Do these look like stock 38/9 tail light buckets? They were in the roadster when I got it. What pcs am I missing to complete them? I have the chrome trim, lens, etc. I'm missing the pcs that complete the wiring. I ordered a set off of speedway and I am pleased with them. However, they are much deeper in the bucket and hit the inside panel before mounting flush. I could clearence the panel but then it would hit my rumble lid.
Those are not stock Fords. Fords had the bucket stamped in one peice, not fabricated like yours. You are missing the ring, lense, cork gasket for the inside of the lense, and the wiring pigtail. A lot of times guys remove the socket from the stock straight-back position, and stick a snap-in kind into the side of the bucket. This gives more room for rumbleseats or tires.
Could you elaborate more on this......you've got my attention..... I tried taking the guts out of the speedway ones and putting them into the- what I thought was- stock ones, but the bulb protruded to the point that I couldnt' put the lens on..... Yes, the one pictured is a bit flimsy feeling. I would have thought Ford would have been much better.....they seem to fit nicely though....
The stock buckets have a stamped well in them that looks to be bigger diameter, and maybe deeper too. Guys take the crimped 3/4 inch socket out and weld up that hole. Then go to NAPA and buy one of those sockets that has spring clips to hold it into the inch and a half hole you would drill in the side of the Ford bucket. The Ford buckets have a flatter side to them and will hold the snap-in sockets better than your small round-sided ones. See if you can find a picture of an exact repro at Bob Drake's website, or maybe Spadaro's. That will show how the Ford's are bigger in the bucket.
Thanks....I'll go down and dig throught the light and accessories at the local super duper auto parts mega store and see what they have. The one's on Drake's site look to be the same as the ones from Speedway....except more money....
Here are the parts needed ... The stainless outer ring, the cork gasket, The lense and the housing ( mine has been modified ) and the rubber that goes between the tail light and the body. This is how I modify 38/39 Tail lights ... On a 32 Roadster with a rumble seat lid ... you have to shorten the tail light housing to gain clearance for the deck lid. In order to gain even more room and be more visible ... I drill a hole in the side of the housing and use a afermarket socket that plugs in. I use the BoB Drake halogen bulb ... so I only need a 3/4 inch hole. I also line the back and the sides with a thin piece of polished Stainless Steel ... To brighten up the lights ... On a 32 ... the tail lights are straight up and down so the way I do mine ... the light of the bulb is directly visible ...
You wouldn't happen to have a pic of this "socket"....I'd really like to see what I'm looking for.... Where are you getting the polished stainless.....DIY...... That would work perfectly.....thanks! I have two brand new ones, complete, except the gasket. See, I went to take mine out to see why they were missing the electrical pcs. Well, the old rubber gasket (between the light and body) fell apart when I tried to remove it carefully. So, I thought, self, I'll just order two new ones and be done with it! Oops, I didn't notice the new ones don't come with the rubber gaskets......doh!.....that's why I ordered them in the first place. Anyhow, the ones from Speedway China are actually pretty nice...
I got the sockets at the chain parts store ... Advance ... They are about $2.50 each. I changed the wires on the one out of the package to the correct black and green one which is also longer I got the thin Stainless at the Nationals a few years back. The light I showed you is actually the 1st design. I have the 2nd design ones in the Roadster. I had Advance Plating chrome plate the housings ... for the 2nd design
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