I can get a 1950 Chevy Fleetline mild custom. I am a fan of the 1956 Packard taillights and seen them on many Chevy's but not fastbacks. Looked through many early mags with no luck on an early customs. Thinking the sloped back will make too big of a fin to fit the taillights. Any ideas / pics? Thanks
Agree it would not look right. Here is a pic of the 56 Packard light on a Fleetline but inverted. It flows better, but still not sure I like it. I think Fraizer tail lights look better as shown on Frank Livingston's Chevy
Not that you really asked for an opinion, but those Packard taillights (along with '59 Cadillac taillights) are one of the most overused taillights in customizing, no matter what kind of car they are on. I like the way both of them look, but after you have seen each a million times, they lose some of their impact, at least to me. That's why other genres of cars are so boring (muscle cars, restored tri-5 chevies, etc). The same thing over and over and over again. Why don't you find someone who knows how to draw & get them to sketch up some designs and you could form some custom taillights? Then you would have something different and neat that no one else has. I know it's easy for me to suggest because I don't have to do the work, but custom taillights are relatively simple and cheap to make, especially as compared to chopping a top or even painting a car.
Agree with the others, too big for your year, work excellent on '55s though. And ignore anyone who says they are over used, that would stop everyone doing anything... Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Have you thought about those 56/7 or 58-60 corvette taillights? When I saw the photo of the Fraizer lights, those Corvette lights came to mind.
I like what was done on the black Fleetline. Never seen them inverted before. That car has no twins at a car show.
As said above, '58 Vette lights would look good too. The sit flat and do not interrupt the flow of the fender line.
These are not all fleetlines, but some great ideas here: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/lets-see-some-custom-tail-lights-on-49-54-chevys.649833/
I like customs and contrary to popular belief,at least in this thread,I love the look on this car. HRP
I would run something like . 50 pontiac , 54 merc , the Frazier . Anything that flows with the slope of the quarters Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
i think the fraiser like on livingstons car are one of the best. one that most would miss but i think could be used in several different ways is.........gasp...... 1962-1970 VW type 3. esp utilizing the flat euro lenses. flipped the would look like longer version of the fraiser unit. i've got a set of the housings and 3 us style lenses i was saving but took them to the last swap i went to. i think i put $40 on the housings with 3 lenses(all 3 good). the flat lenses are repopped now and are about $100 for the repopor og's are about twice that. maybe i should throw the set up in e classifieds......
I can't believe anyone thinks the black car looks good. looks like a nice build, but the tail lights ruin the whole car.
The Packard lights will work on a 51-52 because they have that bit of fin to them, but on a 49-50 there's nothing to go with really. I was going to try '62 Olds lights turned sideways on mine. That car with them turned upside down, they must be a bitch to see from behind in daylight, because they aim up in the sky instead of back at the car behind you.
here is our 51........the tail lights are from 1999 Mercury Sable.........not HAMB friendly but very good looking
I like it,,we are all entitled to our on opinions,I can't believe anyone wouldn't like it! ,,sarcasm works best with emoticons! HRP
Everyone is entitled to an opinion. Caddy taillights don't excite me but are easier to install. In the world of traditional customs even an early Custom Magazine I ran across there was an article on how to install the new trend of 56 Packard taillights. The car is a mild custom. Frenched headlights, nosed, decked, shaved, lowered, and white pleated interior. I suppose these could be considered overused also but these are the features that make it what it is.
Glad to finally see 1. I'm on the fence about the look. Not sure if they would look better or worse on an unchopped.
It's like someone went in my mind and stole my thoughts. There are so many weird cool little chrome bezels and things out there, making custom lenses is a great idea. Everything has been done 1000 times. I used to think my car was special because I was running 37 Chrysler Tail lights. Then I noticed literally 30 Model A's with them!
Of course, people have been using these taillights since they were new. In fact some of my favorite customs from this time have these lights. I'm just saying that it would be more unique to not use something that has been used a million times before. As far as frenched headlights, nosing, decking, shaving, lowering, etc. those are all techniques that help make a custom car what it is. That's totally different. Without at least some of those things, you have a stocker, not a custom. What I'm talking about are components from individual makes & models of cars that are overused to death, like DeSoto grill teeth, 56-58 Packard taillights, Buick sweepspear sidetrim, and '57 Cadillac wheelcovers. I'm just saying it would be nice to see more people use their imaginations, and try and think of different ideas. When you look at the old magazines, there was a lot of that. These days it isn't as prevalent.
The Jalopy Journal
