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Customs Anyone put tombstone taillights on their rod?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Modeljunkie, Aug 26, 2012.

  1. Modeljunkie
    Joined: Sep 25, 2011
    Posts: 279

    Modeljunkie
    Member

    Lately I've had a fascination with old harley tombstone taillights and my '40 plymouth's stock taillights are in need of some customizing{and better lighting...no one makes LED inserts for my car}, so I'm looking for cool replacements and thought of the tombstone lights.
    Now, any riders out there know that the majority of the tombstone tailights has the upper plate hole for lighting the plate, but, there are tombstone lights out there that don't have that...I'm looking into the type like that even in the mini configuration.
    I just wondered if anyone ever put these tombstone lights on their cars and how it looked.
    As a side note, the 40 plymouths tailights have a curvature to them from top to bottom...it's a slight arc. At the ends of the top and bottom of the chrome trim surround there's a 1/4" gap in the center...fairly shallow but this negates flat type taillgihts.
    Another reason for loosing the oems is that for the 40 plymouth, they have simple clips that hold the bulb centered behind the lense...no reflector, so alot of light is lost in the trunk....great if your in the trunk at night, lost light when it's time to be seen from behind. I'm looking for a more efficient, cooler looking way here.......
     
  2. jfrolka
    Joined: Oct 4, 2007
    Posts: 898

    jfrolka
    Member

  3. 40FordGuy
    Joined: Mar 24, 2008
    Posts: 2,907

    40FordGuy
    Member

    Those would be *****in' lights,....Never have seen them on a car,...but why not ?

    4TTRUK
     
  4. thinkfink
    Joined: Feb 12, 2007
    Posts: 624

    thinkfink
    Member

    May be Check out 1940-48 Chrysler taillights. They fit without much modification too. They are a bit bigger as the motorcycle lights, which is not a bad thing at night.


    Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
     
  5. motoandy
    Joined: Sep 19, 2007
    Posts: 3,379

    motoandy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from MB, SC

    on the right car/ truck it could work.
     
  6. Modeljunkie
    Joined: Sep 25, 2011
    Posts: 279

    Modeljunkie
    Member

    The tombstones come in standard and mini size....the mini being 2"ish x 4"....I'd lean towards those.
    The type the don't have the upper plate mount would also be the type I'm considering.

    I
    m suprised no one has done this yet...maybe I could start a trend since I still like cycles{have a cl*** M but no bike now} and old cars...
     
  7. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,609

    manyolcars

    Its a rat rod thing. They do it
     
  8. Gator
    Joined: Dec 29, 2005
    Posts: 4,016

    Gator
    Member
    from Statham Ga

    I had them on my '29 closed cab pickup which had widened rear fenders. They looked good and I got a lot of positive comments on them. I'll have to see if I can find a pic.


    Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
     
  9. pasadenahotrod
    Joined: Feb 13, 2007
    Posts: 11,772

    pasadenahotrod
    Member
    from Texas

    Generally speaking, I wouldn't use them because they are bike parts. There are so many car and truck lights that are so much better.
     
  10. kirby1374
    Joined: Dec 16, 2008
    Posts: 427

    kirby1374
    Member

    I was considering them for my A Tudor but I also noticed that no one else used them.....
     
  11. Modeljunkie
    Joined: Sep 25, 2011
    Posts: 279

    Modeljunkie
    Member

    Well, my 2nd honda CB750 had a 4-1 header with a thrush muffler on it..."thrush" facing out of course....that's me though{like to be different!}

    As far as "other" taillights, yes, but it's hard to find a set that have a curve to them to match my fender curve{top to bottom...side to side is flat}...alot of lights are flat. I could use alumilite to resin cast an adaptor to go between the flat taillights and the curve of the fender and body color it.

    My taillights are 2 1/2" wide by 4 3/4" long{tall} and I have a 1/4" gap under the middle of the chrome housing ends when laid on a flat surface, very close to a cycle fender....angle may be a slight issue.

    I was thinking of heading to the local harley shop this weekend for some recon with a chrome trim in tow for comparison....they'll either laugh at me or dig the idea.
     
  12. Modeljunkie
    Joined: Sep 25, 2011
    Posts: 279

    Modeljunkie
    Member

    I'd like to see that if ya could...did you use the standard size or the minis?
     
  13. Gator
    Joined: Dec 29, 2005
    Posts: 4,016

    Gator
    Member
    from Statham Ga

    Here ya go -

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  14. Could have sworn I posted this once, but a little tin, some snips, some paint and you could make inside reflectors for the stock lights. Seems hard to believe you're not just missing a part as far as that goes.
     
  15. Dchaz
    Joined: Sep 6, 2009
    Posts: 478

    Dchaz
    Member

    My tub has BSA or Triumph ( i cant remember which one it is )on it. I still need to trim the flat part off.
     

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  16. Fenders
    Joined: Sep 8, 2007
    Posts: 3,921

    Fenders
    Member

    Well then on your trunk you paint your club on the top rocker and location on the bottom rocker...
     
  17. B.A.KING
    Joined: Apr 6, 2005
    Posts: 4,039

    B.A.KING
    Member

    thats why i would use them,if they looked ok and as on gators truck, jmho is they look pretty damn good.but most anything he has looks pretty damn good:cool:
     
  18. Modeljunkie
    Joined: Sep 25, 2011
    Posts: 279

    Modeljunkie
    Member

    That's what I'm talking about...that looks cool...lights too!
     
  19. Modeljunkie
    Joined: Sep 25, 2011
    Posts: 279

    Modeljunkie
    Member

    My car is alittle more rounded being a sedan, but with the Briz bumpers I plan on and those lights...I think it's gonna be cool...just don't know if I'd leave them chrome or paint the outsides body color for mine.
     
  20. Modeljunkie
    Joined: Sep 25, 2011
    Posts: 279

    Modeljunkie
    Member

    I got a set of MG{B} turn signal indicators for my dash..has the lil green arrow on each...looked cool, and different.
     
  21. Modeljunkie
    Joined: Sep 25, 2011
    Posts: 279

    Modeljunkie
    Member

    Actually, oem set up..no reflectors...I'll snap a pic if you want a laugh...bare bones stuff here!
     
  22. Modeljunkie
    Joined: Sep 25, 2011
    Posts: 279

    Modeljunkie
    Member

    Well, I just nabbed a full sized tombstone taillight off of ebay for $9, so let the experimenting begin{size wise}...if it works well enough I'll get a 2nd.
     
  23. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 36,054

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    A friend of mine ran them on his 34 Ford sedan for years. They are good looking lights that don't look stuck on if you place them right.
     
  24. Modeljunkie
    Joined: Sep 25, 2011
    Posts: 279

    Modeljunkie
    Member

    Got the taillight yesterday...fits fine on the fender and has only the slightest downward tilt.
    I saw the Kuryakyn version last night...ohhhh I like the slope they put in that one, that would look totally cool too.
    Need to head over to the harley shop today for some hands on...they could use the laugh anyway- you want this for what? :D
     

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