47-55.1 Tail light ideas

[PDW HOTRODS]

I got a project truck, 1953, that came with a roll pan with 2 rows of louvers on each side and license box. What are others using for tail lights? There isn't room in the roll pan for lights. Stock type on the sides might not look right.

[_Ogre]

google "48 inch truck bed tail light bar"

[dsraven]

it would be nice, in my opinion, to use a light housing that looks period correct but has led function. even better to find an led light that has stop/turn/tail/back up function.

[mr48chev]

I've been thinking 37/39 Chevy car housings and lights on mine You can get them with either paintable housings or chrome https://www.ebay.com/itm/39-Chevy-Ch...n/351863644239

They look pretty slick mounted low on the sides of the stanchions.

[youngrodder]

On the 48 I built I used tail lights and brackets from a 55 Chevy truck and upgraded them to LED. The brackets needed to be modified slightly. I also bent some SS tube and ran them from the back of the light housing thru the bed sides to hide the wires.

Marc

[No Handle Sam]

I'm using these on the 49 project that we are currently working on...

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1603369543

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by No Handle Sam

I'm using these on the 49 project that we are currently working on...

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1603369543

Those are slick. Are they custom made (they look like it)? I dig the shape/look.

Marc

[57tailgater]

When looking for ideas on my '57 I thought of these but I don't think they look right on TF's. But AD's I think they would. '31-39 Chevy ones.

[Fast Chevy]

I used tail n backup lights from a Chevy HHR.

[Black93GT]

Originally Posted by 57tailgater

When looking for ideas on my '57 I thought of these but I don't think they look right on TF's. But AD's I think they would. '31-39 Chevy ones.

I think those would looks good. Obviously I didn’t spend enough time looking for lights!

I welded up some quick mounts using old pushrods and used some round trailer lights.

[Black93GT]

I did a search for frenched tail lights in a rollpan and saw a bunch of slim LED’s mounted. There were some great ideas!

I can’t get the thought out of my head, but every time I hear rollpan I immediately think of the C4 corvette lights.

[Black93GT]

Originally Posted by 57tailgater

When looking for ideas on my '57 I thought of these but I don't think they look right on TF's. But AD's I think they would. '31-39 Chevy ones.

I think those would looks good. Obviously I didn’t spend enough time looking for lights!

I welded up some quick mounts using old pushrods and used some round trailer lights.

[mongocanfly]

I have these in leds..as shown by 57T , for mine..
And plan to mount them like Marc did with the wires run thru tubing

[dsraven]

not sure about local laws etc but if a side marker light is also required there are small led button lights available. they are about 3/4" round and have a rubber grommet mount that needs a round hole to slip into. maybe able to do that on the side of one of those teardrop style lights or in the lower side of the rear fender if required.

[PDW HOTRODS]

I was thinking about the 55 lights. The stock lights with brackets that mount behind the steak pocket might look good. Stock lights with stock brackets would stick out too far.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by dsraven

not sure about local laws etc but if a side marker light is also required there are small led button lights available. they are about 3/4" round and have a rubber grommet mount that needs a round hole to slip into. maybe able to do that on the side of one of those teardrop style lights or in the lower side of the rear fender if required.

You shouldn't be required to have actual side marker lights on any regular pickup older than 1958 but I'd agree that having some light show from the sides at both ends at night might be advisable. Even then those lights can be real discrete and not look out of place. I picked up some small LED side lights for a trailer I am building that are even smaller than I thought they would be a while back that would not show up much The lens is about the diameter of a Nickle.

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by 57tailgater

When looking for ideas on my '57 I thought of these but I don't think they look right on TF's. But AD's I think they would. '31-39 Chevy ones.

they look great on ADs. I bought 31-39 chevy car LED lenses and they were too small for the 31-39 truck housings, but they fit inside, and the dark tint of the truck lens looks great lit up. the led car panels were bright bright red. you can see the park lights on in the first picture.

[No Handle Sam]

Originally Posted by youngrodder

Those are slick. Are they custom made (they look like it)? I dig the shape/look.

Marc

They are actually made by Jesse Greening. They aren't cheap, but his company makes some of the best quality specialty products you will ever find.

www.greeningautocompany.com

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by No Handle Sam

They are actually made by Jesse Greening. They aren't cheap, but his company makes some of the best quality specialty products you will ever find.

www.greeningautocompany.com

That makes sense....Yes, I'm very familiar with Jesse Greening and his work. His wheel designs are sick.

Thank you
Marc

[mongocanfly]

That's wild... Jesse Greenin is only about 10 miles from where I live..

[mr48chev]

I'm thinking that PWD Hotrods rear pan looks like this one or the one with louvers all the way across.

No room for much of any light in the pan and they would look out of place if they were there.

Still anything that you put on your build absolutely has to match the rest of the build and flow with it. They have to blend in, they have to be visible to the soccer moms in the mini vans behind him and the shouldn't look like something that came from the trailer light section of HF.

[Tanner*7]

30's Chev welded into the stake pocket

[PDW HOTRODS]

The roll pan looks like that with louvers but also has box in the middle for license plate. No room for lights in the pan.

[vintovka]

I think those "style" taillights all look nice but you need as much rear light as you can get to avoid being rear -ended. Driving an "unusual" vehicle like an AD seems to make some folks either get too close or forget you've stopped in front of them. Bad weather add to problem. A small exceptionally bright light may help but think "surface area" is the key.

[my56chevytruck]

Originally Posted by PDW HOTRODS

I got a project truck, 1953, that came with a roll pan with 2 rows of louvers on each side and license box. What are others using for tail lights? There isn't room in the roll pan for lights. Stock type on the sides might not look right.

Here's my taillights on my 56 3100.