clearance lights

[tsroark]

Hey guys, I am finishing up a 50 ford. Were cab mounted clearance lights ever offered or required then. I am having trouble finding any pictures of anything that early with indicators to go by.

I suppose I could just scratch something similar to an 80s truck.

[unclescott58]

Here you go, this might help.

Scott

[Art Anderson]

Clearance lights were around back in 1950, mostly either dealer or owner-installed, and just about every auto parts store stocked them, sometimes in several different styles. As for requirements, 1950 was still almost two decades before the advent of the US Department of Transportation, motor vehicle regulations including lighting being left to the various (then 48) states. I don't know if the ICC had any requirements as to lighting, but the rules seem to have varied all over the place, state-to-state.

Art

[tsroark]

So there were no ford factory lights then, or regulations? That would explain why I have found images of heavy trucks whith no lights.

[Art Anderson]

So there were no ford factory lights then, or regulations? That would explain why I have found images of heavy trucks whith no lights.

Regulations yes, for sure--but motor vehicle safety regulations in 1950 were very much the province of the 48 individual states--Federal safety regulations really did not begin coming into play until the 1960's.

Look at any contemporary pictures of trucks in interstate use from that era, and you will even see a whole set of state permit decals or stickers on the cab, meaning the truck had been permitted in each of the various states in which it operated.

Art

[Art Anderson]

Hey guys, I am finishing up a 50 ford. Were cab mounted clearance lights ever offered or required then. I am having trouble finding any pictures of anything that early with indicators to go by.

I suppose I could just scratch something similar to an 80s truck.

You might do a Google image search for "1950 Ford Truck" and see what turns up.

Art