Tail light(s)

[dreamrider]

Alright, what's the real deal on Model A tail lights?
I know that they came only with the left one from the factory. I bought a tail light kit for the right side for safety reasons, but am hesitant to install it for originality reasons. Were these an accessory in 1930? Am I making the car "unoriginal" by installing it?

I'm always impressed by the wealth of knowledge shared on this forum.

Looking forward to answers. Thanks folks!

 

[Glenn C.]

You decide. IMO, safety comes first above anything else. They did not come out with signal lights either, but why would anyone consider driving any car in this day and age, without signal, and good rear tail lights. Don't forget the younger generation following you, has no idea what hand signals are about.

 

[ChicagoBob]

You could mount motorcycle mini dual-filament turn signals under the rear of the body (inconspicous from up close, but visible to other drivers when lit) and have extra taillights and signals, without compromising much of the original look. They are inexpensive and are available from Hong Kong and other places on eBay.

 

[HoarseWhisperer]

My understanding is that Ford started pushing the dealers to sell the additional right-side rear lamp as an accessory, in Sept 31.

BTW, the younger generation do know the one-finger salute hand signal.

 

[Jack '29 Sport Coupe]

Twin tail lights for safety. Turn signals----ABSOLUTELY---unless you are one of those "goobers" who only trailers your car wherever you go. Glenn is correct, kids
of today are clueless about the meaning of hand signals. JMHO Jeeeeze, the purists are going to give me h---. They'll get over it!

Jack

 

[jrelliott]

Right hand taillights were on the Right hand drive models in Europe so the bracket would be a Ford part. Think that having an extra tail light is necessary in todays driving conditions. Put on turn signals either in your tail lights or mount ones in the bumpers and put as bright a light as possible so the person may see your intentions if they are not texting or otherwise distracted. IMHO

 

[dan]

You could mount motorcycle mini dual-filament turn signals under the rear of the body (inconspicous from up close, but visible to other drivers when lit) and have extra taillights and signals, without compromising much of the original look. They are inexpensive and are available from Hong Kong and other places on eBay.

Since the second lamp was actually an authorized accessory, you could install it without detracting from the originality, IMO. But if you're really interested in keeping the car "exactly as Henry built it" then this (bumper-mounted lights) is probably the way to go. And if you're mounting new lights to the bumper, or under the body, then you might as well get brake lights on both sides and turn signals into the bargain.

Personally, I want to be able to drive around on the weekends with my four-year-old daughter in my coupe, I've made a number of changes to the car for safety's sake: seat belts, turn signals, etc. But I haven't done anything to the car that couldn't easily be undone if it's bought by a "purist" when I die (because I don't intend to sell it on myself )

 

[RTC1930]

I really want to add the second tail light to mine but agree with above and want to make it "reversable" for any future purist. I have a bracket designed and Im gonna try and have it made by a local machine shop so it can be attached cross member bolts but tail light sits in the same approximate location as the driver side so it looks symetrical from the back. Probably gonna look like iffy but I'll give it a shot. I currenly run the 3rd brake light in the window but looks odd without 2nd tail.

Bob NJ

 

[1930artdeco]

I added a '3rd' brake light made from a repop tea cup to the spare tire. It is a little odd looking but people today are used to looking for a '3rd' brake light. It is bright when the brakes are applied as both lights come on. It is totally reversible if I wanted to remove it, but for safety sake I have not plans to remove it.

Mike

 

[Jerry Parr WI]

I added a '3rd' brake light made from a repop tea cup to the spare tire. It is a little odd looking but people today are used to looking for a '3rd' brake light. It is bright when the brakes are applied as both lights come on. It is totally reversible if I wanted to remove it, but for safety sake I have not plans to remove it.

Mike

How did you attach it to the spare. I plan to do the same and bought a sidemount mirror to steal the mounting so it will be on top of the spare. The common rear window third light fails to work if your top goes down. A high bright third light makes more sense to me than another low tail light. Have not decided if I'll use a superbright led set or a higher candlepower incandescent. The leds look out of place.

