stainless too?

Tanks,

Joe

Joe,

At Lonnie's Jim Carter link:
"With the total redesign of the step bed in 1954, the six volt taillights were also changed. They became round four inch diameter units with one light bulb having two filaments of three and twenty one candle power. The lens retaining bezel was chrome plated on the more deluxe truck, painted black like the bucket on the standard models."

There are stainless reproduction lamps available - the whole unit body/bezel is stainless. I'll paint the body semi-gloss black and polish the bezel (for a deluxe option appearance).

They also sell a black body with stainless bezel.

My guess is that this bezel is stainless?

Jim Carter sells a black body with chrome bezel/ring.

Jim Carter has an all chrome unit (with non-original-equipment) blue dot in the lens.

Not to hijack but the lights that I bought that were supposed to be 54-55.1 lights have the following stamped in them

NAPA 180
SAE STIL 170

I should probably assume these were a replacement NAPA light :-(