Highboy Licence plate bracket

[qmdv]

Back in the day Western Auto and Pep Boys had the Hollywood licence plate bracket. This is what all the Southern California folks put on their High Boys. Turns out that some 50's and most 60's Airstream trailers used this plate bracket. Well naturally there are folks that are as passionate about restoring Airstreams as we are about old Fords. So here is a new source for the Hollywood bracket

http://airstreamsupply.com/new-licen...light-141-9457

[qmdv]

This is how mine turned out. And did I say I love 42 to 48 tail lights

[ford38v8]

Nope. Teardrops, no question.

[Pete]

Nope, round Pontiac. No question........GUFFAW

[rich b]

I like those lights; not seen to often. I started digging thru my extra junk for enough stuff to put another pair of them together for my project.

I also need to start looking for one of those license lights with a brake light built in.

[qmdv]

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Originally Posted by rich b

I like those lights; not seen to often. I started digging thru my extra junk for enough stuff to put another pair of them together for my project.

I also need to start looking for one of those license lights with a brake light built in.

Never seen a plate bracket with brake light. I set my tail/brake lights up for turn indicators. No turn indicators for the front though.

[qmdv]

Here is a less expensive one
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-1...FEF7:rk:8:pf:0

[Alaska Jim]

I bought a couple of those style brackets a couple of years ago, they came in Bob Drake boxe's , but that is not who I ordered them from. I can't remember who it was, but it was not Bob Drake. I also have a set of those tail lights. I am going to use the tail lights and lic. plate bracket on my 29 roadster build. I have round '50 Pontiac lights on my coupe.

[TomT/Williamsburg]

I like that light but the light housing was/is to high above the license plate was imho. Got mine from Speedwsy I think. I cut and lowered the light housing ... looks better to me.

First pic is after powering, second pic at “stock height”

[tubman]

I also like the round Pontiac lights, but couldn't find a (reasonably priced) set. I ended up using '54 Buick taillights and actually liked them better.

[TJ]

Originally Posted by qmdv

Never seen a plate bracket with brake light. I set my tail/brake lights up for turn indicators. No turn indicators for the front though.

All kinds of them on e-Bay with LED third brake light included with the license light.

[john in illinois]

I used a Lucas license plate light and put the plate on the under trunk panel ,no bracket. Really nice qualty light used on Shelby cobras amoung others.

John

[Krylon32]

I have 46-48 taillights on both my deuce highboy roadster and my FF deuce 5 window. I use the old timey stainless tube license light on both along with the adjustable stainless license frames I find on E-Bay. I run original 32 plates on my cars and strangely here in NE. they came in different sizes depending on how big your county was and how late in the year you registered your car.

[TomT/Williamsburg]

Talking about taillights, I am using 53 Buick lenses and trim ring on 34 Ford housings ...

[RalphM]

Still thinking about the license plate light/ mount for my AV8, I was going to order a Bob Drake one, but this gives me more options.
BTW I used 42 Oldsmobile taillights.

[qmdv]

Nice. So many ways to skin a cat

[rich b]

Originally Posted by qmdv

Never seen a plate bracket with brake light. I set my tail/brake lights up for turn indicators. No turn indicators for the front though.

Originally Posted by TJ

All kinds of them on e-Bay with LED third brake light included with the license light.

No LED; more like this Chicago Autolamp one listed on ebay.

I tried one like that one on my '35; but it angled back too far and pointed skyward, ended up with an old Hollywood light.

Hoping my kid still has the one I tried; seem to be getting pricier as time goes by.

[Tinker]

Originally Posted by qmdv

Nice. So many ways to skin a cat

Not a fan of 1959 Cadillac tail lights on a highboy, ....without some leaded roundbar and some frenchin' (which would look like sh!t on a highboy). Very 60's cool custom though.

With the right idea you can make anything work really. The more obscure the better.

Just don't put something on made after 1960s. Just my thought, and my opinion does not matter.




.

[Bbhf]

try tail light king website: i got a nice original hollywood plate light from him: sk

[fortyfords]

Personally I like the small stainless tube license plate light that Speedway sells.

[50droptop]

This is the solution I’m planning for my ‘36. A red bulb will be added in place of the clear bulb to use this as a 3rd brake light as well.

[tubman]

Originally Posted by 50droptop

This is the solution I’m planning for my ‘36. A red bulb will be added in place of the clear bulb to use this as a 3rd brake light as well.

