Hi guys. I'm new to this board. I have a '52 Deluxe with a '59 235 engine. I am rewiring the truck and have a tail light question. I'm looking to include turn signals. Is there any way to do this with one light, like, to have a tail light, brake light, and turn signal in one unit. I can only find two terminal tail lamps. Does any one know how to wire this up or where to find three terminal assembly? Thanks for any help and you have a very nice site. Evan Mealer
Welcome to the mad house. If you have good original tail light housings go to Classic Parts and order the two bulb inserts that replace the original one bulb insert. Then remember to use 12 volt bulbs unless you want nice little silver bulbs to hang on your Christmas tree. Don't ask me how I know this. Once you get the inserts. put them in and run the pigtails out the back of the original housing and we can wire to it. You must make sure that the housing is well grounded so if the bracket has been painted make sure you scratch it a little so the mounting bolt will ground. Also, when taking off the lens make sure you secure the glass because it is not stuck to the chrome trim. Again, don't ask me how I know this. So, the answer is that you have to have two bulbs. Good luck, Gater
I have attached a pic of it. #49-491. It is a little pricey at $7.49 each but it is the only way to go. I thought the sockets for the bulbs came with but they are not pictured. You can give them a call and ask. They are really good about answering questions about their stuff.
HMmmmmm I have turn signals integrated into my stock two bulb taillights ~ I use a # 631 bulb for the running light and a # 1156 for the brake/turn signal bulb . It's done with a 6 wire turn signal switch , you'll need to run one additional wire to the back of the truck in any case . You can either use the park lamps for turn signals or convert them to dual filament lights to retain the parklight and have turn signals too ~ If you're re-using the original taillight housings , remember to paint the inside with gloss white paint , NOT silver as white reflects better . As far as grounds , , just use star typ lock washers and you shouldn't need to scrape any paint . I like to use stainless steel nuts too and I always grease the threads and bulb sockets with bearing grease as it promotes good conductivity . DO NOT use Dialectric grease on lighting circuits ! . Oh yeah : WELCOME ! this is a good board and the guys here know pretty much everything as they've been working on and with , these old trucks for over 500 years collectively so there's precious few mistakes you can do that I , er , THEY (yeah,right) haven't done and figured out allready
Evan, welcome & thanks for bringing this up-- I have a 54 with an add on signal system that I cannot get to work correctly-- turn signals, hazard and parking lights all work but NO brake lights= it is a 900 series system with everything but the brakes on one circuit and the brakes run thru the signal system to allow turn signals and brake lights at the same time--if I wire across the brake light switch , the brake lights come on- which made me think the switch was bad but I've tried 3 switches with no luck. Any help would be greatlyappreciated---
Brake Lights Glenn (?) if the brake lights work O.K. when you jumper across the switch's terminals , it's got to be the switch ~ there are several different versions of the Chevy brake light switch , it's supposed to have the long arm trapped under the brake pedal's arm to shut it off so when you depress the brake pedal the switch's arm loves out a ways and closes the circuit ~ use a test light (NOT a meter !) to test it's function , maybe the arm is hanging up on the wires or something ? . The reason this simple , basic switch is still made is : it's the world's easiest bep up light switch , so simple to mount up so it's always in big demand and any place that works on dumps beds or PTO's will have it in stock .
Here is a link that Ken turned me onto the last time this came up. Give it a look. http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/turn_signal.htm Gater
Thanks for the responses--I followed the instructions that you supplied (from the Stovebolt Tech Tips) and have tried 2 new switches--with the switch terminals jumped the brake lights come on-( Nate, it is the lever switch and it has the full range of motion-- no wire interference-- paint scraped from firewall-- is there supposed to be a ground strap from the cab to the frame? Is the signal box supposed to ground to the steering column? Some other grounding method? When I jump the switch, the brake lights come on regardless of the switch lever position and, if I'm not VERY careful attaching the jump, the fuse will blow (don't ask how many times that I've proven this)-- I'm just totally confused and befuddled-- all the time , not just over this!
Gater, thanks, that is the instruction set that I used-- Nate, the switch is the swing arm that you describe-- is it possible that I've blown the two new ones that I've tried? When I jump the switch, the b lites come on and stay on regardless of the switch position- if i'm not very careful, the fuse will blow when I jump the switch--( please don't ask how many times I've proved that) Is there a ground switch from the cab to the frame-- if so, where? Is the signal box supposed to ground to the steering column? Some other grounding method that I'm missing? I'm totally confused and befuddled-- all the tim, not just over this!
Glen, This may confuse or it may help. The numbers are the ones that were on my harness as well as the colors. It doesn't show everything but it shows the stop lights the way I did them. This was my cheat sheet and I finally got it right.
You just need one bulb in the tail light, an 1157 if 12 volt. As Nate said, use a 6 wire t/s switch (many have 7 wires if with a 4 way flasher) and wire like this: Purple--12 volt supply through flasher White--Brake Lt feed to t/s switch Lt Blue--L front Dk Blue--R front Yell--L rear Green--R rear This is the GM color coding and nearly all the after market t/s switches use it. The brown wire already run to the rear is the tail light/license plate light so all you need is one more wire run to the rear to use for the right rear t/s and brake light. Cut the wire that used to connect the left and right brake light AFTER the left light assembly so the lights can't back feed into each other. In an 1157 bulb the long element is the tail light and the short (bright) element is the brake light AND turn signal so, it provides all you need: tail, brake, and t/s lights. They make a two contact bulbs with the pins the same depth but I can't remember the number. I just use the socket for the 1157 bulb.
Glenn ; I don't understand ~ the brake lights are supposed to light when you bridge the switch's terminals . what's the problem then ? . Tie down the brake pedal and take your test light , make sure it's properly grounded (carby is good) and probe for current at one terminal , then let the arm move away from the floor , the other terminal should now show current too . No ground strap on the switch . Confuddled all the time ? welcome to middle age ! -Nate
Guys-- I HAVE BRAKE LIGHTS! I have turn signals, hazard lights & tail lights-- all is right with the world. The problem was that I had the wrong switch (worked opposite the way it was supposed to) and a couple of poor connections. Thank you all for your help-- that is what makes this site so great for this hobby. I did learn a trick that makes one person installation of the switch possible-- I put a golf tee thru the mounting bracket, then thru the floorboard-- I could manuver the switch with the end of the tee and start the first screw - after it was in, the second screw was a snap. If this can help anyone, I'd be thrilled. Thanks again.
Thanks you guys are amazing. thanks for the help so so much. if anything comes up i'll ask you guys again.
