stepside tail lights

[jr2]

Originally Posted by 69BBsuburban

How 'bout using a rear bumper off a late 70's El Camino (built in lights)???? Seen it a few times and looks good. Strip off the rubber strip, shave the bumper bolts, and rechrome it......

Isn't an Elky bumper a little wide Josh(I've never measured one)?

[87 STEPPER]

Originally Posted by jr2

Isn't an Elky bumper a little wide Josh(I've never measured one)?

I'v heard the same thing i heard you have to cut a section out of it so it will fit and look right.

But i have never confirmed this.

I actually considered doing that to my truck but i could never find a good one in the junk yards.

Those style of bumpres are also on the 80's malibu wagons.

[jr2]

A buddy of mine has 2 of them Elky bumpers... He said I could have one if I wanted it.

My other option was to use a a Jeep CJ/Wrangler bumper. I actually have one but it was not up to par with the quality of the rest of the truck so I didn't bother. It had been used and was scratched/scuffed. It was however the right width.
Looks like the top one in this shot.

[69BBsuburban]

Yeah, a little wide...but cut @ 10-12" outta the center should do it.....depending on the look ya want. I've also seen the mid 70's Elky bumpers used, they have the 1/2 moon shaped lights.
The key is to narrow and section the bumpers to eliminate some of their 'bulkiness'......And definitely get rid of the rubber strip...if it has it....

*EDIT.....come to think of it.....I don't think late 70's-early 80's Elky/Malibu wagon bumpers need narrowed......those cars themselves are fairly narrow......

[chevybuilder18]

Originally Posted by jr2

Tail light pic's just like I promised...(excuse the dust)



They are made by Truck-Lite. They will bolt right to factory mounting brackets but I preferred the look of the brackets I whipped up. They come in plain cast aluminum body or chrome plated for like $6 more each. I have since added "chrome" split loom over the wiring. AND-They are feakin bright for not being LED.

hey there i got 78 C10 stepside. The original tailights fell apart like the look of these, could you give me a part # for me to look em up?
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[jdmaffeo]

I know that some of you don't like the Caddy lights frenched into the fenders. I did it to mine and I would do it again. I have customized most of the bed. It gets a ton of compliments on the taillights every time I take it out. Must not be too over done. It especially looks great with all the lights on at night! Just my 2 cents.

[made2drag]

nice caddie lights....and jr2, i know its been a couple years since you posted the pics, but those tails look nice.

[chevybuilder18]

frenching em looks good, But with fiber glass sheets and resin kit, whats there to rust? Btw like the look of the caddys tail lights, thought about some frenching... What kinda bumper is that?
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[vegas80step]

Mine are cut into the roll pan and then smoked...
They look like they would be too dark to see the lights, but they are pretty bright...



.

[KQQL IT]

Guy in town had 65 mustang taillights in the fenders of his stepper. I always liked it.
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[74 stepside]

Gremlin tail lights. Im thinking about using the set I have. Looks better a little lower in the fender and with the chrome trim still on as compaired to how they are on this step side. Just my opinion. No offense to the owner of this truck.

[74 stepside]

Heres 2 picks of your el camino bumper shortened. Not my truck.

[walka]

Iv'e got some Jeep ones on mine, Not that diffrent from the Stock Light, Bolts Straight on to the Factory Mounts

[76stepsidechevy]

Originally Posted by 74 stepside

Heres 2 picks of your el camino bumper shortened. Not my truck.

I like that they cut in a pocket for the licence plate in that one. If I could find one I'd go with a bumper from a 73-77 elco and narrow it, they already have the plate pocket but are about 10 inches wider than the stock truck bumper.

Im also thinking about cutting down a fleetside 73-80 sport bumper so it would match my front bumper. They never changed the stepside sport bumper from the 67-72 style so it really doesn't match.

[406 Q-ship]

Here is 58/59 GM pick-up taillamps on my 74. I just could not learn to like the huge monsters that were original. It is an easy bolt on with a small amount of changing connectors.

[nekkidhillbilly]

the last truck looks the best

[74 stepside]

406, I like them too. If you lower the brackets down to where the backup lights were it gives a completely different look. Like so...

[jr2]

Originally Posted by chevybuilder18

hey there i got 78 C10 stepside. The original tailights fell apart like the look of these, could you give me a part # for me to look em up?
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Sorry for the delay. I'm not on here much anymore. Although I wish I was! I tried going back to the Truck-Lite catalog but I can't find em in there anymore?? I'll keep digging and get you a part#.

I forgot a pic of something else I used on the truck that people might like as well... My buddy works for Genie Lifts and they use these for extension fixing pins on some of their lifts.

I thought of a better use for them so I went from a single spring pin and a piece of aluminum angle...


To the finished product. 1 for each side.

[chevybuilder18]

Originally Posted by jr2

Sorry for the delay. I'm not on here much anymore. Although I wish I was! I tried going back to the Truck-Lite catalog but I can't find em in there anymore?? I'll keep digging and get you a part#.

I forgot a pic of something else I used on the truck that people might like as well... My buddy works for Genie Lifts and they use these for extension fixing pins on some of their lifts.

I thought of a better use for them so I went from a single spring pin and a piece of aluminum angle...


To the finished product. 1 for each side.

dang, that thing dont even look like tail lights. Now thats kool. Thought about rear tail light boxes that match every seem on the fenders and the cab.. Thinking about making one of those, and then sharing it with you guys. But first let me get some sheet metal, and we'll have an intresting talk about my idea when it comes together
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[McCoyAZ]

I had a guy french in a pair of Cadillac taillights.

[76stepsidechevy]

cool man, are they led or regular bulbs? I was thinking of doing the same but it looks like i'd have to make the stake pocket deeper or spend two bills on an led kit.

[McCoyAZ]

They are the standard bulbs and yes you have to increase the size of the stake pocket to accomodate the frenching.

[76stepsidechevy]

Do you have pics from the side?

[LynnJr]

70 Mustang frenched in gets my vote

[McCoyAZ]

Originally Posted by 76stepsidechevy

Do you have pics from the side?

I am a little anal when it comes to things matching. I am not happy that the inside of the light next to the tailgate is thicker than the outside.

I will have the outer edge made wider so it looks balanced.

Mine were supposed to look like the ones in the GMC picture, but as you can see they do not match.

The body shop guy said he could have removed an inch of the depth so the lights would fit better but for some reason he didn't do it.