tail light bracket

[Jim in S.C.]

I want to add a passenger side tail light to a 31 sedan. I have a new bracket that isn't even close to matching the orignal one on the drivers side. It is shorter,thiner metal and a diffrent angle. It is stamped R. I assume that is for the right side. I am hopeing someone sells a more orignal looking pair. Any of you Barners experiensed this same problem? If so share with me how you resolved it. Can you tell me of a supplier that carries better brackets or do they all carry the same ones?
Thanks

[Bruce,Upstate NY]

Use an original and take a notch out of it near the base flange and weld it for the correct angle.

[Bill Goddard]

I don't think there are any originals for the right side. Try to install a PAIR of new ones that will match each other. Bill G

[CarlG]

RHD cars all had "original" right hand tail lights.

[Big John]

sure, there are original rhd tail brackets around... just keep looking and advertising... swap meets, ads, etc......

[Lance in St Louis]

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Could someone post pictures or more explicit directions on how to make a right hand taillight bracket from a left hand one. Thanks.
Lance

[Jim in S.C.]

I have had several suggestions to just buy a pair of left and right reproduction brackets . As I described in my first post the reproduction brackets are shorter and have a different angle from the base. If you use the existing holes in the drivers side fender to mount a reproduction bracket the light lens would be pointing up at an angle. NOT A PRETTY SITE! I guess I will just alter a original to make it look like it should. And mount it on the passenger side fender.

[Jim in S.C.]

I know it is sight not site!
And I didn't give Bill Goddard credit for his suggestion.Sorry bout that!
THANKS

[springerpete]

Give Bert's Model A Center in Denver a call. Their inventory of used parts is impressive. 800-321-1931

[Kevin in NJ]

You must carefully transfer the mounting holes to the right side. I did this with card board patterns and then still used a straight edge with fenders mounted on the car to check my work. I also had the two fenders side by side and made sure the holes seemed right. I believe I used a straight edge to correct a slight twist.

You convert a Left by making a notch at just above the the base to turn it. You need to be above the radius bend into flat metal. Leave the one side attached to the base and do your bend. Mount the bracket on the car and use a long straight edge from the mounted left stand to the right. The faces should be parallel. Then tack weld and check your work. Then finish the weld.

The right bracket will have several subtle problems. There are some shape differences as the stand is not symmetrical and it ends up a hair shorter.

You could talk to one of our down under friends but the costs were too much once you factored in shipping for my pocket book. It would be cute having a correct original right side bracket.

[Bruce of MN]

The RH bracket I got from Bratton's seemed pretty symmetrical to the LH one that I assume is original.

[RonC]

Originally on US cars the dealer was authorized in 1931 to add as an accessory right tail light. The tail light brackets were "left hand" brackets. So period cars would have two left hand bracketed tail lights

[Tudortomnz]

Originally Posted by RonC

Originally on US cars the dealer was authorized in 1931 to add as an accessory right tail light. The tail light brackets were "left hand" brackets. So period cars would have two left hand bracketed tail lights

What Ron says is correct for the early '30's.
If you think there are heaps of RHD lamp brackets lying around 'Down Under'', wrong. Model A's have always been popular here & these days most parts come from the US.
The one place where a lot of RHD stuff should still be, is Argentina which received a huge amount of RHD Model A's. Some of you Spanish speaking guys should make some contacts there.