1940 Ford Pickup recessed tail lights
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| − | + | ==Preamble== | |
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Installing recessed LED Stop/Tail/Turn lights in a 1940 Ford Pickup rear bed panel or similar vehicle. | Installing recessed LED Stop/Tail/Turn lights in a 1940 Ford Pickup rear bed panel or similar vehicle. | ||
| − | + | ==LED stop/tail/turn lights== | |
| − | LED | + | |
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There are many different designs of tail lights available to fit all kinds of applications. I chose this type of light for a few reasons: one, it was flush mounted with a bezel around the LED light which offered easy and concealed mounting of the light and two, came ready to work right out of the package. | There are many different designs of tail lights available to fit all kinds of applications. I chose this type of light for a few reasons: one, it was flush mounted with a bezel around the LED light which offered easy and concealed mounting of the light and two, came ready to work right out of the package. | ||
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[[File:1_LED_pkg.JPG]] [[File:2_LED_stop_tail_turn.JPG]] | [[File:1_LED_pkg.JPG]] [[File:2_LED_stop_tail_turn.JPG]] | ||
| − | My first thought was to surface mount the light right on the pan with the four mounting screws that came with it and snap the bezel over the lens and I was done. When I taped the light in the place that I wanted it and installed the tail gate, the bezel rubbed the tail gate. Moving it downward made the tail light stick out from the contour of the lower pan and it just looked stuck on. If I was to recess the | + | My first thought was to surface-mount the light right on the pan with the four mounting screws that came with it and snap the bezel over the lens and I was done. When I taped the light in the place that I wanted it and installed the tail gate, the bezel rubbed the tail gate. Moving it downward made the tail light stick out from the contour of the lower pan and it just looked stuck on. If I was to recess the lens into the panel, it would remove an inch of bezel and make a cleaner look to the back of the truck, and no rubbing on the tail gate. |
| − | The light that I chose had a 100,000 hour life, was compatible to most modern signal light systems, | + | The light that I chose had a 100,000 hour life, was compatible to most modern signal light systems, and required no additional electrical modifications or doo-dads, just an easy plug and play installation. |
| − | If | + | If you're looking for LED lights, this is where I got mine: http://www.customdynamics.com/trailer_led_lights.htm#Oval_6_Stop,_Tail,_Turn_Light_-_Surface_Mount_ |
| − | + | ==Installation== | |
| − | + | Begin by removing the chrome bezel from the light assembly and take notice of the nice wide mounting flange that surrounds the red lens cover. The flange has four mounting points; you can use as many as you see fit for your installation. | |
| − | Begin by removing the chrome bezel from the light assembly and take notice of the nice wide mounting flange that surrounds the red lens cover. The flange has four mounting points | + | |
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[[File:7_scribed_loc.JPG]] | [[File:7_scribed_loc.JPG]] | ||
| − | With a lead pencil or fine marker pen draw grid lines around the bezel location to act as a guide and measuring point to measure off of. | + | With a lead pencil or fine marker pen, draw grid lines around the bezel location to act as a guide and measuring point to measure off of. |
[[File:8_Grid_lines.JPG]] | [[File:8_Grid_lines.JPG]] | ||
| − | Measure out the pilot hole centers for both sides of the radius of the light lens | + | Measure out the pilot hole centers for both sides of the radius of the light lens. In this case the dimension is 2" so we measure 1 inch from the outside grid lines vertical and horizontal and obtain a center pilot hole for our drill mandrel. Center punch this hole before you drill it. |
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| − | + | ==Lens mounting== | |
| − | + | There are a couple of ways to mount the lens unit to the pan surface. One choice would be to spot weld a screw stud to the inner surface and mount the light with a star washer to prevent movement, and the other, mount the lens with GE Silicon ll chalking. I put a dab on each mounting hole (4 of them) and press the lens firmly in place and used a piece of masking tape to hold it in position until the silicon set up. The light has a 100,000 hour life and I don't see replacing it too soon. If I had to, a razor knife will get it out of there fast. | |
| − | There are a couple of ways to mount the lens unit to the pan surface | + | |
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