Rear Lights Question

I am trying to get a better idea of the proper location/side for the rear lighting on my 46 2N. I have one tail light and one work light.
The rear fenders both have mounting brackets. The left is currently a flag pole mount. Did ford arrange in any one particular way in the factory? I was thinking both of the lights I have would go on one side. I've seen one or two tail lights, one on the right or left, tail light and work light together. I cant say I am a purest but do like to be rather close. Thanks.

Good afternoon, Ishmeal; I wanted my 2N to look nice and logical, although I am not too worried about perfect originality on the tail lights. I found a tractor shop that had a pair of original style tail light brackets for a 9N/2N tractor, so I installed those, added current style boat trailer lights, and on the right side I installed an old-style work light.

Being realistic, I must say that at the shows I attend and participate, everyone knows this in not the 1940s, it is 2021, so they ignore a few small details like tail lights being modern. BTW, I use my 9N for a lot of mowing, sometimes near trees and vines. I do not want to risk damaging a rare original light if I hit a low hanging branch! Just my opinion.....

Dennis M. in W. Tenn.

The tractors did not come from the factory with lights. Lights were a dealer option. Here is a tail light on my 1940.


Here is a tail light and work light on my 1945.

Another clue, you could use, is back in early days, pick-ups and trucks only had one tail/stop light. It was always on the left side.

Thank you. A bit off topic, but can we get some side shots. I noticed most members don't post pics.

I was thinking the tail light should be to the left. Thanks.

This post was edited by Ishmeal on 09/15/2021 at 02:35 pm.

OKAY, once again, settle in, here is the correct info on the FORD TRACTOR LIGHTING KITS. Lights were never a factory installed item at the Rouge Plant or the later
(after 1945) Highland Park Plant until the 800 Series Model and then only headlights. When the 9N Tractor began taking the world by the nuts in June, 1939, farmers
then wanted headlights so they could work well into the night and early mornings. Lights were never thought about when Ford engineered the 9N tractor. By1940 Ford
Tractor now offered a lighting kit to dealers. The farmer could have the dealer install them or as many did, buy the kit and install them themselves. Some ordered their
new 9N tractor with lights so the dealer would have them installed on request. By FEDERAL LAW, the tractor had to have a RED Taillight mounted on the Left Hand Side of
the rear fender in every state. The 9N Kits had two headlights (CM HALL LAMP CO), a TAURUS brand Taillight, two fender brackets; two wing mounts; and all the wiring and
hardware. There was NO Worklight until the 1949 8N Model, p/n 8N-15500, Implement Lamp. Early lighting kits stated that if the farmer wanted a worklight, he was to take
the RH Headlight and mount it on the RH rear fender bracket. You can research OHMs LAW and deduce why they did this. FORD TRACTOR used the TAURUS taillight from '39
thru '49. Then it was changed to the DUOLAMP style. Sealed beam lamps were not introduced until 1944. Ford switched the CM HALL lamps to the FORD TRACT-O-LITE style,
like the CM Halls, then changed over to the new sealed beam lamps. Here is what the OEM 1948 8N used in the lighting kit: FORD TRACT-O-LITE Sealed Beam Style
Headlights, tear-drop bucket; TAURUS TAILLIGHT. The FORD/CM HALL Implement Lamp was never in a kit, just an optional accessory. NOTE: HALL also supplied Worklights. As
far as where and how to mount rear lights, as stated, taillights were by law, to be mounted on the LH Rear Fender. A worklight was meant to be mounted on the RH Rear
Fender. This makes sense. Manuals all show the worklight on the RH fender where, if you use an implement in the dark, to me is most efficient. This is also shown in
parts manuals BUT, the later MPC's also show the Worklight can be mounted on the LH fender along with the Taillight. SO IT'S YOUR CALL where you want to mount your
lights. FWIW & FYI: The Taillights had a clear lens on the top of both the TAURUS and DUOLAMP styles as some states required a tractor be registered for highway use
like your car and truck and needed a license plate displayed. The clear lens was to help illuminate the plate. Most all states soon eliminated this requirement and so
by the later NAA amd Hundred Series DUOLAMPS, discarded the clear lens. The Industry Standard part numbers for lamps are: Sealed Beam 6V Headlamp, #6019; Sealed Beam
12V Headlamp #4419; 6V TAILLIGHT BULB, (B-13466) #63, and the 12V Bulb as #67. Implement Lamp is made new by Den Carpenter exact and the 4 sealed beam style is #4510.

1948 FORD 8N RESTORED; TIM DALEY OWNER & OPERATOR:

TAURUS TAILLIGHT:



FORD 8N DUOLAMP & CM HALL/FORD WORKLIGHT:


49-52 LIGHTING DIAGRAM:

39-53 MPC: