VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 38 Master Turn Signal Idea with "1" taillight ?

Hello all,
I like turn signals but only have one taillight(I like it) and want to make an occasional right turn LOL. I am only concerned about the rear, not the front so much.
Thank you

I just put my arm out the window in an upright position, the standard manual right turn signal. I did concede to safety by adding a third (second) brake light on the package shelf. A right hand taillight was an option and all the vendors sell repop units. It should be fairly simple to wire electric turn signals if you do that.

I'm already checking out passenger lights but think its novel these days to have one taillight but I must admit that having one taillight makes me nervous if a bulb goes out.

Use a #81 bulb for the tail light and a #1129 for the brake light. Along with a plastic lens instead of glass. You'll probably need to put a light bend in the bulb socket bracket to make the 1129 fit. I have some pictures I can post if necessary. Using the 81 and 1129 will make the one light you have much brighter, even rivaling a 12v system. Oh yes, also spray the inside of the housing with gloss white paint. I think you'll be surprised at how bright your taillight/brake light is.

The PO put turn signals on my 38. Someone told me they are motorcycle lights. They are yellow at the front and red in the rear. They are mounted on the bumper straps.

I was thinking of putting lit arrows in the back window. I might just install the passenger light and be done with it.

One thing to keep in mind, no matter which choice you make, is the reason for installing the signals in the first place. They are not for your own pleasure or gratification, but for the motorist following behind you to be able to figure out what your next move will be. Unfortunately there is an entire generation of motorists that has been raised to recognize the pattern of 3 brake lights at the rear of a vehicle - 2 at normal height and one "hi-mount" one. These lights are far brighter than any vehicle up to 1960 ever possessed. When a vehicle has only one postage-stamp-sized tail light, it more than likely will not even be seen. Two tail lights of that size (I'm thinking of '51 -'52 Chev size) might be spotted, but the chances are slim.
What is the answer? I feel the motorcycle lights are a good suggestion. I also lined the inside of the tail light housings on the '51 that Brewster now has with shiny tinfoil many years ago. The difference in brightness was startling!! Whatever you decide, have a buddy drive your car down a main street in town some dark night where there is a fair amount of traffic, and follow your car in another car several car lengths behind. How visible are the rear lights on your car compared to all of the other lights in the area? If you can barely spot them in the traffic you are seeing what the other motorists are seeing.

Staying with the original single tail/stop light and no indicators arrangement is a recipe for trouble in my opinion for the reasons kaygee explained above. You may not plan on any night driving now but the need may well arise in the future so for everyones safety it something that needs to be addressed now, not after another car has tailended you.
Tony

For comparison I've uploaded an image of my '38 with the modification I mentioned above to compare with my modern 12v pickup. The pickup is on the right. One taillight but just as bright. As I noted above I have an extra, package shelf placed, STOP light using a 50cp bulb. When I must drive on the highway at night I also have a small battery operated flashing red light with a strong magnet that I stick on the back bumper.

I've been thinking about this for years as my FAVOURITE thing about my 38 Coupe is the single tail light. I really, really, really don't like the look of the RH Tail Light.

I have a NOS right stand, harness and tail light that I will paint to match my car but not install it. Just in case I change my mind or some level of government ever makes me install it.

For my single tail light I am planning as Tiny said: White paint on reflector, truck plastic lens and brighter bulbs. LED "may" eventually be even brighter for the single or could very well be something available presently that will work well but you might have to do some searching. Even a 12v LED "puck" style could likely be made to work with a hidden 6-12v converter or modified internally.

I would like signals for driving any distance, so plan on making a removable or hidden signal arm, electrical connectors to disconnect it all, and using fog lamps on front (think Tiny has his wired this way) and would like to make removable lights for the rear. Either a strong magnet on the rear bumper straps or wing nuts holding a fog lamp style bracket. I can make a cloth harness that will look correct and have quick connectors, so the signal setup can be installed/removed easily. Just need to find the right lights. A smaller fog lamp style would be ideal. The other option I'm considering is arrows in the vintage style in the rear window. I'd rather them be bright, look modern and temporary than have a right tail light. In the back window they could be kept discreet when off but still be highly visible when driving if blended into the garnish moulding.

