Thread: 1955 Chevy taillights

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Ok.. the more and more I look at them, I keep thinking how cool it would be to put 1955 Chevy taillights in my '51 Chevy.. problem I seek is, I'll need 2 peices cut out that surround the taillights of a '55 Chevy, so I can cut that part off of my car and graft the entire light assembly and surrounding metal right onto my car, and make it simple.. the chrome surrounds on my current '51 lights were primed and ruined by the previous owner so they need replaced anyway ( $86 for repops )... I could smooth out the tail panal by removing the original back up lights because there intergrated into the taillights on the '55's. what do you all think? anybody got a source for the needed body parts?

I've seen some pretty bad 55 Chevy’s for sale as parts cars, try a search on goggle. You might be able to buy a rusted fender that you could cut the section out for the tail light. Or you could set the 55 Chevy tail light assembles on with duck tape use some 1/4" rod blend it to your fender with metal. I have been thinking of 39 Ford tail lights in my 51 Plymouth.

Richard

I thought about '39 ford teardrops but there a bit small for what I want.. I really think I'm going to do it w/ the '55 taillights

You could make a mold with fiberglass of your fender incase it didn't work out; you would have the original shape to go back to. Go for it.

Richard

yup. I could do that easy enough

It's your car Matt, but have you considered '54's? They're narrower and I think they would be easier to mount.

I have actually considered '54's.. the width of the '55 lights was actully somthing that concerned me.. I'd prefer the '55's but if the width is an issue, I'll use '54's.. I wouldn't need much sheet metal work to use those. now I know that I'm totally dreaming cause it will never happen... but it would look awsome if I stuck the entire rear fin section from a '54 Corvette on my Chevy... my car does have Corvette suspension lol

I was thinking last night after I signed off... I could get the entire fin section from a '55 Chevy, I could cut the top of my fins out and cut and drop the '55 fins in place and adjust them to fit where the '51 fins were.

looking at things today.. I don't think much will have to be changed.. I'll buy a set of bezels for a '55 so I can see what I would have to do to make them fit.. I think my fender fins are wide enough that it won't take much....... can someone give me the width dimension of a '55 Chevy taillight?

Originally Posted by Matt167

looking at things today.. I don't think much will have to be changed.. I'll buy a set of bezels for a '55 so I can see what I would have to do to make them fit.. I think my fender fins are wide enough that it won't take much....... can someone give me the width dimension of a '55 Chevy taillight?

I have a 55 Chevy in the garage; I can take some close up pictures with some measurements. I bought new tail light assemblies 20 years ago; just have not got started yet; slow starter!!!! I will post the pictures this evening.

Richard

thank you... I looked very closely at the back up light assemblys and the hole in the tail panal is not that big at all.. won't take much to close them up.

These are not as good as I thought I could do, but you may get an idea.
Top to bottom 8 1/4" close side to side bottom 5 1/2” depth bottom 4" this may give you something to start with, my passenger side is rough so these are close measurements.

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Richard

Thank you.. those pictures and measurments help a lot.. think I'll still need the surrounding metal tho.. top contour looks close enough to the '51 fin contour that I can match it up easy..

I just went out and measured.. I think there too wide. the fin area is 4.5" and I would have to offset them to the inside and there is a spot that I can gain the inch from by doing that ( would still be centered because the '55 assembly is so much bigger ). I would need to go back just over an inch tho, to meet up with that spot.

Matt

This is what I was talking about with the 51 ply. I would think a set of 39 ford lights would look good.


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This is for Itoldyouso if you see this post.

Don

If you see this one, it's for you, update,

This to let you know the visitor is still here. He thinks he has taken charge now.


Michael.JPG

My Sister finally got released from the hospital she is doing a lot better, now they think it may have been food poisoning!!


Richard