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I am trying to decide to add an additional tail light on each side to my 62. I have always thought the factory should have done that. Im sure that some of the forum members have already made this modification.
Can you post pictures, or tell me about your experience.
Your car, your money, your choice. I wouldn't do it. If the GM stylists had thought it needed or looked better with a third tail light, they would have given it one. They made a few show cars and styling models with them, but never adopted it for production . . . which tells me all I need to know. The J.C. Whitney catalog is full of "The Accessories That Detroit Forgot".
GM's design department in 1961 with the Mako shark concept car had 6 tail lights. That car created fad for adding 3rd tail light on each side, starting in 1961. Number of 62's out there with 6.
That was not the end of GM's Design Department wanting 6 tail lights on C2s. In fact all C2 Stingray Concept cars had 6 tail lights including the last one in 1966.
Bottom Line: GM's Design Department always kept pushing for them. But if you look at fact that Corvette's were low production cars, not adding 3rd light on each side was a major dollar not pennies cost savings.
If you believe GM's design department only designed for 2 per side, you need to a little internet search homework. I understand why, myself, adds Balance to Split Bumpers.
Last edited by Poorhousenext; 05-03-2018 at 09:48 AM.
I do actually like the look of the 6 lights, but I would not modify my car to add the extra ones. To me it's a mod that had its time and place, and I'd have a tough time taking a saw to the body after this many years. That's just me though.
GM's design department in 1961 with the Mako shark concept car had 6 tail lights. That car created fad for adding 3rd tail light on each side, starting in 1961. Number of 62's out there with 6.
That was not the end of GM's Design Department wanting 6 tail lights on C2s. In fact all C2 Stingray Concept cars had 6 tail lights including the last one in 1966.
Bottom Line: GM's Design Department always kept pushing for them. But if you look at fact that Corvette's were low production cars, not adding 3rd light on each side was a major dollar not pennies cost savings.
If you believe GM's design department only designed for 2 per side, you need to a little internet search homework. I understand why, myself, adds Balance to Split Bumpers.
as that car has a trunk and C1 dash, I suggest it is really a re-paneled 62... ; but some nice features tho
Most people have been removing the third light installed in the early sixties by previous owners.
But, if you want to do this, there was a fairly good pictorial write up here some years ago, where the owner made an exterior mold of the inner light socket on each side with probably fiberglass, then worked the mold to fill any bubbles and voids, and then made a final part out of fiberglass from the molds.
IIRC, he had to be real careful getting the spacing and vertical axis orientation on the new fiberglass piece spot on so the lights didn't look funny.
Back in the day, people often just cut the inner light sockets out of wrecked corvettes and glassed them onto their cars.
When I bought my 62 46 years ago it had the three tailights. When I did a complete paint job after the frame off I had the 3rd light taken out. Nothing wrong with the three, but the two seems a lot cleaner looking
I do actually like the look of the 6 lights, but I would not modify my car to add the extra ones. To me it's a mod that had its time and place, and I'd have a tough time taking a saw to the body after this many years. That's just me though.
This is actually me too. If I had an old Corvette that had the extra lights added back in the day, I'd leave them be, as I like the look. That said, I am not about to cut my far-from-pristine '61 to add the extra lights. It's gotten along so far with only 2 on each side, so they'll remain as-is. But I do like the 6 lamp treatment!!
When I bought my 62 46 years ago it had the three tailights. When I did a complete paint job after the frame off I had the 3rd light taken out. Nothing wrong with the three, but the two seems a lot cleaner looking
I might be interested in the two that you removed, if you still have them.
It was done plenty on C1s and C2s; even had 'how to' articles in Popular Science...
The same issue covered a bunch of mods for the first C2s...
1. Cut out the split and put 64 glass in..
2. Fill in the hood depressions for the cookie sheets for a glassy smooth hood.
3. Cut up the rear for a third tail light to be fashionable.
I have a set that was given to me to do that if I ever choose to
Bill
Bill,
If you decide to not be a "Six Lighter", would you part with the "buckets? I might be interested since i'm going to take the plunge, at 76 why not!
05-03-2018, 06:19 AM
Has anyone added a third tail Light to a 62
