Register now to get rid of these ads!

STOCK!! 50 Pontiac tail lights

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Pist-n-Broke, Jan 11, 2013.

  1. Talk to me about your stock 50 Pontiac tail lights. NO, Not the re pops. Did Pontiac make more than 1 size in Dia light? I have a nice pair of housings with no lenses. The part numbers on them are 5939885 and 886. They are marked for left and right. A Google search brings up 50 Pontiac tail light. My problem is these housings seem to be to large for any lenses I find. Looking at photos I can find I don't see any sign of thick gasket or seal. These housings are 4 3/4" O.D. and 3 9/16 I.D. Who has one they can photograph apart or get me an inside dia to help out? Did the Chieftain and Streamliner have different size lights? Were all lenses Glass or Plastic? Did they come both ways?
     
  2. i have the original off my girlfriends 50 out in the garage ill go check be back in a few
     
  3. ok the rh housing has an OD of 3 9/16 ID @2 1/2 (where the bulb mounts) total OD of the lens is 3 1/4 bezel OD is 4 5/16 ID is@3 inches

    the only number on the housing is R-23 or 28

    same with the left

    they each (bezels and housings ) say top rh and top Lh respectivly
     
  4. OK,,What body style did they come off of? The part number on mine are hard to see. They are inside the gruve on a flat pad and very small.
     

  5. her car is a fleetline (fastback) body ive got hers laying right here give me a bit and check them again
     
  6. i just looked again i cant see any other numbers what groove do you mean?
     
  7. Looking from the back side and with the lens retainer removed. The groove is what is the crest of the ring on the Chrome exposed side.
     
  8. Here is a photo. The pad with part number is at 12:00 in the photo and is about 3/4" long
     

    Attached Files:

  9. pontiac
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 771

    pontiac
    Member

    All 1949-1950 Pontiac passenger cars had the same tail light EXCEPT - the station wagon and delivery. Those lights were different.

    Same goes with 1951-1952 Pontiacs. The 51-52 are bigger in diameter than the 49-50..

    They are side specific. The mounting studs are different.
     
  10. heres some pics i took of mine the pad on the back of the bezel says top RH
     

    Attached Files:

  11. OK, My ring is different than the 50 Fleetline so maybe they are 51-52. Do you happen to know the O.D. of the 51-52 housing?
     
  12. me? no sorry this is the only old pontiac ive ever messed with
     
  13. adamsrotors
    Joined: Jan 19, 2012
    Posts: 190

    adamsrotors
    Member

    the answer is yes...two sizes.

    my '51 has larger ones than say a '49.
    I bought a set of glass blue dots, all excited, only to find they were too small for my factory '51 housing.
     
  14. Can you give me the O.D. of your 51 housing. or the O.D. of the lens?
     
  15. adamsrotors
    Joined: Jan 19, 2012
    Posts: 190

    adamsrotors
    Member

    not at the moment, but the smaller ones are 3 1/4" across vs. my '51's larger ones.
     
  16. This ebay listing shows your bezels, lists them as 51-52 with a note that says "should be 49-50 also". Taillight King shows that casting # associated with 51-52.
     
  17. pontiac
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 771

    pontiac
    Member

    Bezel measures about 4 1/2" diameter... lens is about 3 1/4" in diameter.
     
  18. adamsrotors
    Joined: Jan 19, 2012
    Posts: 190

    adamsrotors
    Member

    ^ no, it says "should be" and they are wrong.

    come to think of it, my '51 has 3 1/2" across lenses...
     
  19. I can see 3 1/2" across the lens. I was measuering inside the relief from the back side. So if you had the lense in hand it would be a bit larger. Are those lenses Glass or Plastic? Is your housing 4 3/4' ?
     
  20. pontiac
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 771

    pontiac
    Member

    The lenses on my car are glass. Most lenses I have seen have been plastic though.

    I just got a rough measurement of my housings and lens... as I posted I measured about 4 1/2 - 4 3/4 on the tail lamp housings for the 51-52 Pontiac. My lens was roughly 3 1/4 - 3 1/2" in diameter.

    The lens by itself for the 51-52 Pontiac is about the same size as the entire 49-50 tail light housing OD...
     
  21. Thanks for all the help Guys. So what I have are 51-52 housings. Now I need to find a pair of Plastic lenses being one of my housings is a bit out of round where the lens seats. I'll need to file it a touch to get it in. Not willing to try to Grind on a glass one.
    Once again,, Thanks
    The Wizzard
     
  22. pontiac
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 771

    pontiac
    Member

    I got these if you're interested... NOS 51-52 PLASTIC lenses.

    [​IMG]
     
  23. adamsrotors
    Joined: Jan 19, 2012
    Posts: 190

    adamsrotors
    Member

    my OEM '51 is plastic...edge to edge across was 3 1/2"
    ...a '49 is 3 1/4"

    that is the answer to this entire thread...they are indeed different.
     
  24. You are correct, they are different. Also I just bought the 2 lenses shown above your last post from Pontiac so nothing else is needed. Thank God for the H.A.M.B. By the way, they are going on my 30 A Roadster.
     
  25. well, now I know what is up with the two different size pontiac lights I have...:cool:
     
  26. tommy
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 14,757

    tommy
    Member Emeritus

    [​IMG]

    both of these sets are originals. Hard to see here but the roadster has old glass lenses with blue dots. The lenses came out of 48 housings with the curved housings for the body location. Some how one got cracked. It does not emit any white light so I left it. Real glass blue dots are pretty rare so maybe somebody will notice that even though one is cracked. It's a gennie. It really pissed me off when Drake started making the repops. That's OK I know.:D
     
  27. Royalshifter
    Joined: May 29, 2005
    Posts: 15,582

    Royalshifter
    Moderator
    from California

    I like the bigger lights and I believe the lip around the lense peaks instead of flat?
     

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.