Im buying a 53 chevy car. I dont like the 53 chevy tail lights, and was wondering what has been done to improve on the rear of these. Id also like to see any bumpers that could improve on the stock appearence... Swaping too 54 lights should be simple, right? Maybe even a bolt in? Id also like to see some panel swaps... Maybe 53/54 olds, pontiac or buick? Or any other cool custom tail lighs, or just cool ideas... Ive got a few but would love to hear and see more. Thanks, Cory
'54 taillights are a bolt-in, did that to my '53. You can get Lee lenses for the '54 bezels that are really smooth looking. '53 Pontiac wagon taillights are also a bolt-in and they're sweet looking but they're hard to find. Rear bumper swaps depends on how much work you want to do. A one piece '53 rear bumper with no guards gives a nice smooth look.
54 lights bolt on, lee lenses look even better. Nads' car looks good, I think they are Packard lights grafted on? Look on salinasboys.com to see what Cole did, those look good too. Same year cad rear grafted on would fit. As for bumpers, a 54 front turned upside down looks ok, and the ribbed plymouth 1 pc front bumper can work. I think its more what you can find/ make fit than anything else.
Can anyone post up a pic of the packard lights grafted on? Whats a good sources to pick up parts(re-pop, odd and ends, misc) for 53/54 chevys? Any places that have a large selection of stuff for em? I know of a few places that carry some parts, but nothing great. Thanks, Cory
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=101801&highlight=my+chevy http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e327/Rumblernads/Picture006.jpg
Chev's of the 40's has the biggest selection of stuff that I've seen. They've got the Lee lenses and the '54 bezels, plus tons of other trim stuff and resto parts. There's also a place called National Chevrolet Alliance or something like that who's supposed to have lots of stuff too but I've got no experience with them.
I think this was what Squablow was referring to: http://www.nationalchevy***oc.com/home.html You can also try: http://www.thenightprowlers.com/ Bryan
I just had someone tell me that the 54 lights will bolt right up, but woln't look right, because the body lines changes slightly between the 2 years. Any truth to that?
no way man same car (at least the rear end) 54s will go right on. i cut some quarters off a 55 chev for my 53. heres a old pic with the piece just kinda sittin on it primered all up so i could tell what it was gonna look like. i dont know if i like it or not.....
Mine had 50 Ford tailights frenched in. seen that quite a bunch on early 50 Chevys. I'll see if I can find a pic.
I hate the look of the stock 53 light's myself and was going to use the stock 54 bezels with Lee lenses at first.. But after looking at the car for a while with the chop i ended up fabricating new housing's that extend the quarter's about 5 inches and tunneled a set of the Lee lenses inside them.. The housing kinda mimick the 54 bezels to some extent but are more exagerated.. Just a thought, you could do something similar and fab housing's up to fit any lens you like that will fit the shape of the quarter.. That pic 51chevysled posted is DAMN nice! I love how smooth those look!! Tony
i took the stock lenses outta my 54's tail lights cept the outer lens and glued 51 ford lenses on with blue dots.got the idea from this thread http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11709&highlight=53-54+taillight+swap sorry,dont have any current pix creepy
It usually the very 1st thing that gets changed on 53's....I feel its one of the worst looking tailights ever made but that just me. The 54 tailight has a much more cl***ier look. I say be creative and start studying some lil pages to do something a little out of the norm. I believe i have a set of quarter sectons from a licoln that i was going to use but never did or check out the one Jesse James built that was sectioned.....another exampe of smooth & clean! The sky is limit with these cause they are sooo many ways you can go with it..I have alot of parts that i'm sorting through from 53-54's i've owned over the years so i may have some things that could help you out....Let me know and good luck with the build! O-yeah, check out the one that Gary Chopit built. That car has the perfect lines and flows the way a true kustom should...
I recall somebody out there has something like this except frenched, I thought they looked good on these cars.
This thread needs a bump or a defibrillator not too sure. Anyway correct me if i am wrong. Is the rear bumper on this car a 1956 pontiac minus the over rider that connects the two sides?
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