Customs Need Opinions on My Proposed Tail Light Changes

It is made of 49 chevy overider blended into 56 chevy wagon ends. The bumper is sectioned 54 chevy.

 

Cleatus, i just went out and did some rough measurements off my dads beehive tailight on his old U model the lense is 2.5 in tall, 2 in wide at the top tapering down to 1 in. side prodile wise its 1.5 in deep at the top and tapers off to .5 in at the bottom. hope this helps

 

The biggest issue I think with your current lights is that very few if any cars from that period that I can think of (and I might be wrong here) sunk lights in like you currently have them. They seemed to either put them in the bumper guards, flush mount another model taillight or add a wind split to the side of the fender and mold them in that way. If you were going to keep them up on the fender I wonder what a molded in wind split might look like?

 

Wow man, thanks for taking the time to measure those up - very helpful!
They are a little narrow for the width of my guards (2.5" w). Are they glass or plastic?

 

I hear ya - same thoughts as I have.
I've also kinda thought of doing something like this at the end of the fender, just above the gravel pan height with round lights mounted out far enough for the bezel to show nice:

 

I love #5. What would that lens be from? I also think, if not #5, 41 Stude!

 

My sentiments exactly.......#5 is alive...........but I like #1 also...

M.

 

I think you're right on the money with #6!

Where do you get those lens from?

 

I like #5 also. looks more natural? I understand the lights in the guards, but I'm not a big fan of the look.

 

I got those lenses out of a pile at a swap, so I am not sure what they are from. They match the shape of the back of the fender a little better than the crappy photoshop I did.
I would need to make a bezel that allowed the top of the lens to dive-in below/behind the bezel while the rest of the lens sat flush to the bezel.

A little more like this:

 

always great to see this car...

#5 is my choice. i think they resolve the rear quarters. never thought i'd say this about kustoms, but when they are on the guards maybe there is such a thing as too clean? sometimes a detail is nice for the eye in the right place rather than simply keeping things bare at any cost.

also, call me crazy to mention utility - but from that standpoint i think they'll be seen better on the quarters.

no matter what you decide - this car will only continue to get better.

 

i like #5.

 

What ever you do with it, that is one smooth ass ride

 

cleatus, the one in dads bike is an original glass piece but i asked if he knew of any souces and he said vtwin make repops

 

That is a really tough design challenge...

I have always loved your car a lot Cleatus, it has so many subtile and not so subtile touches and it really is a very complete package, overall designed custom. And to be honest I always thought the taillights you use now looked a bit out of place. I never knew those where among the first things you did on the car... it makes sense.

From the Photoshop designs you made I like #6 and the last one you posted in post #40 the best.

However the rear bumper guard is already a gorgeous part, and even thought the HD lenses fit perfectly (in the Photoshoped image) it almost takes away from the beauty of the part itself.


I have two thoughts... well three
How about using s second set of lights you use on the front as parking lights and place those close to the bumper guards on the rear gravel pan. (possibly they need to move out a bit more to clear the trunk) This will echo the front end design and will tie both ends together.

Another thought is something you also mentioned. But mine will bulge out less than your idea.
Use a 39 Chevy taillight house and mold that into the center of the rear fender and inch or two above the bumper. This will look a lot like the headlights shape.

Third is as mentioned before. 1941 Studebaker taillights... the shape of the chromed bezel around the taillights will look perfect with your side window trim, and the shape of it will fit perfectly on the modified rear fenders.

 

I like it the way it is. But no. 5 if you change. Kool car

 

I like it the way it is, Also number 1 Please put a 3rd brakelight in it.If YOU CHANGE IT I hate to here you got hit by an idiot.

 

I like # 6 . Buitfull car great work.

 

agreed, I dig the #1 lights, but also first thing that came to mind was worrying about some unattentive idiot not seeing them and slamming the back.
maybe some small ones on the fenders to match the guard ones?
or maybe #1 guard lights and a good hidden 3rd light in the rear window, maybe more eye level with the unnattentive bastard behind ya.

 

yes, I dig these.
I was also glad this wasnt a thread including the caddy bullet tail lights that so many have used lately.

 

Bad ass car man! Im feeling either #1 or #3

 

Cleatus,love the way they look now!.I would say #1,for change but,if you can find a set of 41 Stude lights,than that would be the way to go.

 

I vote for keeping the taillights on the fenders both for aesthetic purposes and safety. I really like the photoshop in post#40.

 

#6 looks bad ass

 

I'd have to agree with keeping them on the fenders as well. My pick's #5 / post#40.

 

Are you serious Cleatus ? Those Beehive lenses are neat.

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_tr..._nkw=harley+beehive&_sacat=See-All-Categories

Generally,a man like you doesn't need to ask for opinions I think.

 

I usually don't offer opinions on other people's rides (yeah, right)...but that photoshop from post #40 is the way to go. Lokks killer, keeps visibility up, and it's something different. I personally think that most rear fenders need something there to look "right", too many just look strange with nothing there. Maybe because you expect to see a taillight there.

 

#5, I love it.

 

Keep them in the fender - they definitely make the rear look more swoopy and less stumpy. Actually I am a little surprised at the difference they make.