I have the 1940 to 54 tail lights on my 37 Chevy p/u so I picked up two originals,while in Columbus at the Goodguys show I went looking for LED bulbs to put in them and by the time I get the LED bulbs/lenses to put in them I will have over what it would cost to buy new lights. Right now I have about 150 in the original tail lights and to put the LED lenses in it would be 80 more dollars and I still have not cleaned up and painted them,for slightly less then 200 I could get a pair of nice looking lights that need nothing and could be bolted on and I am done. I am going to buy the new lights in a couple weeks and hope I can get most of my money back out of the other two,yes the new lights are probably made over seas but they would have been on by now.
To me, it's worth the satisfaction of making the original tail lights work. Anyone can buy the reproduction lights and bolt them on, but it takes a real hot rodder to rebuild the originals...
Those original lights are made for two bulbs that I would like to change and go to single 1157s but there is the license light to deal with. Most lights just had a lens but these lights have the bulb sticking out of the light with a rubber seal and those LED lights eliminate that and be much brighter.
I would like to use the originals but as I get older it seems to be taking me longer to do these projects and for once would like to bolt on and go.
Jeff, All I can say is good for you. You can invest $500 bucks in a set of tailights. I can't get a set of head gaskets for a 300 Ford without causing a much needed divorce.
Can't you just buy replacement LED bulbs to put in your light housings, instead of a whole lens? I feel like those lenses with the LED's molded into them are ugly, and that sounds like way more money than they should cost. The license one can just be a regular bulb, who gives a shit about that one. A lot of those aftermarket tail lights are really cheap looking and feeling. I'll always run the originals if I can.
Something like this. Fits in the original socket, cheap as all hell, doesn't have those ugly molded in LED's, brighter than incandescents if that's your hangup. https://www.ebay.com/itm/10pcs-1157...529160?hash=item2a9b80b248:g:mDUAAOSwXPNaTYTD
Forget about that because it only happens in fantasy land where unicorns fart rainbows and butterflies land on your nose
If you're talking about these lights, you got screwed. Waaaaaayyyy cheaper than what you have priced out. They have the conversions too. https://www.classicparts.com/1941-5...nted-R-Plastic-Red-Lens/productinfo/49-022LR/
The originals are made for two single element bulbs that are smaller then a 1157 and I doubt I can get LED bulbs to fit,if the license plate was below the light I would not have any issues but its above and the light has a rubber gasket that the bulb goes up against that so with the originals it looks like I am stuck using the two bulbs unless I go with the reproduction lights.
DAMN THOSE ARE FUGLY ! Put a 1157 socket and a set of these https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...7aslbp2/5346147/1953/ford/f-100?q=1157+&pos=5 Then you have you NICE original lens
Here are the original lights and what I have to work with,I need some ideas on how I can brighten them up and still use the license light.
How would a halogen bulb do being exposed to the weather,the running/license bulb sticks out of the light and would get wet if it rains. Those halogen head light bulbs for the newer vehicles do not like body oil on them or moisture.
I think you are missing a lens on the tag light, I’ve never seen a light with a bare bulb sticking out like that. If you decide to use the LED replacement 1157, you need to get the tower bulbs, not the flat style . The tower bulbs have leds standing up around the bulb, while the flat button style only have them flat to the face and shine best in a straight on position. With a tower bulb, you should get some reflection since your socket sits sideways instead of straight on. As to the tag light, a straight on flat button style would work fine since the light would be focused toward the hole. But, you still need a lens of some kind to keep moisture and water out. Clear as muddy water? Or totally wrong?
You mean one of these....https://www.autosurplus.com.au/ford-d-series-f100-f250-f320-6-cylinder-head-gaske ?
It has a bare bulb sticking out,there is a rubber ring that the bulb goes up against to keep the water out. I just want it to look some what original so I think I am going to buy the reproduction lights and sell what I have to a restorer,would like to use the originals but I do not think its going to work the way I want it.
I do not want to spend 500 dollars for a set of tail lights but it looks like its going to happen and I am glad I am single.