Looks like my trunk (49 Olds 88) may have originally had a light inside. I found the wire stuffed inside the lid. Can anyone send a pic to show where the light and switch would have been?

 

This might help, it should be a mercury switch and will go out when the trunk is down.... Tedd....
Hard to see but it is the shiny thing on the upper left.

 

Thanks Ted dill look around for one of those. I didn’t see any listed at Fusic

 

They used the same switch for years in both Oldsmobile's and Buick, probably other GM also. You might look at in later year models. or ebay. I've seen them some where for sale.....Tedd

 

Mac’s Auto (Ecklers is parent company GM – Chevy, Pontiac, Oldsmobile-more muscle car oriented) carrys one, Part # #: 64-34793. Macs generally Early Ford V-8, but this light is as close to OEM as you can get. There have apparently been a number of manufacturers used by the major car manufacturers over the years. This matched the one on my 54 88 down to the snap cover dimples. The mercury switch, in the form of a small ‘bulb’ is positioned, in line, behind the light bulb and is removable. Org OEM mercury switch is part of light fixture and not removable/servicable. Guess in todays world probably cheaper (cost reduce) to fabricate this way. Light will take standard OEM bulb. Bit on the pricey side, but then again, not a lot of what we look for in these older vehicles is going to be cheap. We didn’t buy them to be looking for ‘Sale Items’. Good Luck.

John

https://www.macsautoparts.com/hood-t...ails_tab-title

 

To test if trunk light is working after install, turn your cell phone video on to record , place it face up and close you’re your trunk lid, give it a few seconds, open your trunk lid, check you video. If all is good, should show you closing lid and then turn ‘black’, Good luck, John

 

Great! Thanks for the part source and the test

 

Post Script: Most of these Olds hood and trunks lid lights are wired thru the parking light/headlight switch, so be sure to turn on your parking lights ON to test.

 

And I don't think the one pictured is correct in appearance for your car. I believe it should be all aluminum finish and more round than the one pictured above. May not make a difference to you....Tedd

 

Tedd, I believe these lights may have aluminum (brush type) finish, though they are steel. You may have more specific inf as to shape 1949 OEM trunk lights are. These are pics of the OEM on my 54. The less bright finish is the original, and as you can see, new light has more of an aluminum finish. But fits exactly, down to the dimples on the sides of the cover. It's very close to 54 Oldsmobile OEM trunk light, but then again you may have more specific inf. regarding 1949 Oldsmobile.
Best,
John

 

One more: Orig base on trunk

 

Dad-par I believe you are correct . They do look to be the same.... Tedd

 

My '57 uses the same light as does my '68, but the '57 has a bullet end and the '68 has a blade end.