61 Lark tail light base/body PIC addition

[4961Studebaker]

The topic of the 61 lenses pop up time to time, and the differences of the body holes between the 59-60 and 61. While I was working on the Trucks champ motor this afternoon I took this photo FOR OTHERS TO SAVE IN THERE ARCHIVES if you so choose.
I'll get the lense base front and back tomorrow and post. Hope this helps in the future.
Drivers side

Front

Back

Spelling EDIT
ChopStu

[barnlark]

Now that's a clean body. [^]

[StudeRich]

Good picture! That is actually what you need to get rid of! It is a '61 body panel, so most people will want to weld up that hole in rear panel and drill one in the corner, in the fender. Then they can install the '59-'60 Tail light housings and lenses, because they are available and affordable. [^]

StudeRich
Studebakers Northwest
Ferndale, WA

[65cruiser]

Do you have to weld the hole or can you just drill another in the fender? Is that all you have to do to adapt 59-60 taillights to a 61?

Mark Anderson
Member SDC and FMCA
Keeper of the Studebaker Cruiser Registry

https://www.65cruiser.com

[barnlark]

You could probably just find a rubber plug and retain that '61 availability. The '60 light socket hole of the same size goes just to the right of that small screw hole. That's it, except maybe another screw hole in the rear panel if it doesn't line up. The '60 housings are getting harder to find in good shape, but the lenses are still a hundred less than the 61's right now.

[Roscomacaw]

It's a good, easy swap.

I'm gonna do something dirrerent on my 63 Cruiser. I'm not gonna change the taillights physically (OK, I DO have a pair of NOS '62 TL lenses that I'm gonna use - just because I have them!), but I'm gonna ADD a turn signal bulb to the BU lite fixture. Since the BU lite lens and body are pretty spacious, I'm going to commit the existing bulb socket to being a turn signal lamp. In that socket, I'll use an amber bulb. I'm gonna drill a second hole inwards in each BU lite body so I can install a second lamp socket and those will carry a clear bulb for the BU lite function! Then I'll straight-wire the brake lite circuit from the brake lite sw. - bypassing the turn signal switch - straight to the two taillights. I'll move the existing brake lite wires (in the trunk) down to the amber bulb sockets to make them function strictly as turn signals, while the brake lite filaments will function strictly as brake lites.



1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President two door

[JGK 940]

quote:Originally posted by Mr.Biggs

It's a good, easy swap.

I'm gonna do something dirrerent on my 63 Cruiser.... I'll move the existing brake lite wires (in the trunk) down to the amber bulb sockets to make them function strictly as turn signals, while the brake lite filaments will function strictly as brake lites.

Cool beans!

I performed exactly that kind of operation on a '69 Impala convertible once and got all kinds of positive comments...including one from a cop in El Centro who stopped me just because he wanted to know how I'd done it so he could do the same thing to his '69 Caprice coupe lowrider.

No Extra Cost Added Advantages: you will now have the perfect circuit in place to tap for a high-center-mount brake light (the LED bars from the rooftops of early '90s Suburbans blend in nicely with almost every decklid profile) and you'll be legal in Australia.

Hope you are planning on posting some pictures.

Keoni Dibelka / HiloFoto
In Hawai'i; on Hawai'i; on the Windward Side
If da salt air never chew 'em up bumbye da lava will...

(edited for spelling)