Tail light swap on the 49 Chevy, Big Bertha.

I love the lines of a 49 fastback. There are only two things that really bug me and that is the wheel arch in the front and the tail lights. I still have a long way to go before I deal with them but just wondering what some of you think.
To me the tail lights stink. Bad shape and in the wrong spot.

You know me. I'm not beyond cutting anything up. Spo extending the 1/4 or frenching something in is no big deal. The back will be cleaned up. None of that bumper guards or chrome trim will be on her.
I'll post a few pics up and if you like one let me know.
I thought about this before I seen the picture. This is the stock lens moved over frenched in the body. After looking at it I'm not so sure.

Another thought was using the 59 Cadi or a trailer cone light lens and french them in to the top. Kind of like a early Corvette but all metal no chrone under the lens like a Vetts



The owner got a little carried away on this one but figured I'd add it. The longer Cadi light would look better in this one.

Cadi lights are so over done that I don't like the looks of them but just about everything is overdone to me now a days. Nothing original. So picking something that just looks subtle and right is the key sometimes.

This is my first choice so far. I like the idea. Taking the lights all the way off the body and running them in a set of bumper guards.

The nice simple 50 Pontiac tail lights may have a palce too. They are simple and round and could be used in a few place.

One I really like but I think it's the madness in me wanting to do it is a Ford tailight. I like it a lot but I think I want the challenge of putting them on more than the lights. The body would have to be reshaped to make them work. I like the idea of chopping it up more than the looks of the lights I think. I like the lights but it's a toss up.

If I did the Ford tail lights and body line they would sit lower in the body.

Any thoughts, likes, dislikes?

I like the taillights in the bumoer guards. Here is my friend's chevy with the poncho lights.

i've always been a fan of the 58ish corvette taillights on that body style personally

Crucial wrote:i've always been a fan of the 58ish corvette taillights on that body style personally

Those are pretty cool.

junkyard junky wrote:I like the taillights in the bumoer guards. Here is my friend's chevy with the poncho lights.

If I used the Poncho lights they would be frenched in just a bit and either an inch or two more towards the middle or out on the ends of the 1/4's frenched in. I like the simple Pontiac lights but they are just as bad as the 59 Cadi. Everyone has used them. There is more than likely more Cadi and Poncho lights on the road now than the factory produced on the real car.

I'd love to have that back bumper!

RebStew wrote:I'd love to have that back bumper!

He got the bumpers off ebay. Someone was reproducing the one piece bumpers.

Caddy bullets with chrome on bottom rocks!

Saw a thread on the H.A.M.B where a guy did a bunch of metal work and used frasier lights & rear bumper. Looked very good.

I'm not a fan of the lights in the bumper guard or the originals frenched in.

The lights in the bumper are hard to see from behind in the sun light and people following are not expecting lights there. They look cool but could lead to problems. Also it makes the rear of the car appear unfinished w/o lights. I saw one of those old Chevys someplace with a set of 56 Clipper lenses with the rear qtrs exyended a little. They weren't mounted upright in the normal position but upside down and laid back so they followed the contour of the rear qtr. That way the point was pointing down and towards the rear bumper. I don't remember if I saw it on a web site or someplace like the Pileup or the Detroit car show. It was really different and swoopy looking. That coupled with a 56 Chevy seamless rear bumper would be pretty cool and unique. Just an thought...........or my $.02

What about 58 chevy tailights turn sideways.

No one likes the Ford lights? lol

oldman wrote:What about 58 chevy tailights turn sideways.

Good idea but they are a little big.
As Doug was saying about the back end looking unfinished? I kind of always liked that look. Just clean. I don't see it as unfinished, just clean. I think I seen the car or one like it Doug that had those lights flipped. It looked good for sure. I may pull the 1/4 back some depending on what light I use. it's just metal. If I don't like it I can cut whatever back out. Whatever I use has to flow with the body. I have seen Packard lights and other fins welded on the top 1/4's I don't like that look at all. She has to flow.