Back up lights

[hotrod1]

Does anyone use back-up lights? What do u use and any pics?

[mr48chev]

I've got a pair of "driving lights" that were a door prize at a rod run years ago sitting on the shelf that I am thinking about mounting under the bed where they aren't visible to the person in the car behind me but will throw a bunch of light behind the truck when I back up. They don't fit the look I want for the truck to have them visible from the back though.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

... They don't fit the look I want for the truck to have them visible from the back though.

Exactly my opinion but to each his own. Another method is to install them in the bed ends or as the license plate top bolts. Not my taste, but it'd work.
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[solidaxel]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

I've got a pair of "driving lights" that were a door prize at a rod run years ago sitting on the shelf that I am thinking about mounting under the bed where they aren't visible to the person in the car behind me but will throw a bunch of light behind the truck when I back up. They don't fit the look I want for the truck to have them visible from the back though.

I hung one driving light under the bed 9f the GMC and there is enough light for backing up and the light itself can not be seen !!

[OrrieG]

this is a crude sketch of what I am going to do. I am putting an angled closure between the bed below the tailgate and the bumper. In the space on either side of the license plate I am putting the trailer connector plug and a 3-4" tractor type back up light. Light is above the bumper and hitch so you can see when loading at night. Do a search for "airplane landing lights in off road lights" and you will find that for around $15 you can get very bright aircraft landing lamps that will fit in the tractor type lights. Just make sure your light has a metal housing, plastic sockets will melt. You can get them in flood or spot type. Great for those people that tailgate with the brights on.

[ruby57]

Originally Posted by hotrod1

Does anyone use back-up lights? What do u use and any pics?

Mine are NOS from the Chevy dealer back-in-the-day... and mounted on the rear fenders. - Doug

[magicoolbus]

If you look in the "passenger car and truck accessories installation and reference manual" (a must have by the way), there is the proper way to install the reverse light option. You did not mention if your truck is a stock application or newer running gear, this is important as period correct transmissions do not have a provision for a reverse light switch.

The factory had to design a switching system that worked off of the shift lever and they are different for column and floor type systems. The column type units are not hard to find for passenger car applications, but the column and floor mount types for trucks are made of unobtanium! If you do find a switching system, expect to pay handsomly for it. It was cheaper for me to switch from a SM420 to a SM465 trans which has switch provision.

If you have a two prong switch in the transmission, then you have it made, otherwise there are a few other options that I have found. You could mount a switch that is driver controlled. Unity made one that mounts under dash and is very cool. Another neat one is what VW used in the 50's and early 60's before their transmissions had a reverse switch. This little gem is made by bosch and mounts at the speedo head when you go backwards the speedo cable would turn backwards a bit causing a contact and a competion of a circuit to the back up lights. I have one I plan on installing on my sons bug.

My truck does not have the 'factory' style chrome bumper and has a dealer type step bumper so I have more light location options. I just ordered a set of front parking/driving lights from LMC and wired em up. The period correct locaton is on the fender as depicted in a previous post above.