Pickup tail lights

[Young Ed]

As you can see in the picture below the tail lights on my truck don't match. I'm going to make it a spring priority to get that fixed. Now here is the issue. Roberts sells repro tail light arms for both sides. I have those. He also sells the proper dodge script lense tail lights. I don't have those but have a Napa trailer light that is a similar shape and uses the same mounting holes. They were $3 instead of $50! Now here's the issue. The piece that mounts the light to the arm is only reproduced for the license plate side. So I could buy a repro tail light mount and just cut the license plate part off or what I would rather do is find a decent way to cut one out of sheet metal myself. Ideas??

[Merle Coggins]

Ed, did you check Vintage Power Wagons? They have several different tail light brackets. http://www.vintagepowerwagons.com/catalog/pdf/group6-electrical.pdf

[Young Ed]

I just looked. They have some that look like they would work but once again I'd be cutting off parts of it. Maybe thats the way to go anyways. This is the drivers side that I could modify. At $20 plus shipping it seems like there should be a better way to cut one of these out myself.

[Merle Coggins]

What type of tail light brackets does your truck use?

These are the ones that Robert's has, listed for '28-'53

Mine looks like this. It looks like one of the types listed in VPW's catalog. I'm hoping to get a matching RH one from them some day.

[Young Ed]

I have the one in your first 2 pictures. They are cast pieces. I wonder if the pilot house ones would work on my bed and then tuck the plate in closer. They way it is now it sticks out pretty far.

[Merle Coggins]

I've seen those cast type from Roberts on Pilot House trucks too. I never liked how they stuck out though. I like the setup on my truck better. These from VPW look the same to me.

If you don't have the mounting holes for that type, maybe this one would work, It only needs one bolt.

These were copied from the VPW catalog.

Merle

[Young Ed]

The cast ones are stock for the 39-47 trucks. And I did already buy them so I suppose I should use them

[Merle Coggins]

I see your delima now. How does the right side light mount to the arm without another bracket? I suppose one could be fabricated out of heavy sheet metal without too much trouble. That would probably be cheaper than buying a license plate bracket for $20.

Merle

[Young Ed]

Here's what it should look like. I knew I had an example somewhere. Ok so whats a good way to cut it out?

[Merle Coggins]

If I were doing it, I would use our metal band saw to cut it close, then carefully grind or sand the edges smooth. A good plasma cutter would probably work well also.

Merle

[Young Ed]

I have neither of those.......

[H Suhling]

Ed

I bought just the lenses with the Dodge script from Robert's thinking I could save some money using the boat trailer lights but on mine the holes were not the same width so ended up having to buy the lights from Robert's also.

Harvey

[Young Ed]

I'm just planning on using the plain lenses that came with the lights from napa. Can't justify the extra $60 each for dodge lights.

[Guest Dave Claussen]

I have neither of those.......

You could use an angle grinder (if you have one of those) with a cutoff wheel to get the rough shape anf then use a sanding disc or abrasive wheel to get your final shape. Just cut away small sections at a time till you get close to your layout line and then sweeten it right up to the finish line with the sanding disc. Dave

[Young Ed]

Ok that much equipment I do have access to.

[bkahler]

What type of tail light brackets does your truck use?

Mine looks like this. It looks like one of the types listed in VPW's catalog. I'm hoping to get a matching RH one from them some day.

Merle,

What I did for the right side of my 51 was to take a left side, heat it up cherry red and then rebend it in a mirror image of what it was. Looks like it was made for the right side!

Brad

[grey beard]

Merle's pictured bracket wouldn't work for my truck because it would put the tail lamp behind the bumper. Look at Dennis Carpenter's Ford web site. I bought his right side tail lamp bracket for $5, and it both works fine for me and keeps the right side tail lamp in closer to the bed like it should be for the non-license plate side.

Like Harve, I bought the script Dodge lenses from Roberts and then had to find another bucket to match the lens size. Original Dodge lenses and buckets are 3 5/8-inch diameter, smaller than Ford and other similar lenses and buckets. I have also learned that Roberts' tail lamp asseemblies have black lens rims. Looking at Don Bunn's book, this may be original, but this is one spot I choose to be a (gulp) deviate, cause' the chrome rims just set that script lens off perfectly.

Those cast tail lamp brackets were made for flat bed trucks and mounted originally on the outside of the frame rails on larger trucks. My son in Monrtana has five B series trucks of 1 1/2 and 2-ton size and they all have these brackets. I believe those tublar brackets were never made for pickup beds. JMHO, but then again, I could be wrong when it comes to earlier models like that nice red one pictured in this thread.

[Young Ed]

Dave were you able to find cheaper repro buckets or did you find old ones to use? I am pretty sure the 39-47 ones used those cast pieces on all models. My truck came without any type of tail lights so all my stuff is repro's.

[wallytoo]

dave,

the cast arms on the "chassis" trucks are a little different than the ones shown from roberts, although they have similarities.

wally

[msjenkins]

I have had quite a bit of success using a jigsaw with a metal blade in it. You have to make several cuts to get circles, but it makes much cleaner lines. After you get the shape down, you can then use an angle grinder or file to clean the edges.

I used my original bracket as a pattern and made 2 new ones using stainless steel. Hardest part is the bends.

You could use an angle grinder (if you have one of those) with a cutoff wheel to get the rough shape anf then use a sanding disc or abrasive wheel to get your final shape. Just cut away small sections at a time till you get close to your layout line and then sweeten it right up to the finish line with the sanding disc. Dave

[Young Ed]

I think I could handle a jigsaw too. Luckily the bends on this piece aren't too complicated.

[grey beard]

Ed,

Yep, Allan Parkhurst fixed me right up with a bucket, and I found a source for a pair of stainless lens retainer rims from him as well - Taillight King.com - so I'm just about all fixed up for origie-lookin' tail lamps with script lenses and chrome rims. See my recent post on LED bulbs that I also found.

Now if I could just get a little work done . . . . . .

[Young Ed]

Ya I've got 3 weeks to go before my truck comes out of storage. Trying to get ready for some spring projects!

[oldmopar]

Here is a pic from a 41-47 parts manual it looks like the light without the licensee plate bracket bolts right to the arm. If you holes do not line up I would just take a strip of sheet metal of thin flat stock and drill a few holes in it.

As I do not have any brackets and not even sure if I have the tail lights for my 46 I am watching this thread and waiting for you to solve this for me .

Ed

[Young Ed]

I think the arm is angled down and the sheet metal piece angles up so a middle piece of some sort has to be made. I will try my hand at fabricating one soon.