I've seen tail light lens from Oldsmobile's & Buick's used on '54 Fords but today at the swap meet at the Charlotte Motor Speedway I saw a '52 Ford that had some cool looking tail light lens and he said they were from a Corvette. Anyone know what model Corvette would have a lens that will fit the housing of a 52-54 Ford? HRP
Did the lens have a "Guide" number on it? If it was indeed original GM equipment it would have a Guide # and the two digit year the lens was used. Alan S. Freeman
Looks like these here:http://www.ebay.com/itm/1968-1982-C...d=100033&prg=8089&rk=1&rkt=4&sd=190906130627&
I found two in the box lenses for a 54 or 55 olds 98. When upside down, one hole lined up. I drilled and tapped two more and used the Ford gasket and br*** screws so they wouldnt rust in.
Alan,I honestly didn't even look that hard but they sure looked good. I love just about everything about the exterior appearance of a '54 Ford but I have always thought Ford dropped the ball with the taillights,,I just like the simplicity of rounded tail light and the ones I saw doesn't appear to be conical shape of the old's taillights if you get what I'm trying to say. HRP
I have a bunch of the taillights pictured above, they are definitely Corvette. They are 5" in diameter and almost 2" tall. I have a few extras if anyone is interested in trying a set.
HRP did you ever try the corvette lens. My 54's taillight lens need replacing and I'm trying to make up my mind what to use. I like the looks of the lens you found and wondering how hard they are to fit? Ralph
If you guys do a taillight swap and your '54 has the chrome tri-bar those can bring some bucks from '54 restorers.
Jeff,I didn't use them when I restored the wagon,,mine were pitted badly. I believe Dennis Carpenter has reproduction pieces now. HRP
I had 54 Olds lens in my 53 and they are very similar but getting hard to find. I now have the custom flat lens but I've wondered which Corvette lens would work.
I have a set of 56 olds 88 lens that are oem new condition. They only way I can see to mount them is to remove an inch or so of the base and glue them to hogged out 54 lens. Is this the way folks have done this in the past or am I missing something. I really hate to ruin the olds lens. Thinking of buying a set of 68 corvette lens off ebay instead.
Hi Mark, I would like two of the Corvette taillight lens for my 54. I have a set of modified Falcon lens in my car now but they do not fill out the housing like I wanted.
Here's a look at the 68 vette lens on my Vicky. I didn't like the gap left around the lens so I cut the outer ring off the 54 lens and glued it on the vette's. I have it attached with just the upper screw and you can see it's a little off. I'll probably just redrill all 3 holes, if I use them. Still thinking about the 56 olds lens.
I like the 'Vette lens, the Old's is kind of overdone to the point some may not even notice you made a change.Because of the 52-54 Fords shape there is not much that can be done without some metal shaping involved.
Check out my avatar..same problem I had, turned out to be an easier remedy than having rings custom machined. The outer ring you see is not original to the '63 tailight, it is actually the outer lip of a stainless steel dog dish bowl! Nice thing here as there are lots of sizes available..dog dishes, mixing bowls, ect. check the dollar stores, walmarts, etc. Odds are you'll find something the right size.
I have a few Vette lenses and what I think are Olds lenses, both measure 5'' in diameter. Vette lenses have some surface scuffs that need polishing- $10 set plus shipping The Olds lenses have some crazing but not too bad, one has a small chip about an inch in from the point on the bottom side- $20 for the set plus shipping. I bought this stuff for my '55 but ended up using different lenses.
There is a guy on Facebook in the 52, 53, + 54 Customline group that has 59 Caddy bullets grafted to the stock 54 lenses. It a very cool look.
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