LIL HELP: Easy CUSTOM TAILLIGHTS For a '40 Ford TUDOR???

I'm trying to keep my new '40 Standard Tudor as simple as possible. Basically, what a highschool kid would have done to his the car his parents handed down to him. So I'm looking for taillight ideas that are easy swaps/near bolt-ons. After the Legion Special where nearly EVERY part is a one-off custom creation, I want a simple project.

I know '41 Stude taillights are close and look great, but what else is there?

The plan:

-4" dropped axle by 296 V8 (Greg)
-Reverse eye front main leaf
-Reverse eye rear main leaf
-Bigs and littles
-Spun (brand) aluminum wheel covers
-'40 Merc front bumper. Maybe one out back too.
-'39 Ford Deluxe headlights
-Stock body
-Stock interior
-Taillight swap
-Two-2 intake
-Canadian aluminum heads
-Drive it!

 

Stude lights are SPENDY if you can find them...

How bout some of these HUDSON lights?



Also, might want to have a look through this taillight thread.

 

These are pretty simple to do....

 

Do '39 lights fit the curves? You can't go wrong with '39 lights. As you can tell, I like '39s better than '450s, but this one was a deal so I'll be mixing the two years together.

 

I think the curves on the fenders are the same.

 

I'm liking that! I just have to see how the current holes look. It's a Standard with two taillights, so it had one added at some point. The new taillights will have to use the current holes or at least be able to cover up a filled hole if I need to fill the old ones. I don't want to repaint anything.

Thanks!

 

Don't use the LED lights, they're just plain wrong. Plus, they're the wrong size and shape, and only *slightly* resemble real Zephyr lights.

real Zephyr lights will probably set you back even more than the Stude ones will.

 

I have some 49 Fords recessed in mine

 

OOPs! I just read your post but they were not that hard to install. and cover the old wholes up.

 

Just mount some '49 TL's vertical... use one of the frenching kits in reverse and make a gasket to put behind them

 

Would it have the hash-mark lights like hotrod40coupe's avatar?

If so, would someone have changed those out on a simple car? They're pretty distinctive right out of the box -

The next logical step that comes to mind is the '39 teardrop, if you don't mind that they've been used so many places they're just about overused.

 

I just don't personally like the chevron-shaped stockers.

 

Make sure to check this website out Taillight King just click on the picture tab and dream away.

I've always been a fan of 40-41 Willys Taillights

 

I love the hudson taillights!

 

'39 taillights are a lot narrower than your existing openings, but a paint blend might work. It is proper black, after all.

The Zephyr teardrops are kinda' cool (are they all l.e.d.?, then not so much). But they look a little bit big, clunky, just wrong to me, for some reason.

Personally, I would keep the stock chevrons, though. They may grow on you, Kirk.

I'm working on getting a set of og '41 Studes, just to have. Because I do prefer my stock teardrops, but you never know.

I can't help you out with other ideas, since these are the only ones that look good to me. Well, besides some badass Vega lenses frenched in, with some bluedots....

 

I think the '39 Fords and the Studes are probably the only two that will fit the fender contour without modification, but you'd have to fill the '40 holes and spot in the paint. If you decide to do that, one other period-correct option would be to remove the fender-mounted taillights altogether, and use motorcycle taillights mounted to the bumper guards.

edit: on second thought, the cycle taillights aren't a good idea unless you shave the deck too.

 

You mentioned "what a highschool kid might do". I'm thinking those devil lensed lights, they're kinda 3D teardrop shaped. I think Speedway has them

 

When I was a highschool kid, I did put '41 Studebaker taillights in my Standard '40 Ford Tudor. IMO there is nothing better than Studeys if you are removing the stock '40's. That's why I started making some more.

There will be NO taillight that will fit over that odd shaped chevron hole without some paint work. I can guarantee it.

Here's another highschool anecdote: My dad put '52ish Buick taillights (the kind with two bullets in an oval ring) in his highschool '40 coupe. Nowadays whenever we see those taillights on another car, we call them "40 Ford lights".

 

Yeah, I looked under the fender last night and the holes are big ugly squares. I think the vintage high school kid will be funning the stockers for a while.

 

This is a very interesting post to me. I was thinking about the same thing on my Plymouth. My intent was to find something that would cover the stock holes in the body and essentially "bolt-on". I was thinking about 1950 Pontiac, but don't know if they will cover up the holes or fit the contour of the body.

By the way Kirk, I like your concept of the high-school kid. That's exactly what I was going for with my car. Something that would be cool in the school parking lot say sometime between 52 and 54.

 

My '40 sedan (it was hot rodded in '58 by a highschool kid) has aftermarket round taillights just below the location of the stockers. My car is a standard, and evidently only came with one tailight on the drivers side. The kid added an aftermarket blinker handle and switch, which, in the glovebox, was the original packaging and instructions.

 

You're nuts Kirk, those are some of the coolest taillights ever!

What about sinking in some early corvette taillights?

 

Bob Gregorie would roll over in his grave if you do away with the 40 trademark headlights and tail lights. However, years ago I saw a 40 with flush mounted 59 Corvette tailights and it looked good. Also, some folks used to cut the bars out of the stock 40 bezels to give lights a plain look. Wonder how 49 Buick tail lights would look. You can buy repro 41 Stude tail lights. Here are the Corvette lights.
http://www.cargurus.com/Cars/Pictures-c426-pi35726089-1959-Corvette.html#pi35748584

 

The tail lights on that Hudson look a lot like Harley Davidson. I don't think either will fit your fender contor though. Actually, back in the day I don't remember many guys changing 40 or 39 tail lights. We liked them. Other things we did were filling in the deck lid and sometimes the hood chrome went away, but I never liked that much. You might consider some lakes pipes or just some chrome exhaust pipes exiting under the front fenders, that was popular then. We did a lot of Mexican upholstery if you lived in the Southeren states and lots of chrome dash stuff like speaker covers. Just some thoughts.

 

Ha!!! And so it Starts!!!! Glad I caught this thread, your sick!!

 

Anything but Harley Davidson lights. Lame AND overdone.

 

40 Ford Chevron Taillamps don't fit the fenders very well from the factory. The hole in the fender is nearly as big as the taillamp itself. There is a reinforcement plate the shape of the lamp with holes in opposite corners for the mounting bolts. Doubtful if you can install anything without modification and paintwork over the curved opening.

39 Ford Teardrop Taillamps are flat and mount on a flat section in the stock 39 fender with 2 bolts and a fair-sized oval hole between them for the bulge in the lamp that houses the socket.

Truth be told. Most high school kids who were lucky enough to acquire a 39 Dlx or 40 Ford would have been happy to leave the taillamps alone.

 

Ah FUCK!

Hey, I got your housewarming present ready.

 

X2 because you said "simple" "something a kid would have done..and cheap" PLUS you make it tough with no paint or bodywork.

It's real hard to kick the "want to be so different" as well as a little streetrodder thoughts sneaking in... ... so keep it simple like you say.


also if it's old paint, old interior, etc...please don't use shiney new repro cheapass looking lights...or gauges, etc. That stuff spoils so many builds IMHO

 

I don't plan on putting anything on the car that is new.