I am hunting for my next project. I have narrowed it down to a ‘53 Bel Air/post or a ‘56 Bel Air/Post. The shoebox cars were what I fell in love with when I was a kid at car shows and now I am in a position to build my own. My reason for the 56 are completely stupid: I like the bird and the gas cap cover. The ‘53 I love the over all body lines of it and I can get it in a four door. My question is this: how difficult would it be to cut and paste a set of ‘56 taillights onto a ‘53, or do I suck it up and keep the sweet Art Deco tail lights of the 53 and hide the filler somewhere else?
both years are great - forget the tail light swap - whatever you buy/build depends on you and your preferences, skills, budget
Put 54 tail lights and use the top and bottom red lense. Gives you lots of taillight for the driver behind you to see. No cutting are welding required.
Is the ‘56 a 4 door as well? Or just the ‘53? If you’re going to put ‘56 taillights you will have to work your away around with the flow of the rear fenders on the ‘53 Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
If you really wanted to, I think it's entirely possible to graft a set of '56 tail lights into a '53. You'd be best off to start with some quarter panel cutoffs from a '56, and it might not be a bad idea to try to incorporate the '56 rear bumper into the '53 as well, otherwise the shape of the quarter under the tail light isn't going to flow into the bumper shape very well. I would prefer a '56 since they have ball joints and open driveshaft rearends from the factory but if you want a '53 with '56 tail lights I say go for it. It's custom and the world needs more customs.
My advice? Find the car you like, and take it from there. In Re your thread title... '55 lights. My favorite. Frenched '56 Buick lenses, '55 Chevy bumper... (I believe a Mustang tank will route the filler neck to the trunk?) DeSoto back-up lights (Good luck!)
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