By Frank Peiler
In the early Fifties, auto designers didn’t always seem to put much thought into the back ends of the cars they were creating. The rear of the car often felt like an afterthought–just a place for a trunk and a couple of brake lights, and not much in the way of style.
10 Coolest Dashboards of the 50s
That said, there were a few exceptions. Collected here are five of my favorite taillight designs. In each case, I am most impressed by how well integrated the lens is into the bodywork, and how the taillights enhance the overall design of the car. Note also that all of these taillights offer an added measure of safety, as they can be seen from the side.
If your favorite early-Fifties taillights aren’t seen below, please tell us what car they’re on. If we get enough responses, we can put together a Readers’ Choice favorite taillights post.
1951 Frazer
1952-1953 Kaiser
1952-1954 Lincoln
1954 Cadillac
1954 Mercury
