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Post Info TOPIC: Custom taillights


Poncho Master!

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Custom taillights


Been a little frustrated lately, weather has been cold (40's in the morning, that's Fahrenheit) for two solid months, so not comfy in the garage (I have A/C but no heat, it's Florida, eh?) plus continue to be bugged by aggravating engine problems with the old 261 ... but today was beautiful, so I decided to do a long-planned little project = custom taillights. Many may not like them, but I have always loved 1959 Cadillac taillights, they are perfect on a 1958 Impala (American Graffiti, eh!) and many other customs, and I wanted them on my hotrod 1956 Pontiac ... I had bought repro 59 Caddy taillights years ago, and I had a set of driver-quality standard taillights (I put NOS deluxe taillights, with the stainless steel trim ring, on quite a while ago) and the necessary hole saw, so ... today I did that little project! Here's the results:

1. the components - 59 Caddy assembly (minus the socket/bulb/wiring, which is serving temporary duty as front turn signal lights until I can do the custom sequential LED turn signal lights in the "eyebrows") and original 56 Pontiac taillight lenses (with preliminary hole drilled, before final filing and fitting):
100308-01.jpg

2. the assembled custom light:
100308-02.jpg

3. the "before" picture:
100308-03.jpg

4. the "after" pictures:
100308-04.jpg

100308-05.jpg

Yeah, like a rocketship, eh? Which when I (some day) get the 600HP 496 installed, it will be biggrin

So that is my minor triumph for the day. Hope your day was pleasing to you!

Dave

 



-- Edited by davelacourse on Monday 8th of March 2010 06:17:12 PM

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56Pontiac  1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod

  1964 Acadian Beaumont SD convert, 283 - factory 195 hp, Powerglide, 3.08 10-bolt - Cruiser

  2012 US-built crew cab truck - Daily Driver and Boat Trailering



Poncho Master!

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good stuff. ive been looking at the caddie lights myself. I was thinking 2-3 on each side, or maybe putting one up on the fin, just some extra stopping lights??

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Poncho Master!

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59poncho wrote:

good stuff. ive been looking at the caddie lights myself. I was thinking 2-3 on each side, or maybe putting one up on the fin, just some extra stopping lights??



Yeah buddy, a pair on the main lights and another up in the fin, what could be cooler???!!!

Dave

 



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56Pontiac  1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod

  1964 Acadian Beaumont SD convert, 283 - factory 195 hp, Powerglide, 3.08 10-bolt - Cruiser

  2012 US-built crew cab truck - Daily Driver and Boat Trailering



A Poncho Legend!

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I love that look Dave, period correct custom modification. There is a 56 here in Southern Ontario with that treatment too.  thumbsup.gif

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Ray White, Toronto ON

1973 LeMans 454 "Astro-Jet"

Built March 9, 1973 - Oshawa ON

1993 Corvette Convertible LT 1

Built January 10, 1993 - Bowling Green Kentucky 

 




Poncho Master!

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73SC wrote:

I love that look Dave, period correct custom modification. There is a 56 here in Southern Ontario with that treatment too.  thumbsup.gif



Thank you Ray, and some day (I have all the parts) I will do the 54 Chevy grille with extra teeth ... biggrin

Dave

 



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56Pontiac  1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod

  1964 Acadian Beaumont SD convert, 283 - factory 195 hp, Powerglide, 3.08 10-bolt - Cruiser

  2012 US-built crew cab truck - Daily Driver and Boat Trailering



A Poncho Legend!

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I have a pair of 59 Caddy taillights in my toolbox and never really had a car they'd fit- 'cept maybe the 59 Dodge..


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Poncho Master!

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69Laurentian wrote:

I have a pair of 59 Caddy taillights in my toolbox and never really had a car they'd fit- 'cept maybe the 59 Dodge..



OMG 4 of them would be PURRRRRRRRFECT in your 59 Dodge!!!!!!!!!! JUST DO IT  and post pictures!

Dave

 



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56Pontiac  1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod

  1964 Acadian Beaumont SD convert, 283 - factory 195 hp, Powerglide, 3.08 10-bolt - Cruiser

  2012 US-built crew cab truck - Daily Driver and Boat Trailering



A Poncho Legend!

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I knew I had a photo of the car from Ontario, here it is, taken at Autofest 2009.

IMG_4741.JPG

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Ray White, Toronto ON

1973 LeMans 454 "Astro-Jet"

Built March 9, 1973 - Oshawa ON

1993 Corvette Convertible LT 1

Built January 10, 1993 - Bowling Green Kentucky 

 




Poncho Master!

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Yep, I was not the first one to think of this smile.gif

Now I have to decide if I am going to cut the big holes in my $70 NOS 56 taillights with the stainless steel trim rings, and put the Caddy units in them (which is what the car that Ray posted has) ...

Or I could pay another $30 and buy repro stainless steel trim rings ...

Decisions, decisions!

Dave

-- Edited by davelacourse on Tuesday 9th of March 2010 03:37:45 PM

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56Pontiac  1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod

  1964 Acadian Beaumont SD convert, 283 - factory 195 hp, Powerglide, 3.08 10-bolt - Cruiser

  2012 US-built crew cab truck - Daily Driver and Boat Trailering



Uber Guru

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I like em too, but be careful when backing up.....they stick out past your bumper and you may here a crunch.....Or someone walks past too close to the rear, they might snap them off.
Was actually gonna do that to my wagon one day, as well....

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1960 Pontiac Strato Chief Safari
1960 Laurentian Safari 
1960 Laurentian 4door(scrapped)
2001 Grand Am Traded on a '96 Suburban 2WD
2002 Hyundai Accent(SOLD)
1968 Grand Parisienne Scrapped and SOLD

 

Calgary, Alberta, but raised in Peterborough



Poncho Master!

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sixtywagon wrote:

I like em too, but be careful when backing up.....they stick out past your bumper and you may here a crunch.....Or someone walks past too close to the rear, they might snap them off.
Was actually gonna do that to my wagon one day, as well....



Actually they only protrude about 1/4" past the bumper, but I will need to be vigilant ... especially about people, there are plenty of jerks in the world who would delight in snapping one off.

They would look PERFECT on your 60 - two per side - however you will need to check the housing size, these require a 3" diameter hole with the chrome finned base - less for the lens alone - might have to cut them off to fit and epoxy them on. But would look cool! Here's one possibility (cut off and epoxied):

60.jpg

Dave

 



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56Pontiac  1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod

  1964 Acadian Beaumont SD convert, 283 - factory 195 hp, Powerglide, 3.08 10-bolt - Cruiser

  2012 US-built crew cab truck - Daily Driver and Boat Trailering



Poncho Master!

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Well I did get the trim rings from Ames Performance, they are very good quality, the equal of the trim rings on my NOS Glo-Brite taillights, and I epoxied them on (hint: if you do this, be very sparing with the epoxy so it does not squeeze out and make a mess), and they add even more (if that is possible smile.gif ) flash:

Original:

Taillights1.jpg

On old taillights without trim rings:

Taillights2.jpg

Final product:

Taillights3.jpg

Here's another view:

100325-02.JPG

Yeah maybe a little gaudy, but hey, cars of the 50's had a lot of chrome and flash, right?

Dave

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56Pontiac  1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod

  1964 Acadian Beaumont SD convert, 283 - factory 195 hp, Powerglide, 3.08 10-bolt - Cruiser

  2012 US-built crew cab truck - Daily Driver and Boat Trailering



Uber Guru

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I like it with the trim rings, makes it look more complete . The complete taillight assy looks like one peice now.biggrin.gif

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Addicted!

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looks much better with the trim ring on!

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