backup lights

[gramps1951]

have any of you guys mounted backup lights on your trucks was thinking of doing that little project wondered if you  had and what kind of lights you used would love to see some photos of what you chose thanks   neil

[Don Coatney]

I always like the looks of these roof rack mounted back up lights on someone else's vehicle. They will also light up the truck bed.

 

 

[Dodgeb4ya]

These are the BU lights that have been on my 52 since at least 1973 when i bought it.....

Edited February 15, 2014 by Dodgeb4ya

[gramps1951]

those roof rack lights would work well on tailgaters but not what I was looking for but thanks for the post and pictures I like the lights that dodgeb4ya posted but they will most likely be hard to locate ones like that. but I will look on ebay who knows hope some more of you guys will come up with another good idear thanks.  neil

[Dodgeb4ya]

What do you have for a bumper on the back of your truck-stock or california type like mine?  Or do you even have one? If you don't have one you will have to use some kind of mounting bracket.

 

Most all of these old PH dodge trucks never even have after market BU lights. Guess no one wants them.

Bob

[gramps1951]

I do not have a rear bumper . I have noticed that when I go to backup the people around me have no clue that's what I'm trying to do happen just the other day that's what got me thinking. how about a backup beeper what do you guys think ?  neil

[Dodgeb4ya]

I only use my BU's at night to see the people I'm about to back over!.

Edited February 16, 2014 by Dodgeb4ya

[B1B Keven]

Buy a cheap set of fog lights and replace the bulbs with something like an 1129 bulb.

That's what I've done, just haven't mounted them yet.

[Jeff Balazs]

I still need to add this feature to my truck. I have a large step bumper so perhaps fog lamps would work as backup lights and an anti- tailgater feature. Tailgating is totally out of control here. I just need to come up with a fingertip control that makes this feature easy to use. If I could I would just have Yosemite Sam ride shotgun with me.

 

Jeff

[Plymouthy Adams]

you  may get their attention but anyone with any sense about them know that unless you driving a very early torqueflite you are not actually in reverse...lol  even my fully synchomesh tranny with synchro reverse (under 5mph) had a blocker to prevent entry above that speed..and all laws prohibit white light projecting from the rear of the vehicle in forward motion..not worth a ticket getting your point across..tailgaters..let them around..they great fodder to throw at the radar guns..these are the very guys I want in front of me...

[Scruffy49]

Those are a dead ringer for 49 Cadillac back up lights... Check the "usual suspects" in aftermarket/replica rod and kustom bits. Chev's of the 40s, Night Prowlers, Wirth's Custom Automotive, Sacramento Vintage Ford, Mac's, Hagen's, Speedway Motors... one of the old standbys is now called Kustom Car Parts, but my computer is acting up and I can't bring up the page.

 

How do you plan to activate them? Toggle switch, momentary switch, lever operated brake light switch adapted to the shifter and transmission casting...

 

Thought about doing similar with mine, but I would have to plate in the cheesy panel truck style c-channel rear bumper after getting it straightened, and frankly, I'm not that good a welder.

[gramps1951]

my auto trans has a switch life made easy. thanks for some idears thought I might have seen  more what you guys have done looks like most have not installed any. I had a Harley roadking that had some nice driving lights even thought of that. it's nice to see the pictures of what you guys have done. it's not what you have done but how you did it.   thanks   neil

[Jeff Balazs]

Tim;

The traffic laws don't seem to be enforced at all here anymore. Especially tailgating and speeding. Blacked out windows..... no turn signal ......... on the cell phone.......these are all things I see every day.......over and over. The State of California would never again have any money problems if they would put an automatic 500$ fine on all of these and enforce.

 

Maybe I can rig something up that will get the message across?  How about a cable operated figure of Yosemite Sam that will pop up over the tailgate and scream "Back Off you Varmit".

 

In the mean time I need to get some working back up lights going.

 

Jeff

[Plymouthy Adams]

I agree..I could get the county coffers over run with money in a month and it would take that long to either arrange a professional hit on my young butt or folks fall in line to the laws...but in the mean time..the very things you mentioned are the very things that lead to some guy getting killed in a road rage incident..I watched just last week or so the very stupid antics of a young girl following a car with gestures and flaming rants..if the man had shot the gal I would probably have been forced to testify   "justifiable homicide.."   that is a dangerous thing to do these days and especially in my area where everyone is packing and majority of folks carry in plain site on the hip or shoulder..my preference is my shoulder holster..don't take much for someone to go redneck on ya.....these are strange times...

