Hot Rods Tail lights for a Hot Rod Model A Coupe?

It's registered as a '31. but in PA, it has to be registered as a street rod becuase the post-chop windshield is less than the minimum height for a passenger car regular registration. It does not have enough original features to qualify for an Antique plate, which has severe driving restrictions on it anyway. As a street rod-I need two tail lights.

 

I have a chopped A and I plan on running regular PA plates. it already has 2 39 taillights and no back up light. I understand that the law has been changed concerning antique plates, you are NO LONGER required to submit photos. P.S. I wasn't planning on getting it inspected.

 

IMHO, I'm of the idea that your lights should all be same shape.
Round headlights, = round tail lights.
Square headlights = square taillights.
But, in saying that, there's a lot of cool options to chose from, and now I've seen those Hudson taillights, I'm thinking about tossing my idea of running 50 Pontiac's, for the triangle Hudson ones.
Go with what you like the best.

 

Now I see your keeping the fenders..... maybe some '39 Chevy lights tucked into the corners (next to the fenders) of the pan where the light bar is now. I think it might look weird with those fenders and lights in the pan, looks like either in the fender or real close would look ok.

 

There are lots of changes regarding street rod registrations in PA. Don't confuse running Antique plates ,where you don't need photos ,with Street Rod plates where you not only need photos but a pretty complicated two part inspection by specially licensed inspection stations. Also, you can't legally register your car as a passenger car if the windshield is less than 9" of glass. How much is your chop?

 

4" chop, title is in my name as a 1930 ford. soon as I get the engine in, i'm applying to run a early 30's plate. or i'll get a vanity plate with the same numbers

 

I misspoke. The windshield height is 7" not 9". Here's a link to the current statutes: http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/067/chapter175/subchapKtoc.html

They've made it a lot harder, and expensive, to pass inspection. Big surprise. OTOH, you no longer need a hood and the fender regs have been modified. Up until just a few years ago, the hot rod on the license plate wouldn't qualify to run in PA?!
Good luck with your car. I wasn't vain enough to spend $100 to get a vanity SR plate.

 

I like 54 Buick lights... click on pic....

 

Lots of choices-I think I need more cars.

 

I picked up these '48 Hudson tail lights for $2.00 at an auction. I attached a pic of a '31 coupe with a pair.

H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Here's a pair of super cool Austin A40 tail lights, kind of look like 50 Pontiac but have a much cooler bezel and missle fins on the lenses.
Pretty hard to find but cool and different.

This particular light appears to have an orange dot in the center but the lens is in fact solid red.

 

Anything early sixties ....

 

I have a pair of these for my A as well. I am working out a way to mount them from behind just leaving that little roundish chrome lip around the lenses and the lenses showing.

 

47 Chevy tail lights and 50's Lucas tag light.



Canuck

 

Where is that license plate from? Looks like some kind of foreign lettering. Oh yeah, I forgot. Canada is a foreign country.

 

I really like those Hudson taillights if you can find a nice pair of them. One thing to think about--larger taillights will reduce your chances of getting rear-ended. People who are used to the huge taillights on today's cars may not pay attention to the much smaller taillights on vintage cars. The graceful teardrop '38-'39 Ford taillights are very attractive, but those bigger Hudson taillights or the '50 Pontiac taillights will reduce the chances of getting rear-ended. Everything built in the past 30 years has the third brake light, and they do reduce the risk of rear-end collisions. I found a vintage STOP light (with the word stop spelled out in raised letters on the lens), the light is about 4" diameter. mounted it in the back window of my truck and wired it up as a third brake light.

 

If you can't find one of those vintage Lucas license plate lights, there is an '80s Honda/Nissan/Toyota tag light that looks almost identical to it. On the donor car, there are two of them mounted on each side of the tag, but you could take one and put it above the tag shining down on it. Old Toyota pickups have some small and inconspicuous backup lights that could be mounted just below the tailpan on an A coupe or roadster.

 

40 Chevs turned on the side will end up with lense perpendicular to the ground a look good on a coupe or roadster.

 

Another good choice and readily available as a reproduction is the '42-'48 Ford car taillight. You don't need the housing that bolts to the fender, just mount them flush in the tailpan of an A coupe or roadster.

 

OK, call me goofy, but I like the '39 lights but this way, 'cuz they are called Teardrops!

 

41 ford vertical...

 

I went with a proven winner for my 29. I just think they fit.

 

those kinda remind me of those 1950s pointy tits....mmmmm pointy tits...

 

Those are '42-'48 Ford lights, not '41. The '41 taillights were also used on panel trucks '48-'56.

 

You're right ^^.. And I knew that, I guess it's that old age thing...

 

Too add more......
41-47 (I think) Pontiac:

1939 Plymouth for a nautical theme:

 

I used the stock stands and shortened them 2in with 33 tail lights


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So I attached this to the most appropriate although dated thread. I got these -what I think are 48-50 ford taillights- does anyone have a picture of them on a model A? Either in the quarter panel, tail pan or fender? I think the quarter would be a bit busy, but they have a gentle curve on the housing. What can be the expected outcome if you start grinding on these what appears to be white metal housings? Thanks in advance.

 

Not unique, but timeless 39’s on my avatar.

 

Shoebox forward reverse lights will paint the lenses red.