VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 Tailights

I keep seeing taillight buckets on eBay but rarely the stem. Also I understand right-hand side stems are not only different but also rare as they were an option. I have two left stems. Can one be made top fit? I assume by the price that one sees for the occasional right stems that they are not reproduced. Failing that, what other years could be made to fit and look half-assed authentic? I own a '34 Master 5-window.

Pat

The license plate side stem can easily be modified for use on the right side. The official accessory stem is acctually a left hand unit with the extension for the license plate crudely lopped off.
I cut off the top of the license plate bracket and brazed up the slot on top of a left side unit. Could not abide with the crude factory treatment described above.. All 34 coupes and 35 Standard coupes use the fender mount brackets.
THe fitting for the underside of the fender is designed to prevent water from being sprayed inside of the stem. Takes a little sheet metal working skill to get this looking just right but it is not rocket science by any means. Any ? contact me. mbancroft@hughes,net

Right side tail lamps were an accessory in 1934 and seldom installed.
The right tail lamp bucket can also be made by filling in the bulb/license plate lamp hole from a left lamp.Note that the buckets are not all the same due to the method of attachment to the "stem"...The 1933,1934 (all models) and 1935 standard buckets are the same.
The first year to have a right lamp as standard equipment was 1939.

I have seen R.H. brackets where the license bracket appeared to have been cut off, but the "real deal" R.H. bracket has a small tin cover with tangs on the ends. The cover is arched to fit the shape of the slot and the tangs are spot welded to the inside of the bracket (stem). This fills the unsightly opening where the licence bracket emerges on the drivers side bracket.
As for the tail lamp "bucket", the 34 Master would have a chromed brass triangle on top which hooked over the edge of the open side of the bucket, and which tapered to a point where a single rivet held it in place at it's forward most point. This chromed triangle would have the license lamp hole if it was for the left side and would not have said hole if it was the accessory R.H. lamp. The bucket had a triangular recess to accomodate the chrome trim. Standard series cars had no trim on the lamp bucket and no recess where the trim would have been. They simply had a hole on top if L.H. and no hole if R.H.

I forgot about the little chrome triangle trim on the '34 Master.At one time that trim was being reproduced.I have a right side one that I never installed on my right lamp....even has the GUIDE name stamped into it.

Thanks everyone. I was worried that it was the bracket "stem" which wouldn't fit on the fender or fit with the wrong angle. I can make one out of a left side as described. Failing that, I received a catalogue after I posted. In it they sell reproduction brackets for either side.

Mery Christmas all and a happy new year!!

Pat

Does anyone have or know were to buy Left or Right tailight stems for a 36 Standard? Are they the same for 35 and 36? I see them listed in "The Filling Station" but they list 35 and 37, seem to skip 36.

The 1936 Standard "stems" are the same as 1935 and 1936 Masters.There are two different stems depending on the body style.The 2 and 4 door with a trunk use one.Its longer than the one used on 2 and 4 doors with no trunk and coupes.The shorter version just mentioned also fits those body styles of the 1935 Master.
The 1935 Master with a trunk is entirely different as it has the tail lights mounted directly on the lid and the brackets are very short.
The only 1935 brackets listed in my FS catalog are for 1935 Standard and that is the same as a 1933-34.
The left 1936 bracket can not be used on the right side as there is quite an angle on the fender where it mounts.

I think what you are saying is If I get right and left stems for a 35 they will be be the same as what was on a 36?

Depends on what body style your 1936 is.
If its a coupe or 2 0r 4 door without a trunk you can use the stems from a 1935 Master of those body styles.If its a 2 or 4 door with a trunk you can use only the ones from a 1936 Standard or Master 2 or 4 door with a trunk.
Any of the above for the right side are much sought after .

Hey landman,
I may be wrong but the only repop brackets I have seen are crappy cast aluminum. I wouldn't take one as a gift. Your best bet is to make a Right hand bracket from an extra Left side part.
Mike

How could a left bracket be made to fit the shape of the right fender.On a 1936 the fender is at an angle where the support mounts....Not like a 1935 Standard.

The 1935 Master and 1936 Master & Standard all use the same rear fender and have the same tail light mounting holes. So technically the tail light brackets are interchangeable, but there is a difference. The 1935 Master has a short fat tear drop base 3-3/4" tall and is 6-1/2" long from the fender to the bucket at it's longest point. The 1936 cars have a long slender tear drop 5-1/2" tall and were available in two different lengths, a short one at about 7" long (going on memory on this one) and the longer one at 9-1/2" measured from the fender to the bucket at it's longest point.

Hope this helps clear up the difference between the two years!

Mike B :)

But...the long slender one, part numbers 477175-601896 is used only on 1936 2 and 4 doors with trunks - to allow the license to clear the trunk...The shorter version, 378785-378895, used on 1935 Master except trunk sedans and the 1936,all except trunk sedans (numbers from 1940 parts book).....correct?

Gene, You are correct and your 1940 Parts Book matches both my Nov., 15, 1935 and March 15, 1936 Books.

I must say, I don't ever remember seeing the short fat base 1935 tear drop style bracket on original 1936 cars. I thought I remembered seeing two different length long base 1936 tear drop brackets (years ago)...am I loosing my mind? I have samples of all of the above brackets except the long base tear drop that is about 7" long overall...can anyone confirm it exists (not in the parts books) or is time playing a trick on me? Maybe it was for Pontiac or something???

These threads really make me do my homework, thanks!

Mike B :)

Mike, I am not sure of the size/type of base but just noting the extra length required for the 1936 trunk models.The problem is that the 1935 Masters are not common so its difficult to pin down many things on them.

I am also doing a little research on the 1935 head issue - to add more confusion :)

Gene:
A little thought for your research on the head issue...as I recall one of the differences between the early and late '35 heads was a change to the angle of the valve seats. I just took a quick look through my literature and darned if I can find what the exact angles were. One of my New Year's resolutions is to get better organized!
Coach

Coach,
I think the valve angle changed from 45 to 30 degrees.

The early 35 long bolt cylinder head used the same intake and exaust valves with rectangler keys and 45 degree seats as the 34 Master head. The later 35 & 36 head used the U shaped keeper key & 30 degree valve seats on both intake & exhaust in all the long / short bolts heads. The early head used the master 34 valves with larger dia than the 34 Standaed as I previously stated incorrectly