Can you add reverse lights to a bed
 

Does anyone know if its possible to add reverse lights to a 67 SW bed that doesn't have the cut outs for them? I would like to use a billet bezel but all the ones I've found have both tail and reverse lights together. I assume I could splice in a patch from a bed that has them but thats more work than it would be worth.

Re: Can you add reverse lights to a bed
 

I guess I'm a newb. What is a "sw"?

Re: Can you add reverse lights to a bed
 

I would guess Steven was just asking to clarify in a funny way. LWB and SWB fleet side beds all have reverse lights.
I am also guessing OP is somehow referring to a step side bed which has lights on brackets and no light locations in the bed or fenders. I as well have never heard of a SW bed? I would translate to Short/Wide (short/fleet). Which has back up lights.
If a step and want integrated tail lights. Just keep looking until you find something you like and can integrate. Other cars and trucks are a source.

Re: Can you add reverse lights to a bed
 

SWB / LWB. Definitions.
I've been here for a while. Maybe it's regional or national, but I don't think so from my observations.
Eg:
I've seen people use SWB to refer to a " short wheel base " truck and LWB to mean a " long wheel base" truck ( 8" bed ".)
This could be used to describe both stepside or fleetside trucks.
SWB Stepside, or LWB Fleetside , or visa-versa. Here, the letters are an abbreviation of the trucks wheel base / length, not the style of box. Yes, I said Box, that's what we always called it in Western Canada where I live. Call it a bed if you want.Just had to confuse things more, it's my nature.

Others use this to mean LWB =" long wide bed ", or SWB=" short wide bed ".
This would only work as a description for a Fleetside truck. Because the Fleetside has the wider bed.
I'm guessing using this format a Stepside would be a SNB = "Short Narrow Bed" but I don't recall ever seeing that abbreviation used.
Over the years I've seen heated debates about what interpretation is correct. Both sides seem deeply entrenched and I doubt either can be convinced to change.
I do recall seeing the abbreviation in some obscure GM literature using it to distinguish wheelbase differences but I can't be bothered to look it up at this time.

Re: Can you add reverse lights to a bed
 

A picture of what you're working with would help.

Re: Can you add reverse lights to a bed
 

At GM Truck Engineering we used

SWB = short wheel base

And

LWB = Long wheel base

For at least the last 47 years.

K

Re: Can you add reverse lights to a bed
 

I'm going to assume "SW" is short wide, defining the bed type. If the OP can post up some pictures of the taillight area that would be helpful

Re: Can you add reverse lights to a bed
 

While the question is clearly about backup and tail lights, the reference to a 67 bed has me wondering if OP is asking about side marker lights (the only "cutouts" a 67 bed doesn't have)?? Still not making sense to me though, perhaps he can clarify when he has a chance. Hurry up though, this is quite the mystery! ;)

Re: Can you add reverse lights to a bed
 

Some old man had a brain fade yesterday. :lol: Have mercy!

Re: Can you add reverse lights to a bed
 

This ?

Attachment 2445055

Re: Can you add reverse lights to a bed
 

Wow, never realized short wide wasn’t a universal nick name. Truck is a 67 with a fleet side bed and it definitely doesn’t have the cutout above the tail/turn/brake light for the reverse lights. I’ve never seen another one like it, a buddy says they were rare. The bed is standing on its back end right now or I would post pics.

Re: Can you add reverse lights to a bed
 

Can you post a picture of your bed? Some of the trucks built for Mexico were that way, but most that I had seen have what looks like a bed (fleetside style) for a 64-66 style trucks. I added some LEDs to my old 64 on the side of the license plate area of the bumper and they worked well without messing with the bed. The 64-66 backup style lights just screw on and don't set into the bed.

Re: Can you add reverse lights to a bed
 

While I realize mine is stepside, I did something similar to what Palf70 posted. The backup lights now hold the license plate on and are as bright, or brighter than the originals. Since this photo, I have moved the tail lights down to the old backup light location.

Re: Can you add reverse lights to a bed
 

OP did mention that bed pics are not an option due to an "attitude problem" with that assembly atm

Re: Can you add reverse lights to a bed
 

Sounds like he has a bed from a Mexican Made Chevy, and Yes they didn't have reverse lights in them. Kind of a strange looking one. Just looking on the net I think it would be interesting trying to fab them in.

I could be wrong. If he posts a picture of the bed side, that would answer the question for me.

Smitty

Re: Can you add reverse lights to a bed
 

Hmm, the rest of the truck is definitely a US truck but given it has one 68 front fender with the marker light welded up I wouldn’t be surprised if the bed wasn’t original. But the pics I see online of the Mexican trucks show a squared off rear wheel opening and mine are round just like an American truck.

Maybe I need to put getting the bed blasted on higher priority so I can see if the guy did any surgery to it.

Re: Can you add reverse lights to a bed
 

If it is indeed a standard American 67, then it would have had backup lights. Your buddy is right about a bed not having them, it is rare, but it is not factory.

Re: Can you add reverse lights to a bed
 

No worries,

I see them around here and it popped into my head that maybe you had that bed. The beds from down there are definitely different than what we are used to up here.

Smitty