Stepside-postition of rear tailights

[71 blue stepside]

Hello all, this is my 1st topic post...Ok, I have a 71 Custom Stepside, very stock from what I have been checking. It's a no option truck-no p/s, no air, no radio(looks like a ford add a/c though)except for the 302, c4, & deluxe guages. Also there are no body mldgs anywhere on the body, except for the hood. I was ordering one of those Marti Reports to check how the truck was ordered back in 71, but they called me & said I need to send them a paint sample because it was a non paint code on the vin tag-a special non Ford color. It is a canary type yellow, don't see nothing special about that-but they did & it has a 6 digit DSO 750000 on the vin tag & it's correct for being ordered right here in Phoenix, AZ where I live.

Now I was on tech side the other day & found some interesting info regarding the stepsides rear bumper. It looks like from the schematics that if you had a optional rear bumper(didn't know they were optional-I assumed they were standard issue) your tail light bracket was bolted the front of the last stake w/a small turndown bracket-which made it to be flush w/the rear bumper, BUT if the truck was a bumper delete type than the rear tail light bracket was bolted on the backside of the stake-& had a larger turndown bracket. So, w/no bumper that placed the tail light about 2" back, & 2" out also. I guess to avoid it getting hit vs if you had a bumper you'd step on it and then step over the tail gate & avoid hitting the light-I'm just theorizing here. My truck has a very heavy thick steel bumper that looks alot like the stock one-but it's not-and it's mounted fluch against the rear. My tai lights have the larger type bracket & are bolted behind the stake as in the pic. Very interesting...I'm trying to learn new stuff everyday about these stepsides-there was not alot of literature about these trucks, just a small pic of the rear bed in my 71 catolog.

[bjde0b]

So is there a question? I recently went through the same investigation trying to figure out which bracket to use. I used the small ones with the license plate mounted in front but I have a nice new shinny bumper.

[68 Ford Stepside]

I've never been one to worry about being period correct on my old drivers as they won't ever be judged by anyone but me. But I'll post a photo of what was on my '68 when I got it.