[Dodgeb4ya]

To operate my BU lights I have to go to all the trouble of turning them on and off with a push pull switch. It's a tough life for sure driving that old dodge

[wallytoo]

here's my backup lights on my '48 operated by the rotary switch under the dash that says "unity lights". as a bonus, when switched to on, the switch itself lights up to remind me that the reverse lights are on.

Edited February 17, 2014 by wallytoo

[gramps1951]

wallytoo that works you don't need a bumper and they don't look like you just picked them up at kmart. thanks for the picture.  neil

[The Oil Soup]

This site has all kinds of lights  http://www.taillightking.com/

[st63]

Very late to this thread since I just joined, but I have a single, vintage 6 volt tractor light bolted to the frame under the rear bumper of my pickup, acvitated by a simple toggle switch under the dash. As for tailgaters, I mounted a gun rack with an old 8 gauge shotgun in the back window...secured with a cable lock. It's not loaded, but it looks like a cannon, and I swear I haven't had anyone tailgate me since I put the thing in several years ago! Forget the picture of Yosemite Sam, they think I AM Yosemite Sam!

[55 Fargo]

Very late to this thread since I just joined, but I have a single, vintage 6 volt tractor light bolted to the frame under the rear bumper of my pickup, acvitated by a simple toggle switch under the dash. As for tailgaters, I mounted a gun rack with an old 8 gauge shotgun in the back window...secured with a cable lock. It's not loaded, but it looks like a cannon, and I swear I haven't had anyone tailgate me since I put the thing in several years ago! Forget the picture of Yosemite Sam, they think I AM Yosemite Sam!

Duck Dynasty type Scary man.....

[Jeff Balazs]

Very late to this thread since I just joined, but I have a single, vintage 6 volt tractor light bolted to the frame under the rear bumper of my pickup, acvitated by a simple toggle switch under the dash. As for tailgaters, I mounted a gun rack with an old 8 gauge shotgun in the back window...secured with a cable lock. It's not loaded, but it looks like a cannon, and I swear I haven't had anyone tailgate me since I put the thing in several years ago! Forget the picture of Yosemite Sam, they think I AM Yosemite Sam!

Been a long time since I have seen anyone in SoCal with a rifle rack.......let alone one with something in it.

The way some tailgate around here I think it is going to take something like a Gatling gun to get their attention. So far I have added extra lighting......and Yosemite Sam.

 

Jeff

[greg g]

Reminds me of a story from my younger days.  I used to do allot of road rallies back in the early 70's.  I had a Volvo 142 that I added lighting to as many of these events to place at nights.  The front of the car features Halogen conversion headlamps, fog lights and long distance driving lights. Since high speed reversing seemed to always be part of our process, I mounted two 8 inch fog lamps to the rear bumper, in these lamps were 100 watt halogen bulbs.  I wired them so when the stock revers lamps came on they powered a relay that kicked on the auxiliaries also, but with a double pole double throw toggle, I could light them independently as well.  They were quite effective at allowing quick reversals.  

 

One night we were going to visit my sister in law who had just moved to a new home in an area that was unfamiliar to us.  To complicate things it was a rainy, moonless night, on narrow, twisty and hilly roads.  As we were going along slowly looking for landmarks and road signs, someone pulled up on our rear and started tailgating.  I gave him the brake lights a couple of times to get him to back off a bit, but to no avail. 

after about 2 or 3 miles of him parking on our rear bumper, I gave him a dose of the aux back ups.  He did fall back then he lite up his roof bar.  I putt on my flashers, proceeded to a gas station and pulled in.  He was a bit upset, but in the following discussion, he admitted he was following to closely, and could see where that might have gotten on my nerves, he got back into the car to review the vehicle and traffic laws and found nothing specifically prohibiting rear facing auxiliary lighting so he let me go with a warning.  I can recall only having to light up one other person while I had that set up and that was a guy who followed me for about 5 miles with his hi beams on.  

[MBF]

I took two tractor headlights. Mounted one on the front bulkhead of the rack body to light up the inside of the body, and the other on the left frame rail behind the rear shackle.  They're both on a single switch under the dash.