Tail light lens switch?

[pabster]

Howdy all!

Ever since I've owned my Charger, it's always bugged me that one of the tail light lenses has been yellowed by exhaust. It's not a huge deal, but it is pretty noticeable, and it's time to rectify this situation. I've looked around for replacement lenses, and on eBay they run $200-300 for a pair. At that price, I'm thinking about taking a left turn and getting the louvered lenses that were on the '71 R/T, Superbee, and I think the '72 Rallyes. Question is, will lenses from '71-'72 fit on my '74? And if so, does anyone make the louvered lenses, or do you have to search originals out and pay big bucks? Below is the tail light guide to illustrate what I'm talking about.

If they do fit, anyone got louvered lenses they're looking to sell? If they don't fit, anyone got '73-'74 base lenses in excellent shape they're looking to sell?

Thanks for the help, gang!

View attachment 99399

- - - Updated - - -

Starting to look around and realizing that the louvered set up means you have to buy the housing, and the square red lenses that sit behind the housing. With prices to match. Ooof.

 

[charger360]

tailights on our car's are not cheap.

 

[Bruzilla]

Assuming you've already tried cleaning with a magic eraser, I would do one of two things. I would remove the offending section, fabricate a replacement, and install it into the lens.

Another idea would be to go full-on resto-mod and fabricate two entirely custom light assemblies. Use the lenses as a template to get the shape of a mounting board, then cut the shapes out using styrene plastic and a thin piece of sheet metal. Next, lay out a pattern of lights that look cool, and drill holes through the plastic and sheet metal. Get some red and white LEDs, and install them into the holes, and use the sheet metal as a ground plane when you screw the assembly into the bumper. Then cut out two sheets of clear styrene to act as a lens that goes over the whole deal. Wire up the LEDs to the wires that used to go to the bulbs and voila! No more discolored lens and a nice custom look.

 

[pabster]

With 2 kids and a company to run, sadly I do not have the hours to "go full-on resto-mod and fabricate two entirely custom light assemblies. Use the lenses as a template to get the shape of a mounting board, then cut the shapes out using styrene plastic and a thin piece of sheet metal. Next, lay out a pattern of lights that look cool, and drill holes through the plastic and sheet metal. Get some red and white LEDs, and install them into the holes, and use the sheet metal as a ground plane when you screw the assembly into the bumper. Then cut out two sheets of clear styrene to act as a lens that goes over the whole deal. Wire up the LEDs to the wires that used to go to the bulbs..."

But I also haven't tried taking out the lens and cleaning it. Great idea! You think magic eraser? Anyone else have a suggestion of what will clean a tail light lens of 38 years of exhaust? Simple Green?

And hey, do '71-'72 lenses/housings fit a '74? Anyone?

 

[Bruzilla]

I'm a parent of three kids with a multi-million dollar project to run, and I find the time to do the really important stuff... like working on cars. I was thinking of taking the tail light bezels off my car, adding a light mounting board with LEDs to the rear of it, and a smoked plastic cover on the front, so the tailights would blend in with the bumper. Maybe put small Steelers and Penguins logos in the corners as ornaments.

I've found that magic erasers and Simple Green will clean just about anything. I had a pair of Steelers shoes that had bearing grease all over them and was about to toss them but thought I would give eraser/green a try. They look like new. At one of the shows I had the road runner at, I was parked next to a Chevelle with a white interior that just sparkled. I thought it was new, but the guy said it was original. He just used those erasers to clean it, so they work on everything.

But looking at your lights, it looks like a piece of solid red lens plastic with two clear inserts. It should be easy to cut out some white pieces from some clear lens material and make new replacements.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

all tail lights interchanges on any bumper AS FULL ASSEMBLY

lenses ? not... they just fit on the correct assembly

license plate lower bracket also changes according with assembly, being 73/74 a little bit wider

71/72s louvered in fact uses the LOUVERED BEZEL as attaching, not the housing

BTW, I'm the author of that image ( based on another idea I saw, but trying to find better images ), where IT SEEMS I made a mistake about the 71 black louvers on colored bumpers. We got a discussion on moparts sometime ago about that... HOWEVER I still have to say and report that I have seen black bezels personally on some 71s, FACTORY, not custom, and even with outer edge chromed.

- - - Updated - - -

and need to note, 71/72 louvered tail lights assemblies use to be more expensive ( they can reach up to $800 depending of conditions ) than the 73/74 lenses, and still the 71/72 louvered kind lenses ARE PRICED THE SAME THAN 73/74 lenses if needs to be replaced.

 

[pabster]

I'm confused. Full assembly? As in the grey piece of plastic that goes around the lens is the same size on all years from '71-'74?

Looking at prices, and realizing that my Charger is 98% stock, I think I've decided to stick with the lenses from my year. So I'll definitely try taking off the lens and magic erasering/Simple Greening the inside.

If it cleans right up, I owe you a beer, Bruzilla! And hey, if you have the time to fabricate parts for your car with all that stuff going on, then you don't have time to drink that beer!

 

[YY1]

ebay, ebay, ebay.

73/74 lenses come up much more frequently than any other and are cheaper than any other.

I've always wanted to do a sequential thing like a cougar. The design of the 73/74 lens just begs for it.

I actually like the 73/74 lens almost as much as the 71/72 louvered R/T-Rallye setup.

- - - Updated - - -

...and I do have a set of 71/72 louvered lights, and the bolt holes are nowhere close to a 74 bumper.

Odd, they are exactly the same size and shape, but NO GO at all on the holes.

 

[pabster]

Well, I finally got the time to tinker with my car. Got a box 'o magic erasers, some Simple Green. Took off the lens and scrubbed it, cleaned it, wiped it, repeat. And my lens is one piece of plastic, no inserts.

No dice. The white part of the lens might be a shade whiter, but it's still yellowed from 38 years of exhaust, and the yellowing is permanent. So I gotta buy a new lens. Sorry, Bruzilla, no beer for you.

Off I go to eBay. Wish me luck.

 

[Bruzilla]

Just sent you a PM about some lights I turned up.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

I'm confused. Full assembly? As in the grey piece of plastic that goes around the lens is the same size on all years from '71-'74?

YES FUUULL ASSEMBLY WITH HOUSING, WIRING, BEZELS, everything related with the stop light FULL ASSEMBLY is practically a plug and play job from car to car.

Actually I have fit 71 and 74s stop lights indistinctelly on a 71 bumper of a friend's Charger and they fit the same. I have heard about the different matching on tail lights provisions and bumpers, but I personally never have found that problem.

in fact a 72 bumper gets RT/rallye tail light assembly the same than standards, and we can say the same about the standard 71 lights. The same that I have seen RT/Rallye tail lights on 73/74 without any problem

 

[Photon440]

If, after cleaning, the lens is still not the right colour, why not try tinting it?
http://www.vhtpaint.com/products/niteshadesred/

 

[jessipup]

Don't forget to check with Moparmarks, he is a pretty good guy and might have those parts.

 

[pabster]

Got a pair of new lenses off eBay, plus a PISTOL GRIP for my console shifter! Can't wait to put the new pieces on... pics will follow! Thanks for the help, all!

 

[old tired rebel]

Pabster I went to a auto paint supply house in Tulsa to get a headlight restoration kit to use on my lens cover for the instrument cluster. it took all the scratches out of the lens. So I would imagine it would clean your tail light lens. I can't remember the name of it but it came in 2 parts.