First off, there are many different taillights used on hot rods from here to all the way over there, but it seems like hot rodders gravitate to choice few like the '39 Ford teardrops, '46 Chevy rectangle units, and the perfectly round '50 Pontiac bullets. Is this just a trend that's lasted a very long time, or is it that all the taillights mentioned above simply fit well and are pleasing to the eye on the backside of a hot rod? We would concede to the trend idea just as long as everyone agreed that running a '32 without fenders is also a trend. But, no, we definitely feel both go much farther than just a trend.
Taillights are a statement just like a flame job. Even though many flame jobs look similar, done in very different ways, those similar flame jobs can create very different looks from car to car. Take the '50 Pontiac taillight for instance. First off, they're round, so they can be mounted just about anywhere. The bullet-shaped lens looks right at home on a hot rod, matching shapes with the hub caps, concave glass gauges, bullet-shaped headlight buckets, and the natural rounded bodylines of the late '20s to early '30s vintage autos.
With this, we get to the reason behind our story. A while back SRM's Editor Brian Brennan and famed car builder Magoo began discussing concepts for Brian's latest highboy project. Soon a theme started showing up from one end of his hot rod to the other. For those two characters, deciding to run the '50 Pontiac taillights came naturally when they took into consideration some of the other parts going on the project, like the headlights, dash insert and gauges, and the dash switch knobs (more on those parts in upcoming issues), that had already been chosen. All share a similar shape and step design that almost perfectly matches the shape and bezel of the '50 Pontiac taillights. This choice was far too easy for the likes of these two, but when you get to their age, you need a simple decision once in a while. Anyway, the only problem left was how to get their hands on a quality set of repop Pontiac taillights. Cheap plastic units are readily available, but why settle for inferior parts when taking the time to build a superior hot rod?
As it turns out, that's exactly the same kind of philosophy used at Bob Drake Reproductions, Inc. Not only are the '50 Pontiac taillights one of Bob Drake's quality repops, they were redesigned with shorter buckets, rectifying any fitment problems with the rumble lids and tires. Also on the list of improvements: using glass lenses for better clarity and longer life, centering the bulb socket for a more defined light focus, and options like colored rubber mounting pads, quartz halogen bulbs, and pre-installed blue-dots. It seems the little round Pontiac taillights are finally getting the same kind of attention as the '39 Ford teardrop lights. So the question is, with all the new refinements designed into these lights, do they install like the factory originals? Let's let Hot Rods By Dean show us exactly what it takes.
Our own Ron Ceridono knows...
Our own Ron Ceridono knows style when he sees it, and that's exactly why he mounted a set of Bob Drake Reproductions' '50 Pontiac taillights in his '32 lowboy seen here. Notice how well the round-shaped taillights work with his handmade nerf bar and body-mounted license plate.
No plastic here, these taillights...
No plastic here, these taillights look good because they're built from heavy die-cast chrome-plated metal and thick glass lenses with the correct color and fluting.
Flipping the taillight over,...
Flipping the taillight over, notice the shallow bucket for a wider range of installation placement, and that the hardware, wiring, and rubber-mounting pad are included for a super easy install.
This will be the most time-consuming...
This will be the most time-consuming portion of the installation; not because it's terribly difficult, but rather because great care and thought should go into where you want to mount the lights. Think about how the rear of your car will look when done, where the license plate will go (if you are running nerf bars or the like), and about anything else you might decide needs to be back there. Try tracing the taillights onto the body in different places to get different ideas.
Bob Drake includes this handy...
Bob Drake includes this handy template to use after you have found the sweet spot for the lights.
As Dean shows us in this photo,...
As Dean shows us in this photo, a 2 1/2-inch hole saw bit will make quick work of installation; however, any way you can cut or drill this hole is fine.
The two mounting stud holes...
The two mounting stud holes need to be drilled with a 3/16-inch bit.
Slide the rubber gasket onto...
Slide the rubber gasket onto the bezel and mount in place with the supplied hardware. Pop the lenses in place and you will have successfully mounted one of hot rodding's coolest taillight configurations ever. That wasn't so hard now was it?