Frenching 59 Caddie Tail Lights

First tech post, know I'll get some crap about the Chinsleazy aftermarket lights, plan on replacing when we can find some real ones. Working on a 34 Plymouth 5w for a friend who wanted lights frenched in the corners. Not having the balls to just start cutting I came up with this solution for fitting and alignment, worked real well and pretty fast aprox 6 hrs total.
pics will explain better than words

Started by drilling the mounting holes and tacking 1/4 studs in light bases just for assembly ease

Next buit cans, wraped sheetmetal around old drivshaft tube that was the right size, hold with hose clamps,tack weld, cap end, weld, drill holes


Then buit simple alignment tool, piece of round stock welded to a disk the same size as the lights, faced on lathe, same studs as lights.

Now you have to find a cardboard tube thats the right size. The cans I built were 3 1/2" diameter found a shipping tube that was a little under 3 1/4" using a sharpie that's 3/8" gives a circle of about 3 5/8" you will have to find a combination that will match the cans your using

Cut the end of the tube to fit aginst the body no need to be exact, I covered the area with tape in case I didn't like the layout easy to change, used a camera tripod to hold the other end, the height adjustment is a big help, aligning at the same angle as the door sill seemed to look the best, not shown in the pic you will want to check with a angle finder for future refrence, You will need to attach the tube with some hot melt glue to hold it in place

Now you will mark the opening by holding the marker parallel and flat aginst the tube

Grab the cut off wheel and some snips and cut away

Now bolt the alignment rod to one of your cans, you need to make a mark on the out side for how deep you want to recess the light, the upper and lower ended up being diffrent due to the curve of the fender. also you want to index the seam in the can so it will be at the top so you wont see it. use your angle finder to check alignment, fore & aft was just eyeballed
along the edge of trunk opening. Once happy with everything mark around can, slide the can in 1/4" and mark agin.



Trim to the first line, make relief
cuts, fold lip

Tack in place, weld it up

A little die grinder flap wheel ect.

Repeat 3 more times

 

Great stuff ,that very much how I did mine ....

 

Whew, the trick with the rod to square up and level the tubes would have saved me several hours of fitting when I put Cad lights in my 51 Merc about 25 years ago.

I think I used the post that goes under tables in camp trailers for the tube.

 

nice tech thread

 

nice work

 

Great imfo, a very helpful post ., Thanks

 

That seems so easy, great tech.

 

Good job, thanks for sharing.

 

Yup Looks goods...done well.....

 

cool....I love wild tailight treatments on old hotrods...bring back the 60's!!

 

Good job and it looks great.......chintzy Chinese lights or not.

 

Great post!
The alignment tricks are fantastic....I was always worried about doing something like that, and ending up with a "lazy-eye" kind of look!

 

Looks good, nice job . I used 3 inch curved exhaust tubing to follow the curved rounded corners of my fenders.It flows real nice.I have had a lot of guys notice and complement.I did basically what you did but added a little extra style to it.

 

Now lets see someone french 60 Cadillac taillights! ;D

 

This came out VERY VERY COOL and straight in Jeffs garage (no fancy shop, just intelligent ingenuity) luckly it was my car he decided to try this on.

 

Old post but still very useful !!! I will follow the exact same procedure to french 59 Tail Lights on my Ford 1939 Coupe.

 

always good to have helpful tech info - a little different set up of '59 Cad tail lights on my project '51 Ford