Reproduction Tail Light Lenses

[traintech55]

Good Morning fellow members. There has been a lot of talk about tail light lenses for our cars. Some of us are in a real mess trying to find good parts that are over 50 years old without giving up our first born male child.
With this said I would like to try and get a list going of what is needed out their, and what you would think would be a good price. If we can put a good list together, we just might be able to get someone to start making the parts we need. Here is an example of what I am looking for;
1966 U.S. built 300 lenses, (4) , $100,00 each lens = $400.00.
We have to start somewhere, so lets get this list going, maybe we can try to get someone interested in making them. Thanks for reading . Bill

 

[The Horvaths]

'67 Fury lenses (the complete set) would be awesome! Mine suck.

Also C body specific 4 speed parts would be cool.

 

[traintech55]

'67 Fury lenses (the complete set) would be awesome! Mine suck.
View attachment 156757
Also C body specific 4 speed parts would be cool.

Thank you. Your lenses come in at # 4 on the list. I hope to get enough interest in this so someone would want to take this task on at a fair price. Keep it coming guys.

 

[GJS]

These guys: 1967 Monaco.
Being that they are three piece (outer chrome band (metal), inner chrome band (plastic) and lens) they are usually incomplete if found at all. I managed to scramble a set for 25 bucks minus the inner chrome band which I had intended to re do with my inner chrome band but after cleaning them up, they're really not all that much better. The sheer amount of heat generated in these big guys with traditional bulbs caused all kinds of checking no matter how well they were cared for.
Anyway, I'm not sure at all that we'd get enough interest in these particular pieces .. certainly not as much as the 66 300 lenses but lets see what we get!

 

[traintech55]

These guys: 1967 Monaco.
Being that they are three piece (outer chrome band (metal), inner chrome band (plastic) and lens) they are usually incomplete if found at all. I managed to scramble a set for 25 bucks minus the inner chrome band which I had intended to re do with my inner chrome band but after cleaning them up, they're really not all that much better. The sheer amount of heat generated in these big guys with traditional bulbs caused all kinds of checking no matter how well they were cared for.
Anyway, I'm not sure at all that we'd get enough interest in these particular pieces .. certainly not as much as the 66 300 lenses but lets see what we get!
View attachment 156760

Again Thank you for posting. A lot of R + D goes into something like this. Just some simple math, say for the 1966 300's at $400.00 a set, if we could get 25 orders together that equals $10,000.00. That would be a fair price spread out among us, and could get someone to start making these parts. Then other lenses could follow. We have had it way harder than the "A, B, and E" body guys forever. Maybe this could be a start for those to start thinking about us "C" body guys.

 

[GJS]

Again Thank you for posting. A lot of R + D goes into something like this. Just some simple math, say for the 1966 300's at $400.00 a set, if we could get 25 orders together that equals $10,000.00. That would be a fair price spread out among us, and could get someone to start making these parts. Then other lenses could follow. We have had it way harder than the "A, B, and E" body guys forever. Maybe this could be a start for those to start thinking about us "C" body guys.

I'm sure in either case, people who are dedicated to their rides would perhaps even double an order just in case ... I mean, really, If I get into my Monaco the way I likely will, I would want an extra set.... and yes, I'd pay 800 bucks for em.

 

[rapidtrans]

<----- Sign me up for 65 Monaco lenses.

 

[traintech55]

<----- Sign me up for 65 Monaco lenses.

Got it.

 

[Turboomni]

69 Fury III tailight lenses.

 

[Dan Scully]

70 300 / Hurst .

 

[Grancoupe70]

70 Fury Gran Coupe for me.

 

[Zymurgy]

Definitely a set of 66 300 taillight lenses for me, and another set for spare

 

[FURYGT]

70 Sport Fury lenses should be #2 on any list and 67 Fury lenses are needed very bad.
Count me in for a set of 66 300 lenses. Someone out there has the molds for the 66 300 lenses as they were reproduced around 15 years ago and they were nice as well as flexible.

 

[bigmoparjeff]

Someone out there has the molds for the 66 300 lenses as they were reproduced around 15 years ago and they were nice as well as flexible.

Sounds like the early repops for the '66-'67 Chargers. They too were done with a strange, really flexible plastic. Probably done by hand, instead of injection molded.

 

[FURYGT]

They were well made IMHO

 

[CBODY67]

There might be some issues with "licensing" these items, especially IF they are exact copies of the OEM part. The quality of the plastic used, plus any reflectorized areas are important too.

The first licensed-by-Chrysler tail light lenses were for the '66-era Chargers. Licensing means you use the Chrysler blueprints to make the parts and they also have to meet the original quality control targets of the original part. Seems like the Charger (Chrysler licensed) lenses were about $1000.00 per car?

The way the aftermarket/replacement sheet metal people get away with what they do is to not do an exact duplicate of the part. Usually leaving holes to be drilled, dimensions not quite exactly correct, etc.

Other than the quality control issues of licensing, including approval by the originator, the license is a fee paid to the originator of the design (the OEM in this case).

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67

 

[traintech55]

Thanks everyone so far. My original plan is to get a list / order together and see who we can find to do this. Lets face it, everyone wants to make money, so lets show them there is a market.

 

[Dobalovr]

2 sets of 66 300’s for me!

 

[traintech55]

There might be some issues with "licensing" these items, especially IF they are exact copies of the OEM part. The quality of the plastic used, plus any reflectorized areas are important too.

The first licensed-by-Chrysler tail light lenses were for the '66-era Chargers. Licensing means you use the Chrysler blueprints to make the parts and they also have to meet the original quality control targets of the original part. Seems like the Charger (Chrysler licensed) lenses were about $1000.00 per car?

The way the aftermarket/replacement sheet metal people get away with what they do is to not do an exact duplicate of the part. Usually leaving holes to be drilled, dimensions not quite exactly correct, etc.

Other than the quality control issues of licensing, including approval by the originator, the license is a fee paid to the originator of the design (the OEM in this case).

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67

Thanks for the information.

 

[traintech55]

2 sets of 66 300’s for me!

Got it.