building your own tail lights

how did you guys do it? I don't know if I want to get all fancy with LED's but I do want something that will not break as easily and be as expensive to replace (between $30 and $70 + shipping).

Anyways, I'm thinking either aluminum or steel "box" with big round cutouts for plastic color shields for the lights, but then how do you mount it into the jeep? The current lights have a hole into which they "slip in" on the bottom and on top they screw in....

You can easily make boxes that mount in the factory light location using the factory holes. For the bottom, just make a notch in the steel(or aluminum) box. Also, I haven't checked but you may be able to screw out that mounting tab on the bottom and replace it with a bolt.

Jes

Rusty's makes a box. Just add lights and wire.
http://rustysoffroad.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=rustys&Product_Code=RORTH

I got mine here for under $30 shipped for 2 stop turn tails, 2 backup lights, grommets and pigtails. They were the best deal I found, good company to work with also.

http://www.etruckpart.com/trucklighting.htm

I am also blatantly copying Jessies 1/4 panel armor, It would probably be easier to do that than to make a box, if you just did the one flat piece with a bend in it for the box.

don't forget when you go this way you will need a trailer converter to make it all work.