in the interest of safety

[Chuck Lutz]

It's true; the standard jeep taillight is just not going to cut it when you are doing 45 MPH on a road and traffic is going 65 MPH+. The best Idea is to avoid night driving especially in fog or drizzle, but not only were the taillight assemblies not designed for the vehicle to be overtaken on the roads by other vehicles going 20 MPH or more, the wimpy red "lozenge" tail light is too dim and gets lost in a following drivers' field of vision with oncoming traffic and other vehicles in adjoining lanes that overtake you at that speed differential.

Aside from just not driving at night, the solutions are few:
1) have TWO tail/brake lights on the rear
2) change to LEDs
3) add an additional one or two tail/brake lights at the height of the top of the rear tub rail on a removable light bar
4) add some reflective red/white tape to the light bar for #3 added lights (the stuff semi trailers have across the rear bumpers)

If you have a trailer socket on the rear panel of the jeep, wiring in additional tail/brake lamps is easy, just up to your imagination where to put them and how many!

[Rod Rushton]

I also use the front Black - out Marker lights as indicators, but paint the inside of the casings white or silver and remove the masks/flags and bead blast the inside of the lens.
As I have converted to 12v, My headlight units incorporate a little bulb I use for the side (marker ) lights, and these lens units have double filament Quartz Halogen bulbs. All the lights are powered trough relays, which are controlled by the switches thus reducing the amount of power they need to handle.
I do have a pair of large magnetic rear lights which plug into the rear socket which has been converted to UK 7 pin s, but kept the spring loaded cover to hide the socket - which I also use when towing my caravan.

[Bentley11b]

Going thru this dilemma now. What is the best way to get into the lens? Tried using a screw driver to pry it open. Also, what kind of LEDs? Where do you find them? Thanks!

[Joe Gopan]

If I were to make a practice of frequent in big city traffic, I would wire up a set of those $20.00 Magnetic tail lights such as U Haul offers and have the security of visible tail lights. The public is not impressed with little O.D. color vehicles with no signals from taillights they cannot see.

Malachi Springer, might still be with us had his MB been more visible.

[Bentley11b]

Thought of wiring up some temp/removable lights for that purpose. Still, would like to switch out the standard bulbs for some LEDs.

Agreed, so sad about Malachi.

[tamnalan]

I use my MB a lot and got tired of hearing the squealing brakes behind me... I made up some 6v LED tail/brake lights from reflector assemblies and some 4" PVC pipe. I agree with Ernie -- nobody knows what hand signals are anymore. People would just wave back at me.

[cjv-35]

I switched out the dangerous OEM military lights and went with repop CJ-2A Naco lights. Jeep is daily driver, weather permitting. Made my own harness so both operate as turn signals also. Can change back if needed, but I want people to see me both day and night. Original style 6-volt OEM system and lights are easily visible to other motorists. Not original, but safe in my opinion.

[Chuck Lutz]

Paul Fitzgerald makes the best, brightest 6-volt or 12-volt taillights for WWII jeeps. Look in the For Sale section or SEARCH him by name on the gee.

[tamnalan]

That’s one of Paul’s LED bulbs in the stock housing on my MB. It is much brighter than the stock bulb, but you can see how it compares to my homemade lights.

[northcoastsailor]

Will the gama goat lights mount in the same holes as the normal MB lights? I drive my jeep all over the SF Bay Area and desperately need to be seen.

[tamnalan]

The Gama Goat lenses fit M-series housings which are different than the WWII taillights but I believe the housing bolt patterns (for mounting to the Jeep tub) are the same.

My recommendation is to source an intervehicular cable - plug one end into your trailer socket and wire an aftermarket light assembly to the other end, and mount the light in the center of your spare tire. I felt much safer with this.

Brent Mullins in Texas should have the cables if Ron doesn’t.

[OldPappy]

Of course this would not appeal to anyone who shows their Jeep, but for a road Jeep that will be driven on public roads it only makes sense to upgrade the lighting on the rear.

I thought about the reproduction CJ-2A Naco lights, but I like another look better. I am considering the reproduction Model A Ford taillights (often used on hot rods and motorcycles too). These are available with LED bulbs.

I think they would be an easy fit, and look a little more "period correct". They come with glass lenses instead of the plastic used on most of the Naco reproductions I have seen.

[Joe Gopan]

M-Series tail Light housungs will fit the MB/GPW Brackets, but require a larger hole in the body. They are too big.

[Joe Gopan]

Paulie advertised his LED conversions of WWII Service bulbs on here, I can't find it now. It's worth a look.

[timsresort]

I am searching for Paul's post also, now can't find it. I would really like to get some lights before Plymouth. Chuck, you have his info?