Re: "Highway Patrol" episode (off-duty officer murdered because he discovered pot farm while hunting), the hunter's personal car was a typical base 4D with dog dish caps & blackwalls. But, I noticed though it had '56 taillight lenses, the chrome frames that surrounds where the back-up lenses (or block-off plates) would be was from a '55. I wonder, could that be original on a bare bones/police fleet type car? The episode was from 1956, so though the parts, being interchangeable, were frequently swapped in succeeding years, it does seem a bit early for that. Or, likely the dealer needed those parts for a repair job, or maybe had a customer with a '55 that wanted the new style back-up lights installed right away, and so he just swapped/took them off a car from his lot?

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Saw what looks to be the same car (base 4D) used again in a '57 episode (civilian vehicle commandeered to trail a suspect). Still bugs me. So ('56 owners should know?), did all '56s have the backup frame with the little reflector disc at the top, or not? Pardon my ignorance.

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Only the Fairlanes and top of the line wagons had the little round reflector at the top of the backup light frame.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

The 56 Mainline wagon i have didnt have back up lights so had the same plate as the 55 Carl

I,ve sold 56 backup light blockoff plates for the 56 backup light housings with the reflector as well.

-Gary Burnette-

Thanks for clearing that up guys. I assume then, that if you ordered backup light kits factory installed (?) on 56 pass. cars, you got the little reflector frames as well? Confusing, since all '56 T-Birds had the reflector frame, but a T-Bird reference book I have suggests that 56s apparently could still be ordered with metal block-off plates/no backup lens?

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

My 56 Customline had the block-off plates too, but I added the backup lights. I met a guy up here recently whos building a custom 56 Crown Vic and he's using 56 Mercury tail light frames. Definately looks different....but not bad

Rono

  Ron Lane,  Meridian, ID

Rono:

I seem to remember that Moonshadow's '56 has the Merc tail lights.  Used to be a popular customizing feature back in the day.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

The 56 merc station wagon tail light housing will match up to a 55 or 56 ford Carl

I wanted the molded in look so I went with aftermarket fiberglass tailights and lenses that are similar to the 56 Merc wagon. The "real" ones are just too expensive for my taste. Chuck

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire