I've gone with one or two at various points. Two made me believe it was better. No prep before install. You'll also want to use a gasket for the license plate lens on the DS.

 

 

Originally, there was likely an asphalt empregnated loom that encased the wires - similar to the underhood version. That's what I used. I've also seen flexible metal conduit that looks good.

 

Here are Ford promotional pictures I've collected over the years. It looks like the tail light wires were not encased in any loom, at least for these 53-56 trucks I have pics of.

 

Here is a low mileage stock 56 owned by a guy that used to frequent FTE.

 

Actually, the hay bale picture looks very much like the type of loom I've seen.

 

I didn't think that was a loom. It just looks like wire encased in rubber..... but then that is a loom, isn't it. There should be two wires going to that light, one for brake and one for tail light. And three if it has factory turnsignals.

Ive had this picture for many years and You know what I just noticed? No not the man on the ground being over dressed and not the mud on the back of the license plate. The taillight bracket is on the backside of the stake pocket and so is the license plate... This is a cause of concern for 53 to 56 stock owners with a rear bumper. The bumper partially hides the plate.

 

On 48-56 trucks with a bumper, the taillight brackets were a cast steel and mounted with one bolt hole over the tailgate hinge. 1) They are hard to find especially the right hand side. 2) the 48-52 and 53-56 brackets are different, and difference is really just the thickness of the offset over the hinge bolt hole, easily solvable with a spacer.

Not only for a true stock truck would these brackets be correct with a bumper but both taillights were the same, both having the tag light. There was not a separate right hand taillight assembly without the tag light that was original. (Based on information in the 48-52 chassis book)

Original tailights have the ford script stamped into the back and duolamp stamped into the bottom.

What is unclear is the loom, if that was original or just the green and black wire were left open. I have not seen an original NOS shield but the repro shields appear to have a metal tab that bends to retain the loom.

JB

 

I found some NOS 53 and 54 tail lights on eBay. The individual wires are encased as one in rubber.



So I guess they didn't need any looms.