Taillights - 1950's Configuration

[Crazyguyla]

As i move forward with work on my deuce, I need to know how the taillights were configured on early deuces. I know the left (driver side) light was a stop light/ blackout marker light. Was the right light a black out stop/ marker light combo as used on armour vehicles or was it like the left light with a seperate blackout stop light. I'm no where near my truck, so i can't look at the wiring to see what number are there.

I'm in the process of ordering parts so when I get home from deployment and take leave, I'll have everything (almost everything) to get some serious work done. I do have two composite tail lights (little beat up), but want to be authentic for the time period. Might do marker light across the back like the A3 and turn that into a high mount stop light (attaached with magnets for easy install/ removal)

 

[maddawg308]

The right light was a blackout stop/marker combo, and would be correct until the late 1950s when a lot of trucks went to the dual stop/tail light and a separate blackout light. They were then updated in the 1970s to the plastic combination tail/stop/blackout light housings we are all familiar with.

There are great periods of grey in between the upgrades. As witnessed by numbers of deuces being sold off in recent years with the early metal taillight housings.

 

[Barrman]

Here is how a 1952 b/o stop light was. I put regular lights on both sides so I can have blinkers. That means my lenses are not correct. Bucket placement, mounts and such are.

 

[Crazyguyla]

Here is how a 1952 b/o stop light was. I put regular lights on both sides so I can have blinkers. That means my lenses are not correct. Bucket placement, mounts and such are.

Barrman,

That's how my brackets look, except I don't have the bracket for the B/O stop light. I have a round light on the left and a composite light on the right. Forgot how the composite light is wired tho. Nice looking truck.

Marcus

 

[Barrman]

Thanks, that is what you were looking for, right?

 

[Crazyguyla]

That is exactly what i was looking for

 

[roughroad]

hold on sorry to rob the thread but

barrman
I have a 52 deuce and the rear axles are individually drive shafted is that correct or something that was @#$%rigged at some point. (yours has the worm gear setup) that's why I ask


sorry and thanks

 

[gimpyrobb]

Roughroad, is your "deuce" an M35 or an M211 or 135? The 211/135 had dual driveshafts.

 

[Barrman]

Exactly. The G-742 trucks which are the M34, M35, etc.. started with Timken top loading axles. Rockwell bought out Timken and with just a few changes inside, made them for the next 40 years the same. All 3 of mine still have the Timken tags on them.

The G-749? M135, M211 trucks had GM axles and a trasnfer case with 2 rear outputs. Seperate drive shaft to each rear axle. The front drive shaft on the M135/M211 turns the opposite direction than just about any other known 4x4 or 6x6 type truck in the world. I bring that up in case you ever wanted to swap axles or use the tcase in another vehicle. You can't.

 

[tlmob1]

Where would I be able to find the tail lights/ Blackout lights for my 52 M135? Any help would be greatly appriciated. You can PM me with the answer if you like. Thanks.

 

[hndrsonj]

Where would I be able to find the tail lights/ Blackout lights for my 52 M135? Any help would be greatly appriciated. You can PM me with the answer if you like. Thanks.

Midwest Military, Eriks Military Surplus, Memphis Equipment, Antelope Valley Truck & Equipment.

For those looking at how to wire the early ones look in the 1965 manuals (online) it will show both gassers and multi schematics.

 

[hendersond]

The front drive shaft on the M135/M211 turns the opposite direction than just about any other known 4x4 or 6x6 type truck in the world. I bring that up in case you ever wanted to swap axles or use the tcase in another vehicle. You can't.

Actually you can. A little work on the housing with a grinder to open a small area, you can flip the center section so the pinion turns the opposite direction. you have to cua about a 1/2" off 1 axle shaft. (I cannot remember wich one) That is how mudboggers and truck pullers do it and then run chevy engines/tansmissions/transfercases. I've seen guys cut the housing, flip the center of the housing to get the pumpkin on the left and even run ford stuff.

There is a thread about it here somewhere that was started by Gunfreak25.

 

[tlmob1]

Thanks Hndrsonj for the info.

 

[stb64]

Pictures from the 1965 TM 9-2320-209-20.
No dual service tail and stoplights w/ BO stoplight on extra bracket anywhere in the manual

 

[stb64]

More

 

[stb64]

The 1965 manual mentions turn signals as a new feature for the then new A2.
This means that A2´s came from the factory with the 2 service tail & stop / BO taillight combinations and BO stoplight on the extra bracket.

It does not mean that earlier trucks did not come from the factory with the same setup wired as stoplights only.

 

[Barrman]

My 1952 published TM for the M35 trucks has the lights as in my picture. Not all of them though. I think there are at least 4 different rear light arrangements over the years on just the M35 trucks. There are no numbers or other markings on mine, but I am pretty sure each of the 12 or so manufactures of the trucks might have made their own "unique" mount if they ran out of what was supposed to be there.

Great info on the M211 tcase. I didn't know that.

 

[stb64]

That 1965 dash20 manual is the only old manual i can get to right now.
I do have more and older manuals including a 9-8022(i think)for the M34/35 and a 1960 dash10 for my M35A1.
From what i can see from the pictures the single service tail/stoplight was standard until at least1960, but the pictures were touched up, and often used over and over again even in newer manuals, so they cannot be trusted 100%, and a different setup may have been in use even in the ´50s.
I am planning to restore my M35A1 back to 1962 configuration, but the taillights will be the dual service lights with separate BO stoplight, original or not, simply because turn signals are mandatory in this country.