Sitting looking at the back of my 47 Lincoln, I noticed how high on the fender the tail light was, and how much room underneath the light there was for a separate back up light. As far as I know, it never came with any, don't think they started putting them on until the 50's, although there were probably some aftermarket ones made. I'm looking for something easy to find that fits the car's era, probably round, and sits fairly close to the fender, maybe 3/4 inch thick or maybe 1". I don't want anything that goes to a cone, although a low domed lens would be OK. And probably not over 3" in diameter, anything larger would be larger than the tail light. Square or rectangular would work, too. Doesn't matter if it's LED or regular bulb, I want them more to warn folks I'm backing up than to see with, although increased rearward visibility in the dark is a good thing. I'm open to OEM or aftermarket, just as long as it doesn't look like a cheesy JC Whitney add on. Looking for 40's fat fender cars with stand alone backup lights. Show us what you got.....
Since I can't look at the back of your 47 lincoln, I had to download a pic There's not a good flat to mount to, anything you do will need to be contoured to the body. So a deep housing, smaller is better, there's nothing round on the back of the car. The chrome piece above the trunk lock has some possibilities, if you have that trim piece to work with. 1969 most cars had square side marker and or reverse lights with separate chrome housings. Cam*ro and must* ng both have readily available aftermarket chrome square light housings. If it's a side marker just modify to a clear lens.
Thanks for posting that pic, I hadn't downloaded my pics to my computer yet. Looking at the rear, the top over rider bar on the bumper is going to be gone on mine. When I do that, it will open up a large area under the tail light. The trunk emblem/handle is the third brake light. I moved my tag to the bumper. The trunk push button is round, as are the door buttons, so I thought round might tie in with them.
I haven't installed these yet but did test them out. They work great and are a very well built, solid pair of LED back-up lights. Like you I don't want to mount anything that will look out of place, so will be mounting these under the car where they will not be seen unless turned on. They are about 1 1/2" diameter with mounting studs and nuts. Can't remember off hand where I bought them from but it was on-line, about $15. if I remember right. Found them, Amazon. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07B4GVB1K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
Took mine off a CIL combine, looks period. They are not that bright but maybe enough for those not so bright individuals will understand I’m backing up.
If you're going to keep your bumper, you could put a couple of flush-mounted custom rectangular units in, keeping the lens profile the same as the bumper. Use sheet acrylic bent to the same curve as the bumper, with a sheetmetal housing (or you may find something ready-made). kinda like these, but in the bumper , horizontally.
Here's some "thought-to-be" dealer installed back-ups on a 47. They look like Guide B-50's to me. https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...w=guide+backup+reverse++lights+B-50&_osacat=0
I used this on my Coupe : Chrome License Plate Light & Bracket With LED 3rd Light UPcarparts.com It has Art-deco styling, and LED lights. I wired the large lens light that faces rearward to my backup switch and works good. It's very bright, it will let everyone know. It may or may not produce enough light mounted high, my Coupe is very low.
On my '47 Plymouth, I have the license plate sunk into the trunk lid. Above that, I mounted a cargo light that originally sat above the rear window on a '73 to '87 GM pickup. It follows the curve of the trunk lid well.
That is a lot of what I had in mind. I think they would look better dropped about 2" below the tail lights. Great ideas, keep them coming.
These are 1972 Dodge Dart lights if I remember correctly. The backup lights are small and have a reflector surrounding them, so it looks like 4 taillights.
65 GTO. The bezels are slightly curved which matches the tsil panel well. I have original NOS ones but they protrude quite a bit and are shaped like the front of a zepplin. I didnt like that and thought a flush mount looked better.
I like the looks of those as well. How thick are they? I want to stay as close to the fender as possible with a surface mount without having to recess them. Those Guide B 50's that Joe Blow posted fit the era well, just not sure about the thickness of them. Low mount looks better than a wart or tit sticking out on the rear to me...
54 Buick Roadmaster back-ups are about the same size as the B-50's but the glass is flat....even a little recessed in the housing. https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...ack+up+lights&_osacat=6000&LH_ItemCondition=4
Depends on what you want it to do, light up the area or just let others know your backing up. Also to me there's a BIG difference in eras for looks, 50s look ok with a light in the body, 40s and below look good with an add on utility type light. For lighting up an area to see, I would go with an LED flood light under the pan (hidden), for others to see you backing up, a single utility light (old) bolted to the bumper.
49-54 Chevy cars with Deluxe trim model have a fairly small bullet shaped backup lights mounted on the panel below trunk. Inside from the taillights. Sorry my picture isn't the best, see the lights from my parts car.
Not really a matter of need, more of want. They are nice to have when you are backing out of a dark parking spot so you don't hit that garbage can or other car parked just out of sight. Nice to have so others can see you are backing up and don't run into you or walk behind you. No, you don't have to have them, but as long as they fit the car without looking like a wart, why not have at least one? Hell, even a lot of drag cars run one on the driver's side....