traditional hot rod turn signals??

if there be such a thing. my dad and i have been brainstorming for a month or two now, and i thought id see if any other HAMBER had some insight or better yet, pictures?

We've been trying to think what would not only look cool, but in place, on a 40's/50's highboy. I know the guides with the turns up top look cool, and some have the integral one. But does anyone have pictures or remember some tricks back then for incorporating front turn signals that still looked pleasant?


any help would be fantastic. thanks everyone.

-jake

 

Most turn signals on 40's and 50's cars, left arm straight out was left turn and left arm at a 90 degree angle up was right turn.

 

hahaha. yeah afraid o' that. thats always an option, although the right arm in a closed cab truck may not cut it these days.

 

Dan, you now owe me a new keyboard!!

 

Take a look at my Guide 682-C's.......very popular, and I think quite traditional......I have my turn signals in the top pods.......works very nicely.....




CB

 

I have a pair of '27 Chevy cowl lamp buckets that someday I will probably use for turn signals on the tub, but for now the afore mentioned hand sgnals work pretty well.

Besides, with hand signals you can get as descriptive as you feel nessesary to get your point across. LOL

 

I used harley turn signals mounted from the bottom up on my RPU in back.....They are from a 68 dresser and I think they look pretty cool. I put the directions inside my front head lamps on the front (32 commercial units) for simplicity sake.....I didnt want a bunch of wire running all over the place. I'll take some pics and post them for you.

 

consider motorcycle lights. Small and normally chrome.
http://www.exoticsportbike.com/Yamaha_All_cruiser.jpg

 

the arm method works pretty good , and sometimes i just use my finger!


of course i do get this a lot

 

Are the guides really a traditional (used in the 40's-50's) or something recent?
I really just wondered.

The rears:
Pontiac, teardrops, 48 fords, 37 fords

 

Why would anyone want to ADD extra Bullshit lights when you can Wire them into your existing Brake light that are already there ?

And if your only running 1 Taillight, then whats the use of turn signals ?

Wire them into your Brake lights like on a normal application & spend the $$ on some Nice BLC's with the top light.

I hate seeing a real nice Hot Rod with a bunch of extra Crappy lights hannging off it ...

I bet 99% of Real Rods didnt have siganls anyway... so to be True to Hot Rodding, You would have no turn signals at all!

 

left turn Clyde

 

I saw some really nice headlights with the turn signal built in the head lamp . When the turn signal is turned on , the bottom of the headlight blinks . There is a little light inside the headlight so it is a all in one unit . I saw it a the Street Rod Nats East this year in PA . A really nice clean look !! Hope that helps .

 

I dig this style.
(Nice coupe!)

Great pic, very funny.

 

Sorry to get off subject, but that is one drop dead gorgeous coupe you have there.

 

I think the Guide 662-C or a similar light would be about as traditional as it got if they were proper for the car or truck.

I had Motor cycle turn lights on the front of the 23 T I built in the early 70's. Tucked down low where they were pretty discreet except when they were blinking.

As someone else said, it's easy enough to wire in the turn and brake lights in the tail lights to not have to have an extra set of lights on the back.

Due to my using toggle switches to operate the turn signals on the 48 I have two 1157 bulbs in the tail lights. both are tail but the inside bulbs are stop and the outside bulbs work as turn signals. That is with lenses 2-1/4 inches tall and 6 inches wide on each side.

 

1939-40 chevy fender running lights look good as signals too.

 

I have used these, they are about 1.125 X 1.75. They fit about anywhere and are not bad to look at. I think they are a motorcycle accessory. I picked them up at a swap meet.

 

My 35 Ford- The tail lights are wired for brakes and turn signals in the original buckets. The headlights are original buckets, with the park lights serving double duty as park lights and turn signals. My 29 Ford- Guide 682c's with toppers as park lights and signal lights. Two tail lights for brakes and signals. Brake lights and signals are a good idea, and they can be blended into the theme of the car. Good luck with your project.

 

that's gross

 

Sorry guys,but neither fits the bill of "TRADITIONAL Hot Rod"!

 

Seriously though, it would help if we knew what kind of car you are talking about. That would definitly help in the cool factor.

 

uh oh. here we go. chopped/channeled 1935 ford pickup.... i'm running the guides in front, and 50 pontiac's in the rear.

i was thinking some hidden bullet lights off a motorcycle, or even some 37 ford talight buckets with amber lenses?

 

the pontiacs ill have set up to be tail/brake/and turn for sure. just the front is messing me up.

 

Where do you get the Guild 682-c..
duane.

 

Duane - you go to swap meets at 6AM and get them before anyone else does..... that's where you get them.

You can find really nice ones these days for $300 - 450 and up depending on how nice they are.

Or you could buy the reproductions from OTB Gear... but anyone who knows, can tell right away they aren't the real deal.....

 

Blinkers? ... We don't need no stinking blinkers (in California) ...

Traditional Hot Rod
SIGNALING
(from the California DMV Driver Handbook)
​

Always signal to other drivers when you plan to turn left, right, slow down, or stop.
Signals may be given by hand-and-arm positions. ​

LEFT TURN​

​

RIGHT TURN​

​

SLOW OR STOP​

​

... But I will admit that lane changes would be a lot safer if I had blinkers.

 

only one problem though, this generation dont know what that shit means, they will probably think you were waving or something stupid like that

 

living in a rural area the drivers ed.classes still teach hand signals here , surely the rest of the country still does , but i will agree theres a few that dont ..

 

I'll use anything that was made before or during the time I'm shooting for. I think these under the bed were cowl lights. I painted the buckets so that they wouldn't stand out toooo much. Besides it makes them look like early H/L buckets. The bulbs and inside of the lenses are painted with the dash board bulb dye.

Too me nothing looks tackier on an old hot rod than those cheap ass 1 800 street rod turn signal lights. Including the ones in the headlight bezel. They scream "China, 2004" not "California 1951". JMO

I have a light fetish and enjoy rooting through old lights looking for something different. If I can get there before Clark buys them up.