Third Tailight
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,892
Likes: 169
From: Middletown Ohio
2016 C1 of Year Finalist
Interesting question.
I have seen many third tail lights installed on C2 Corvettes on this forum. I tried doing a search but was not successful, but you might try searching.
Remember that the inner and outer tail light housings are different so hopefully someone else will give you some information.
The 3 tail light mod. is sometimes referred to as the California tail light conversion.
The conversion looks wild with LED tail lights.
Bruce B
I have seen many third tail lights installed on C2 Corvettes on this forum. I tried doing a search but was not successful, but you might try searching.
Remember that the inner and outer tail light housings are different so hopefully someone else will give you some information.
The 3 tail light mod. is sometimes referred to as the California tail light conversion.
The conversion looks wild with LED tail lights.
Bruce B
Racer
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 415
Likes: 52
From: encinitas California
Racer
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 415
Likes: 52
From: encinitas California
Mine appears to have a third GM housing on each side. Do you want this to be permanent? If so, that "panel" is not the removable bottom exhaust panel....its in the above section (you've probably clearly realized that). Many people who put these on back in the 60s did it with GM housings. I actually am still very much in contact my cars' original owner and the purported person who installed my third taillights is actually alive and quite well. He just dropped off a bunch of old Clippinger Corvette Club newsletters for me. He was quite active in the 60s California scene. Happy to help put you in touch.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 948
Likes: 30
From: Simi Valley Ca.
Mine appears to have a third GM housing on each side. Do you want this to be permanent? If so, that "panel" is not the removable bottom exhaust panel....its in the above section (you've probably clearly realized that). Many people who put these on back in the 60s did it with GM housings. I actually am still very much in contact my cars' original owner and the purported person who installed my third taillights is actually alive and quite well. He just dropped off a bunch of old Clippinger Corvette Club newsletters for me. He was quite active in the 60s California scene. Happy to help put you in touch.
Drifting
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,864
Likes: 148
From: Santa Barbara California
Robert, Really? I think you may want to stop to consider how busy that car is going to be with the flares, lowered, side pipes, and now six tail lights. There is a point where less is more. It will look more balanced, IMO, with just the four lights.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,331
Likes: 61
From: Sunnyvale CA
Paper mockup?
Maybe you could try drawing some extra lights on paper, filling one pair in red and leaving another white, scotch-taping one pair on. backing away a little and deciding how you like the look. Then do the same with the other pair. Then decide whether you like red, white, or neither. Just a suggestion.
Depending your level of concern for how much you can get when you sell it, it's up to YOU to decide what is or isn't too busy. You have to decide whether you are building it to make the next owner happy or to make yourself happy.
Steve
Depending your level of concern for how much you can get when you sell it, it's up to YOU to decide what is or isn't too busy. You have to decide whether you are building it to make the next owner happy or to make yourself happy.
Steve
Last edited by SI67; Mar 14, 2015 at 06:19 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 13,685
Likes: 61
Back in the day, many "extra" tail lights were installed with just a (carefully) measured, located and cut hole in the flat 'glass, then the chrome '61 thru '67 light housing was installed with a bent strip of metal glassed to the backside of the rear panel. Quick and dirty but looked and worked fine from the outside.
I wanted to eliminate the chrome buckets on my C2 tail lights. Fortunately Bruno had a kustom rear panel mold with six factory-style fiberglass receptacles built in! So the car has six red lenses in Porsche Guards Red painted tunnels.
I wanted to eliminate the chrome buckets on my C2 tail lights. Fortunately Bruno had a kustom rear panel mold with six factory-style fiberglass receptacles built in! So the car has six red lenses in Porsche Guards Red painted tunnels.
Last edited by sub006; Mar 17, 2015 at 01:47 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,209
Likes: 33
From: Texas-out west
for a minute there I thought you were talking about the third taillight new cars have in center of roof, backglass, trunk et., now that would be fugly but the 60's look is personal taste and back in the day a look I grew up with and like but do what you like and forget what everyone else likes, my opinion of course....good luck with whatever you do and enjoy the ride.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,100
Likes: 59
From: Grande Prairie
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 C2 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2019 C2 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
Even mildly flared, lowered and sidepiped cars can look okay with a busier rear end.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,104
Likes: 701
From: Southern Illinois
for a minute there I thought you were talking about the third taillight new cars have in center of roof, backglass, trunk et., now that would be fugly but the 60's look is personal taste and back in the day a look I grew up with and like but do what you like and forget what everyone else likes, my opinion of course....good luck with whatever you do and enjoy the ride.
That said, I think the extra brake lights do look pretty cool on the racer style cars!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,331
Likes: 61
From: Sunnyvale CA
for a minute there I thought you were talking about the third taillight new cars have in center of roof, backglass, trunk et., now that would be fugly but the 60's look is personal taste and back in the day a look I grew up with and like but do what you like and forget what everyone else likes, my opinion of course....good luck with whatever you do and enjoy the ride.
You're not the only one who thought that initially.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 11,055
Likes: 2,597
From: Del Boca Vista FL
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,276
Likes: 380
From: Waltham Ma.
I did them on my 67 coupe. I went to home depot and bought PVC pipe the that the light would fit into. I figured out the right angles and cut the pieces with my miter saw. After cutting out the holes in the back panel I glued the PVC pieces to the back panel with construction adhesive. Then I glassed over the backs of the PVC pieces that I glued in and drilled a couple holes in the back for the light studs. Spliced in a couple new sockets and that was it. I did this all before my car was painted but if you're real careful it can be done without damaging the existing paint. Always, always, always measure multiple times and cut once.
Last edited by biggd; Mar 15, 2015 at 03:39 PM.