1967 6 tail lights

[Jef S.]

I was watching the Mecuum auction a 66 or 67 went by with 6 tail lights. Was this a factory installation or some customizer's idea. I always wondered what Jan & Dean were singing about when the XKE could only see their "6 tail lights" in the race to "deadman's curve" I guess that's a silly question but.

[Keith B.]

Re: 1967 6 tail lights

very popular custom thing to do.

http://www.67fso.com/

[Donald T.]

Re: 1967 6 tail lights

Never factory installed on any midyear.

[Rob M.]

Re: 1967 6 tail lights

I was watching the Mecuum auction a 66 or 67 went by with 6 tail lights. Was this a factory installation or some customizer's idea. I always wondered what Jan & Dean were singing about when the XKE could only see their "6 tail lights" in the race to "deadman's curve" I guess that's a silly question but.

I don't know if a prior owner did the customizing or a dealer, but it wasn't by the factory. Jan and Dean might have bought their car from Clippinger Chevrolet in L.A. Here is a pic of their lot in '67 with their top salesman (makes you wonder where those '67's are today). They were famous for the 6 tail lights.

image-7.jpeg

[Steven B.]

Re: 1967 6 tail lights

All the mods, including Americans and GY's, were done by Chevy before delivery to Clippinger and Bob Wingate. Lettering was done at Clippinger body shop and interior board holding plaques was done by Bob. Other six tail light cars done by Chevy were Styling cars.

[Rob M.]

Re: 1967 6 tail lights

I had heard that about Bob's '67 that he is standing next to in the picture. I should have left out the "none" in my last post. But, I would think most of the others lined up behind him were done at the dealership and not GM.

[Bradley D.]

Re: 1967 6 tail lights

There were a couple of GM execs back in the day had some personal midyears built with 6 taillights as well as some other mods.
Billy Mithchell name come to mind.
Nothing ever produced for public consumption from the factory though.

[Jack H.]

Re: 1967 6 tail lights

All the mods, including Americans and GY's, were done by Chevy before delivery to Clippinger and Bob Wingate. Lettering was done at Clippinger body shop and interior board holding plaques was done by Bob. Other six tail light cars done by Chevy were Styling cars.

There were a couple of GM execs back in the day had some personal midyears built with 6 taillights as well as some other mods.
Billy Mithchell name come to mind.
Nothing ever produced for public consumption from the factory though.

Wow, I never knew this. Very interesting. So when somebody tries to convince me that their 6 taillight car is original, I should maybe hear them out instead of chuckling.

[Wayne M.]

Re: 1967 6 tail lights

Jan & Dean (1964) -- Dead Man's Curve

I was cruisin' in my Stingray late one night
When an XKE pulled up on the right
He rolled down the window of his shiny new Jag
And challenged me then and there to a drag .....
.
.
I flew past La Brea, Schwab's and Crescent Heights
And all the Jag could see were my six tail lights
He passed me at Doheny then I started to swerve
But I pulled her out and there we were - at Dead Man's Curve
.
.
PROOF, I SAY

[Michael H.]

Re: 1967 6 tail lights

Nothing ever produced for public consumption from the factory though.

I agree. I doubt if any regular dealer orders actually left the St Louis plant with six tail lights. That was most likely a dealer installed item.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1967 6 tail lights

Once-upon-a-time there were so many of these 6 taillight mid years running around here in California that, as a young man, I even thought it was some sort of factory option. I found out later it wasn't, though. Every installation I ever saw was done perfectly-----the spacing and alignment was perfect. Of course, that's really not all that hard to do.

[Steven B.]

Re: 1967 6 tail lights

I saw a body man mark the holes for the extra tail lights in the 60's. He traced around the two factory lights, moved the pattern over until the outside light tracing was over the inside light and marked the inside light tracing for the new hole. You are right Joe, it wasn't all that hard---a lot easier than filling the extra holes later.

[Stan D.]

Re: 1967 6 tail lights

AH, 6 tail lights, those were the days. take a look at my '62' with 6 tails. We cut the holes and then mounted the back of the lights with very carefully trimmed Maxwell-house coffee cans. Wonder how this would do in today's judging !!!

1962-3 tails.jpg

[Paul J.]

Re: 1967 6 tail lights

I saw a red 66 coupe with six tail lights at a local show on Saturday. Had'nt seen one of these in a long time.

[Terry M.]

Re: 1967 6 tail lights

Back when I was Restorer Editor I put that Clippenger car on the cover. It was at the National in Monterey -- restored.