Technical Cute, traditional white reverse lights-need suggestions

I'm wiring my "traditional" Model-A coupe, and I'm thinking about reverse lights...

I say "traditional" because I'm really trying to give the car that feel, but I am installing some additional features to make it something I can race "safely" (registered for Arkansas Mile in May, ECTA Bonneville exhibition runs in July, and planning to do Drag Week and Sick Week, Power Tour, and drive to New Jersey for TROG, and at least one coast-to-coast drive). I really want to install some discrete, traditional, but effective reverse lights-there's really terrible rear visibility thru my 3" chopped rear window...I'm contemplating a back-up camera, but that's really not a screen I want in my 50's inspired interior, nor a bracket I want on my 1931 original license plate... Perhaps some back-up lights will make me feel more secure, adding night backing visibility and letting others know that I'm fixin' to back it on up...

Does anyone have any pictures of cool reverse lights for a "traditional" hotrod?

 

B-31 Guide ... with 6 volt 1133 bulbs, they'll light it up for a city block. 1073 12 volt are almost as good.
Excuse the handle - this one's made into a trouble light.

 

Yup, those are nice lights. Fairly common too. GM products, 60's?

 

From '46, at least, possibly pre-war. Last used on '52 Chev & Pontiac wagons, bolted to the taillights. Made by BLC & branded Guide for GM. They were also sold aftermarket by many companies.

 

On my 31 Oldsmobile the brake running light was on the left side. The optional reverse light was mounted on the right side. It looks just like the taillight with a white lense.

 

The back up cameras are small. If you mount it under the body of the car an inch or so back, it won't be very visible, and can still give you a pretty clear vision of what is behind you. You can mount the screen so it sits behind a flip down sun-visor above the windshield, so its only seen when you fold the visor down. Or maybe mount it under the dash, you only need to see the screen when you are backing up. Most of the cameras these days are lighted to provide better night vision, and you can set them up to be on only when the car is in reverse. Actually being able to see what is behind you when you want to back up sure takes the edge off driving them more.

 

The 49-51 Ford Shoebox backup lights are simple, versatile with that conservative “jet-age” elegance.



Since I’m into to Shoeboxes I see these for sale quite a bit. Sometimes NOS.
The link is a new set from Shoebox Central.
They are flush mounted and for a Model A, a single in the center or a single on drivers side rear may be the best bet.
A pair can work too. It depends on how you set up your taillights.

I’m sure other makes and models of the period have similar.
https://shoebox-central.com/1949-1950-1951-ford-back-up-light-kit

 

Cute?

 

I love reverse lights, it shows attention to detail and they are often overlooked. I run one "Yankee" light not he rear bumper of the 41 PU and I have a Lucas (lord of darkness) combo plate lamp/reverse light on my roadster. I'll see if I have pics.

 

Hella do these that I like, they’re pretty common in the air cooled VW scene.

 

Pics

 

Better shoot of the roadsters light

 

How about using the license plate light as a back up light? The one on a stock Model A tail light, maybe have to use both sides?

 

Thank you, gentlemen, please keep sending. I'll pm folks directly for follow-up questions. Some nice looking options. My chopped car doesn't have any inside sun visors...maybe a backup camera is an excuse to make some...

 

I put LED backup lights in the upper corners of the blue license plate panel. Very bright. Hard to see unless you know it's there. That round dot to the right of the license plate is my backup camera. The screen for the backup camera is in my windshield mounted rear view mirror, and only comes on in reverse.

 

Probably no one will copy what I did. On my '47 Plymouth, I recessed the licence plate into the trunk and above it I added a rear cargo light (the one above the rear window) from a GM square body truck. It fit the curvature of the trunk lid quite well. That was over 40 years ago but at least everyone knew when I was backing up.

 

54 Buick back up lights were flat and neat. I used the bezels for exhaust tips on mine.

 

I'm confused - BU lights weren't traditional. Hopefully "safe" racing doesn't require you lighting your way while traveling backwards. Get a small bluetooth camera and mount it under the rear a couple inches from the edge and no one will see it. I have one on a magnet that I stick on the fender when I park my car where I want it 1" from the wall.

 

My 57 Plymouth came with backup lights. Of course, they did not work when I got the car in 1964. I rewired them and they have worked since. If you drive at night, they are nice to have. It is hard to believe that in 1957 some of the cheaper model Plymouths did not come with backup lights.

 

I put backup lights on everything I build.

They aren't there specifically to illuminate behind me while backing up. They are there to let other people know that I am backing up.

The number of times that I have nearly been hit backing out of a parking space is too high to count.

The number of times I've also had two people standing there with shopping carts having a reunion in the parking lot, behind my car while I'm trying to back up, is also too high to count.

 

I think that's more of a function of where you live. You are definitely not around car friendly people.

 

Cowl lamps.

Small and not very bright and ahem... cute... is fine.

And then add some higher powered lights hidden under the rear of the car.
Heavy on the lumens.
No need to see those lights.
Just the light coming from them.

I figure the same idea with brake lights and turn signals.

 

Yeah, no. Not even close.

This has happened in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, and yes, in Southern California.

 

My (technically On Topic) 64 El Camino has not had functioning reverse lights in the 35 years I've owned it. I plan to remedy that soon, making the factory ones function so others can see that I'm in reverse, but I also plan to add a pair of tractor lights pointed at the ground and back under the rear bumper, so that I can actually see behind me in the dark. I've turned into a belt and suspenders kind of guy as I've gotten older. Or is that gauge and idiot light?

Devin

 

I've got a pair of fog/driving lights that looks similar but plainer than the VW lights Oneball showed in post 10 that I have had for probably 40 years that I had on some car I had that I plan to put under the bed of my 48 truck just far enough in that they don't show unless you are standing more than 20 ft behind the truck but hopefully light up the world behind me when I put it in reverse. I may put a filler panel in between the bed and bumper and french some lights in it though.

 

1950 Desoto backup lights. Mount horizontally or vertically.