53 Plym taillights, early and late

[Normspeed]

Anyone know the difference in how the early and late 53 Plymouth taillight lenses are secured into the housings? I currently have the tail/backup light setup, plastic lenses that are secured with three screws into the plastic lenses. I'm looking at converting to the non-backup type with the longer lenses, made of glass. How would you secure the glass lenses into the housings? Can't put screws into glass like the plastic ones.

[oldmopar]

Not sure what they look like but usually the glass lens is held in by trim around the light.

[BobT-47P15]

Norm -- was the type tail lite lense determined by early or late production,

or was a different lense without backup lite used on the cheapest model

in the line??? Seems that would be more likely.

Check this photo of a car that was here in town.....was sold and I

don't know where it went. Looks like the lites you refer to.

[Normspeed]

Could be, Bob. I think I'll pick up some of the lenses I'm looking at and see if they will work in my housings.

[B-Watson]

Norm -- was the type tail lite lense determined by early or late production,

or was a different lense without backup lite used on the cheapest model

in the line??? Seems that would be more likely.

Check this photo of a car that was here in town.....was sold and I

don't know where it went. Looks like the lites you refer to.

The early production models had a separate round backup light on the right side mirroring the gas tank filler.

The version with the combination tail/stop/backup assembly was introduced around April, 1953. The switch occurred at -

U.S. :

Detroit - 13 194 381

Canada :

Plymouth Cambridge - P24-1 - 95 521 598

Plymouth Cranbrook - P24-2 - 96 068 045

Dodge Crusader - D43-1 - 97 519 390

Dodge Regent - D43-2 - 98 063 113

The Plymouth Belvedere (P24-3) and Dodge Mayfair (D43-3) came with the combined unit right from unit #1.

Bill

Vancouver, BC

[Niel Hoback]

Boy, drag up the 50 year-old memories. The 53 we had my dad bought about 1957. It was a Cambridge, which was cool because we lived in a neighborhood called Ambridge.

It did not have back-up lights and thus it had the long single red lens. I am absolutely certain that the lens was plastic.

Replacement came from a junk yard and it too was plastic.

Its more likely that the difference is because back-up lights were an option, rather than a high or low trim line.

Why do I remember these stupid things and I can't remember where I put my keys?

[Niel Hoback]

One more try. I meant that the difference is not determined by early or late production or level of trim, but merely by ordering optional back-up lights.

[B-Watson]

One more try. I meant that the difference is not determined by early or late production or level of trim, but merely by ordering optional back-up lights.

It was determined by early/late production.

If you ordered backup light before the serial numbers I quoted in an earlier message, you got the single lamp on the passenger side of the of the car.

After the serial numbers quoted, you got the backup light in the same unit as the taillamp. The later 1953 models were like the 1954 models, with the lens and reflector installed on all models, but the wiring, bulb, socket and switch installed only when the car was ordered with backup lights.

Bill

Vancouver, BC

[Niel Hoback]

So, there were two different back-up light options. Now I see the light! Thanks.

[RobertKB]

These are the later tail lights with the backup lights mentioned by Bill. These are on a very late 1953 Plymouth Belvedere. According to my parts book my Plymouth was the 10th last 1953 Belvedere made in Canada.