 

[TerryH]

I would say that most of the Model A's that I see have both tail lights, at least those that are driven regularly. I wouldn't think twice about driving my car here in S. Calif.without both lights, LED's, and turn signals. I think it is a small price to pay for safety. If you are going to show the car, than that is a different story........

 

[Mike V. Florida]

Twin tail lights for safety. Turn signals----ABSOLUTELY---unless you are one of those "goobers" who only trailers your car wherever you go. Glenn is correct, kids
of today are clueless about the meaning of hand signals. JMHO Jeeeeze, the purists are going to give me h---. They'll get over it!

Jack

Jack,

You must be from northern Florida! Here in the south turn signals mean that "you are trying to get in front of me and no way am I going to allow that" so they speed up so you can't get over or make the turn in front of them. I could go on with other rules of the road here in the south but this has to do with two lights in the back.

 

[HoarseWhisperer]

Twin tail lights for safety. Turn signals----ABSOLUTELY---unless you are one of those "goobers" who only trailers your car wherever you go.
Jack

Definition of goober

goober

noun

• a goofy, silly, or slightly strange person.
  
  Dawn is such a goober.
  ​
  See more words meaning: crazy, insane, weird, strange person
  See more words meaning: uncool person, jerk, ******* (general general insult for an "uncool" person; LOSER; DORK.
• 
  
  That goober, dresses like my great grandma
  ​
  That guy is a total goober.
  ​
• an unintelligent person.

 

[dan]

Jack,

You must be from northern Florida! Here in the south turn signals mean that "you are trying to get in front of me and no way am I going to allow that" so they speed up so you can't get over or make the turn in front of them. I could go on with other rules of the road here in the south but this has to do with two lights in the back.

Come to California where a third of the time a right signal means a left turn (from the right lane), a third of the time it means "I'm going to stop here in this lane and block traffic until I can squeeze into the right lane", and the final third of the time it means absolutely nothing.

I can't remember the last time I saw a signal that actually meant "I'm going to safely turn in the indicated direction"

 

[Glenn C.]

Lets face it.....a large portion of the population do not have a clue what a Model A is in the first place, let alone know what it looked like when it came out of the factory.

And do they really care ?

Another large group know what an antique motor vehicle looks like, but believe it or not, many of the younger generation today don't have a clue what they are anyway, other than to them, you are a hasard on the road.

Keep them safe to the best of our ability !!

 

[Jack '29 Sport Coupe]

Mike V., I live in St. Cloud------------not exactly the northern part of the state as you thought.

Jack

 

[Thom IV]

I'm still wavering whether to mount a right hand tail light on my "A," as the right tail light woulld interfere with accessing the rumble seat. I have bumper mounted turn signals front & back. When I depress the brake pedal, my tail light and both rear turn signals light up. If i'm making a turn, the the appropriate turn signal flashes. Although I do agree with the sentiment that you can't be too safe.

 

[Mike V. Florida]

I'm still wavering whether to mount a right hand tail light on my "A," as the right tail light woulld interfere with accessing the rumble seat.

You have a point. I have seen our club members stop people from using the light as a step to get into and out of the seat.

 

[steve s]

An option everyone can dislike

I think that equally important to tail lights and turn signals are side lights, especially if you're driving a black car at night. Most drivers don't even remember when cars didn't have side lights, so I'm really paranoid about getting creamed from the side. FOr that reason, I have need to have tail and front bumper lights that are visible from the side. I use Peterson trailer lights on the rear, and have adapted some motorcycle turn signals for the front. Here's pics lit up in the garage at night. Not everyone's cup of tea, but makes me feel good.

Steve

 

[Bruce of MN]

Steve, why did you copy me? My lawnmower is parking crossways to my car like that!

I like the looks of your front lamps better than the rears. Your point is certainly correct, though. Maybe luminescent magnetic signs on the doors that say "Patrol" with a star underneath would get attention?