VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1946-1948 Back-up Lights...

I bought a back-up light for my '47 off ebay...While I hold it in hand and look down , I see the mounting surface ( to the back of the car ) is not perpendicular ( it's slightly angled )

Now I'm looking at the "filling station catalog" and they sell the mounting rubber only in pairs...

My Question : Were the Back-up lights originally sold in Pairs...With a left and right designation...?

Thanks....Kevin

When I first purchased my '46 Fleetmaster in 1973 it had a "factory" (dealer installed?) backup light on only one (driver's) side. It was mounted below and slightly to the right of the taillight. I also seem to remember that the chrome bezel and lens were the same ones used as '41 parking lights.

Kevin,only a drivers side light was used.The issue I had when installing the light was the switch.It is quite a challanging getting the switch to line up properly with the shifting componants.I have disconected mine

Great ! I Guess I'm good to go with the one...Still wondering why "Filling Station" sells mount rubber in "pairs"...

Which Switch do you have...? I've got one that uses the cable...

Thanks , Kevin

The 1942-1946 back-up light is very different from the 1947-1948 light. The 1947-1948 light mounts on a bracket and the lamp body is the same as a 1932 cowl lamp.

Thanks Gene , it is the 1947-48 back-up I have...And boy 'o boy , do they get good money for them...!

1947 & 48 only came with a single Driver side back-up light with factory switch as shown in my accessory page "http://www.1948chevy.com/images-acc/bck-up.jpg". I guess the filling station is selling them as buy one get one free.....I've seen 1942-46 back-up lights come in both single side (driver side) & as pairs (driver & passenger side), i'm talking NOS units.

Dear Johnny , it's good to hear from you...wish you'd drop by more often...! Love your Website with all the "treasures" you've collected...Thanks , Kevin

Kevin, thanks for your kind words. I do try at least once a week to see what in going on here at the chat room, but my life right now is very busy with life (work, kids, home, hobby, etc). I am a full time single parent which is my first priority. When I see there is something I can help with I do comment on it. I do have more plans to add very useful information on my website but as I can get to it. I’ll be around…..

Johnny

Johnny, your most welcome...Sounds as though you have your hands full. We look forward to to any additional and no doubt valuable information we can glean from your wonderful website...
Thanks Again, Kevin

My 47 Chevrolet Sedan has back up lights one on both sides. Do I understand that back lights came as standard with just one on the left or driver's side? Do I have standard equipment back up lights or do I have add ons?

It also has the wiper on the rear window. This was a standard issue on my 47.

Thanks!

One light...Drivers side...They were an accessory, not standard equipment.. Look at where they mount to the body and you'll see an angle that's obvious they were meant to mount only on the drivers side .
Although it wouldn't seem that a single light would be bright enough...The bulb reads # 1129 .

I see rear window wiper is an "accessory" for 1947, too...They list different part #'s for Aero...Town & Sport Sedan...Fleetline Sedan...and coupe .
Rather interesting...Four different part numbers...I would think they'd be basically all the same...
I'll assume your "hole" is off to the side...?

toward the trunk and just a little lower then the tail lights. I do not have them working at the present time. However, I can find where the switch used to be for the lights.

I was referring to the rear window wiper "hole"...

However, I'd like to hear more about where the switch for the lights used to be...

Right on the Wiper hole - Off set to the drivers side. As to the back up lights: It appears to be a jury rigged set up. The switch is near to the heater and defroster switch on this 47. It is non working at this time. But it looks like when you put the car in reverse you just turn the switch on and when you finish the back up you turn the switch back to where it was.

This is/was a very common method to "get the job done"...I saw a matching switch ( like the heater/defrost/fog light ) a couple weeks back on Ebay that said AUX on it...And it SOLD for $125.00...There are other methods of "tripping" on the back-up...I have a universal cable/switch set-up for the steering mast under-hood, but have yet to hook it up...Heck, I haven't attached the light to the car, yet.

I'm waiting to find someone who'd like to go "halve'es" on the mounting rubber from "FillingStation"...For some reason they only sell them in pairs...$31.50 for two, I believe....

I know...some were actually sold in "pairs"...

I bought just one from Chevs of the 40's last summer. I assume you are talking about the backup light, right.

Mine is bolted to the splash pan in about the same spot as yours. Right now it is on the work bench waiting for me to put it back together.

If it is on the splash pan it could be a 1941 or a 1949 . DO you have pics of it?

Hi Keith & aristech...I was referring to aristech's Guide Model...For some reason the "fillingstation" only sells them in pairs...I'll fill the order sometime soon and advertise the extra below...Kevin

Ranger & Kevin:
Last Summer I found a guy who had 2 48 sedans he was parting out. I was after the shift operating levers off one of them. Anyway, one of the cars apparently still had the "factory" back-up light switch on it. The thing looked almost like the brake light switch and it was mounted on the lower shift operating lever bracket. Looked like when the two shift operating levers moved to reverse position, one of the levers would hit the arm on this switch. I was going to buy it - but it was too far gone to salvage. I was back to this place last weekend to get some valvetrain parts. I checked to see if that car had a usable back-up light still on it - but - it was gone.

Regards:
Oldengineer

I'm still interested in other "options" ( no pun intended )...Like I mentioned, I have a NOS Universal Cable style switch, but I don't know if I care for the "exposed" look...Haven't mounted it yet...

I will try to get a pic of the NOS unit on my 48

Oldengineer,
Here is what you are talking about