I like that, but how's chances of a red lens? Can glass be dyed or colored in some way? Perhaps a replacement plastic lens made? This is assuming that there is a clear lens or opening on the bottom to light the plate.

[50droptop]

Originally Posted by tubman

I like that, but how's chances of a red lens? Can glass be dyed or colored in some way? Perhaps a replacement plastic lens made? This is assuming that there is a clear lens or opening on the bottom to light the plate.

I can get access to the lens,however I am hoping to keep the lens white and use a red bulb to simulate the 3rd brake light. I’ve ordered red bulbs this morning and should have them delivered and installed by the end of the week. This light also does have separate bulbs for the license light. These photos may give you a better idea of the of the light output.

Imagine the last photo with a red bulb rather than the pictured clear bulb.

[tubman]

OK, cool.

[TomT/Williamsburg]

I like it .....

[rich b]

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Originally Posted by 50droptop

I can get access to the lens,however I am hoping to keep the lens white and use a red bulb to simulate the 3rd brake light. I’ve ordered red bulbs this morning and should have them delivered and installed by the end of the week. This light also does have separate bulbs for the license light. These photos may give you a better idea of the of the light output.

Imagine the last photo with a red bulb rather than the pictured clear bulb.

Is their a company name and/or model number on the light? Thanks for the post on your light.

[50droptop]

Originally Posted by rich b

Is their a company name and/or model number on the light? Thanks for the post on your light.

Rich,
The light is a Lucas 469 used on early ‘50s Jaguars and many other British cars. There are two versions of the light, one where the mounting bolts exit the rear of the housing and another where they exit the bottom. I chose to use the one where the bolts exit the bottom. It allowed me to fabricate a bracket to mount to the rear of the car and have the light remain horizontal rather than aiming skyward due to the slope on the rear on the 36. You can see from this photo I was able to keep the light pretty close to the body and used the top hole of the spare tire mount to run the wire into the trunk.

[deuce lover]

Not exactly the same.Here you go guys on EBAY.He has sold 76 so far



https://www.ebay.com/itm/LUCAS-REVER...OOh:rk:18:pf:0

[Pete Fl/Wi]

If we are showing our rear ends. Here is mine.
Pete

[Detonator]

I've always used the license plate lights made by the Prince of Darkness. They're more compact than the Hollywood/Drake/Airstream assemblies and have a nice little rib detail. As far as I know they're not repopped, but these little Lucas units were used on dozens of different British cars over the years. They pop up at swaps and on eBay pretty regularly.

[qmdv]

Bugeye Sprite licence plate light on Ebay

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Chrome-...-/152736430216

I have owned two different bugeyes . They are positive ground but that should make no difference. They make them new for guys like us but are into Positive earth tea bager cars

[qmdv]

Originally Posted by Detonator

I've always used the license plate lights made by the Prince of Darkness. They're more compact than the Hollywood/Drake/Airstream assemblies and have a nice little rib detail. As far as I know they're not repopped, but these little Lucas units were used on dozens of different British cars over the years. They pop up at swaps and on eBay pretty regularly.

That looks nice. If I had to do over I would do it that way

[Bob/Ohio]

Here is what I used on my Model A project.


Bob

[Detonator]

Originally Posted by qmdv

That looks nice. If I had to do over I would do it that way

Wow. So would I. Those are beautiful, I've always had to buff up old ratty ones, and soak the rubber in glycerine. Thanks for the source.

[rich b]

Found some '42-'48 housings & rings in my parts pile, got some NOS lenses and the Chicago Auto Lamp tag light from my kid's parts stock, and put together the rear panel for a someday project. Kinda like how it came out.

[qmdv]

Originally Posted by rich b

Found some '42-'48 housings & rings in my parts pile, got some NOS lenses and the Chicago Auto Lamp tag light from my kid's parts stock, and put together the rear panel for a someday project. Kinda like how it came out.

Always liked 48 Ford tail lights mounted horizontal

[19Fordy]

Any taillight is better than 58 Chevy and 59 Caddy.

[rich b]

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

Any taillight is better than 58 Chevy and 59 Caddy.

Pretty much off topic on the 'Barn; but I bet you probably wouldn't like the lights we put on Chadly's roadster. Even canted them to match the '60s show car look of the build. Resulted in a lot of comments; both positive and negative. Still way better than '50 Caddy lights on a hot rod.