TheSamba.com :: View topic - What type of rear lights should a 57 have?

Tue Oct 19, 2004 5:51 am

A friend of mine has just bought a US 57 microbus that has no rear lights, which sort should it have?

Here in the UK a 57 would have these lights:

I keep getting different info regarding the tail lights on a US 57, should it have the bubble barndoor style lights?

Tue Oct 19, 2004 7:05 am

it should have bubble taillights up untill may of '58. If it has an original decklid with the brake light it would have the bubbles

Tue Oct 19, 2004 7:11 am

Tue Oct 19, 2004 7:50 am

Scotty wrote: A friend of mine has just bought a US 57 microbus that has no rear lights, which sort should it have?

Here in the UK a 57 would have these lights:

I keep getting different info regarding the tail lights on a US 57, should it have the bubble barndoor style lights?

go to http://www.vintagebus.com/ and click on FAQ and then on the taillight ?... has pics. they are similar to barndoor lights.

the round glass taillights were started at vin 246 xxx in April 1957

Tue Oct 19, 2004 3:21 pm

My July '57 bus has the '58-61 taillights...

Tue Oct 19, 2004 3:33 pm

57deluxe23 wrote: it should have bubble taillights up untill may of '58. If it has an original decklid with the brake light it would have the bubbles

I think that you got the year wrong there. it was mid year '57 that they changed to the later style lights. the totally superceded/updated parts list from the late 60s/early 70s does list the change as happening in may of '58, but that is just plain wrong. it was much earlier. my june '57 standard has the original lights and they are the later style.

Tue Oct 19, 2004 10:25 pm

Lind wrote: 57deluxe23 wrote: it should have bubble taillights up untill may of '58. If it has an original decklid with the brake light it would have the bubbles

I think that you got the year wrong there. it was mid year '57 that they changed to the later style lights. the totally superceded/updated parts list from the late 60s/early 70s does list the change as happening in may of '58, but that is just plain wrong. it was much earlier. my june '57 standard has the original lights and they are the later style.

Lind is so right that he rewrites factory published materials so that they are more correct.

Wed Oct 20, 2004 6:01 am

Thanks for your help guys, just gotta find some affordable lights for sale now.....