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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Body, Glass & Paint => Topic started by: WhatWouldSeanDo on March 03, 2011, 03:39:15 pm

Title: Potential tail light idea for a stepside
Post by: WhatWouldSeanDo on March 03, 2011, 03:39:15 pm
These are a LOT of coin for tail lights, so I don't know if I'll actually pull the trigger on them but I think they would be pretty rad mounted on the rear fenders on my stepper.

Thoughts?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dwe5JFS-i2s
 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dwe5JFS-i2s)


http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=532/category_id=334/home_id=59/mode=prod/prd532.htm (http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=532/category_id=334/home_id=59/mode=prod/prd532.htm)
Title: Re: Potential tail light idea for a stepside
Post by: beastie_3 on March 03, 2011, 03:56:47 pm
there isnt room to put those camaro lights on the fenders unless you mount them vertical.

I have LED oval trailer lights in my bumper...

Title: Re: Potential tail light idea for a stepside
Post by: WhatWouldSeanDo on March 03, 2011, 06:23:30 pm
Ha, thanks for pointing that out. I was planning on measuring the flat part of my fender when I got home, but jumped the gun and posted this beforehand.

I still really dig the dakota digital led stuff though. Maybe I'll go with the later model round camaro lights or something off a vette. I am going for a "muscle truck" style, so I thought it fitting to use lights off a GM muscle car.
Title: Re: Potential tail light idea for a stepside
Post by: VileZambonie on March 03, 2011, 06:31:44 pm
You can easily and very inexpensively build led controlled circuits. One of my students just built a piezoelectric LED soundmeter like this

http://www.nerdkits.com/videos/sound_meter/

Do a little research and you can make them pretty cheap. I'll be building some one of a kind nasty lights for my 74 when it's all said and done.
Title: Re: Potential tail light idea for a stepside
Post by: slammed79 on March 03, 2011, 10:16:01 pm
Vile aren't you still rockin the caddy tails on the 74?
Title: Re: Potential tail light idea for a stepside
Post by: thachevythang on March 04, 2011, 07:11:34 am
Hey I went to high school with that guy!

I've seen people use 50's style, cone type lights on stepside fenders. They look pretty good. Getting away from the norm is good too. Something besides caddy lights, euro lights or the corvette rollpan.

Maybe some like these: http://www.stylintrucks.com/parts/retro_led_tail_lights/1104000104_1692.aspx

If I had a stepper I'd definitely go with the chevrons.

Or I've seen cut to fit LED strips with sequential lights. Don't have a link but these look possible: http://www.stylintrucks.com/parts/sequential_led_tail_lights/1104000104_1484.aspx
Title: Re: Potential tail light idea for a stepside
Post by: devanray on March 04, 2011, 08:00:19 am
Check your state laws first. Used to live in OR and a buddy put lights on his rear fender, looked nice, but the cops pulled him over and said that the lights need to be visible from certain angles and were hidden by the bed. He got a ticket and was told he couldn't drive the rig until he put the lights back.

Just a heads up, every state is different.
Title: Re: Potential tail light idea for a stepside
Post by: WhatWouldSeanDo on March 04, 2011, 12:00:13 pm
@Vile, thanks so much for that link. I was actually just thinking it's stupid to pay big bucks for something that could easily be whipped up at radioshack for pennies on the dollar, I just had no idea where to start. I am sure it's been done many times before me, I just need to find a tutorial from someone who has!

@TheChevyThing, thanks also for those links.

@Devanray, I do plan to put some of those small bed rail lights in as well, which will help with the visibility issue. Legally, I don't know if that will fly, but I am building this truck as a toy (far from a DD) and I am sure it will have a handful of legal issues. I just hope to make them subtle enough to not get hassled for.
Title: Re: Potential tail light idea for a stepside
Post by: devanray on March 04, 2011, 12:08:14 pm
If the rig looks good enough, most cops will let you off. Good luck, post some pics if you end up doing it.
Title: Re: Potential tail light idea for a stepside
Post by: VileZambonie on March 04, 2011, 05:01:36 pm
Vile aren't you still rockin the caddy tails on the 74?

I made them to fit the caddy tails but have custom lights going in there instead.