Re: stepside custom tail lights
 

I was thinking about using a 73-77 elco bumper with the lights in it but im having trouble finding one that doesn't cost a fortune. Ive seen the 78-87 bumpers used but they have to be narrowed and don't have a pocket for the licence plate.

Re: stepside custom tail lights
 

I bought LED lights and Frenching cups from a Zephyr. I built the bracket and welded a cover to the open side of the cup. I filled the outside edges with Bondo to make them smooth. They'd be done but I moved them lower and had to weld the bracket holes so I can re-drill them in different spots. I have a LED 3rd brake light over the license plate so the rear of Toad will light up real nice. BTW, I will remove the trailer lights when the LED's are rocking and rolling

Re: stepside custom tail lights
 

That goes really well with the body lines of your truck. Good choice/work!

Re: stepside custom tail lights
 

Id go to the junk yard for some cobalt lights....Should be easy to find....Use to love my balt...Even considered tryin to find recaros to install in the truck from one

Re: stepside custom tail lights
 

I used these 1950 Pontiac lights from Southern Rod in SC in several Jeeps I built. They work great and are simple to wire,just three wires. Very bright leds and surface mount with two small bolt holes and one hole for the wiresAttachment 1031930

Attachment 1031931

Re: stepside custom tail lights
 

the very first few posts were prob the best ideas....imo.

Re: stepside custom tail lights
 

I just cut a hole in the fenders and sandwiched the original tail light lense to the housing drilling the screw holes right through the sheet metal. I also added some blue dots. Easy, but wish I had used some different, more unique tail lights...next time.

Re: stepside custom tail lights
 

Looks pretty cool..But I agree. All that work and keep those ugly darn lights...lol

I am keeping an eye on this thread hoping to see something that I really like.
Anybody have a picture of the plain round lights mounted lower, closer to the bumper??

Re: stepside custom tail lights
 

I was thinking of drenching in some 70' cuda taillights
My favorite car ever and I'm too poor for one
Posted via Mobile Device

Re: stepside custom tail lights
 

Re: stepside custom tail lights
 

Here's Toad all lit up. hmm, I thought I had a picture with the original trailer lights off, guess not, at any rate they are gone now. The LED's are bookoo bright.

Re: stepside custom tail lights
 

Maybe revive this thread?

I have been looking for some ideas and stumbled across this thread. I have posted in a couple of places but this is 73 to 87 so here goes.

A lot of custom light ideas here, some look good, some look really bad, but I'm looking for a way to look different and still say "Chevy Pickup". Maybe that doesn't make sense but to my mind it needs to still look like a truck and I'm not building a custom, although I don't care for stock either. I'm working on a '76 step side, these trucks came with a round 5" tail light and a separate 2 1/2" backup lamp. My idea is to take original light and build an enclosure for it. I took a diet coke box and some tape to show my idea. I removed backup light and lowered this lamp down. I know its crude but I really like the way it updates the original look but helps it flow into body... and says Chevy truck.

Attachment 1336050

Attachment 1336051
I have always liked the later tail lights that GM started using a couple years after this and in talking with owner of this truck we want to keep its identity as a early truck in this series.
So any comments as to how this looks and how I might go about building an enclosure in metal like this?

Re: stepside custom tail lights
 

I simply fabbed some small billet aluminium pieces and cut out a set of factory lenses from an 80s car (I think it was a VW something). EAsy to fab, looks good (IMO)

Here's a vid where you can see the lights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDecpd7mdrY

Re: stepside custom tail lights
 

I've seen on this board that a popular mod back in the day was to use cadillac tail lights - the long vertical shape fits nicely into the big fender.

Heres a sample

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1315018631

And here's a post about it

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=556774

Re: stepside custom tail lights
 

I know it's an old thread.
But I thought I'd throw in mine.
Bumper came off a Malibu station wagon. I believe it was an early 80's.
An El Camino bumper is the same.