There are also a few brands of wireless signal kits and wireless lamps. They use a single wire for power and metal ground but the signal control function is wireless from the turn signal lever to the lights. There are a few styles and I might look at these when I get to this point and maybe put modern guts into an older lamp - again will try to make it removeable.

I too agree with Kaygee as we are now programmed to see very bright and physically high rear lights. Last summer I followed a 50's Chevy truck in broad daylight that had a pair of the same lights as the 37/38 cars. I was enjoying following and watching the truck on the country road....until I nearly rear-ended him! He slowed down hard and turned right into a driveway and I had to look closely at his tail lights and could barely see brake and turn signals on! It really got me thinking about my own Coupe and the realization that even a right tail light was almost useless and that bright, almost garish lights would be needed to keep some hammerhead from running into the back of me. Thus my thoughts on a removable but bright system.

I do like the battery powered flashing emergency light Tiny! Great idea!

I don't have any electric turn signals Tim. My fog lights are just that, fog lights.

Thought you had added some for some reason. May just have been when discussing options like this thread, as I remember you commenting on the fender lights being too dim to use.

Gene mentioned that the accessory park lights aren't bright enough to use for turn signals. I've never tried it.

One of the prior 2 owners of my ”˜37 Master coupe had added the accessory right tail light and an independent” set of turn signals.

I cannot tell if the taillight is a true GM accessory or aftermarket. It fits and looks original but the casting is much lighter.

The turn signals are Yankee 975 lights which are flush mounted to the body. Those lights were introduced in the 50’s often for back-up or trailer lights. I have amber beehive clearance light lenses on the front ones and the original red lenses on the rear. I do have the nice and bright 1129 6v bulbs in them. The switch is a 4 wire unit with a self-canceling wheel.

They are very visible at night, especially the rear ones. Overall they really are not well-located. The front ones are too far in-board and mounted a little too low on the front fender on each side of the grill. The rears are outboard far enough but are also low on the body next to the lower corners of the trunk lid. In the day time they are not as noticeable. People are not expecting the rear turn signal to be so physically far from the brake light.

During the Southern Fall Tour this year the person who followed me most of the tour continued to comment on the lack of visibility for the rear turn signals.

My options are to relocate the existing signals or convert the brake lights in the taillights to a dual filament bulb. The conversion will require me to either install a 7 wire switch or some hidden electronics. Either solution leaves holes in the body for the mounting screws and wire leads.

Ya, lol sounds like a few discussions we've had and they've become merged in my feeble mind. I do like your flashing light idea a lot though and it's got me thinking as UNUSUAL and BRIGHT are the only way to get people's attention!

My thinking is that location is more critical than I expected. I have seen some classic cars and trucks with what I call dual sided truck turn signals mounted at the ends of the bumpers. In the daytime even though they are bright you do not notice them because they are so far from the brake light.

A good option for rear turnsignals on 37-38 cars is to use the backup light. One on each side with the clear lens sprayed red with with stained glass spray from Hobby Lobby.

The reverse light body is indeed a nice style/size for signals - great idea!
Have to look at the one and have see what I can do to mount them without having to add that RH tail light...

I didn't know you have one taillight too.

thinking of something like this in the rear window. The major downside to one taillight is there is no reference to dimension of the car, it could be a motorcycle for anyone following

Ya, I'd thought about those. Ideally I'd like an arrow on each side of the rear window.

like these?

ya I'd like to find a set like those sometime. Those look better than many as often they are pretty chunky looking

Just following along here, but what do these accessory park lights look like? Was the parking light on 37/38 in the headlight if you did not have the accessories?

Like the picture. The lens is almost a Milk Glass. If it had a clear glass it would be useful for signals.

There are also park lamp bulbs in the top of the headlight reflector that could be used for signals but hard to see the small bulb during the daytime but maybe ok at night. Could do a setup like a Dodge car/truck and flash the headlight as a turn signal but would look weird on an old car. That's why I was considering flashing some repop fog lights.