'69 Tail Light Questions...

[csx4590]

In an effort to try to save a little money, I am cleaning up my tail light lenses to avoid the high cost of the reproduction lenses I have seen. A few questions. Around the back of my lenses, there is a tremendous amount of RTV sealant. Was this factory applied or applied after a leak? The other question is what type of fastener holds the chrome bezel to the lens? I took my lights apart 10 years ago and I need to get them back together soon...

Thanks for any info...

[Lord Warlock]

My original tail light lenses have gobs of RTV on them around the flange with the studs attached. I don't remember what type of fastener holds the trim on the lenses, don't remember a fastener on mine, but i can look and see. 

[Mike DC]

 
I recall the metal trim was held on by the factory with a one-time method like melting some plastic in spots.  It's not a fastener or adhesive designed to be taken on & off several times.

[twodko]

What Mike said about the tail light chrome bezels. If they're off the lens now the best way to reattach them
is using several dabs of clear silicon adhesive around the inner channel of the bezel. Once you have the bezel in place, use blue painters tape to hold the bezel tightly to the lens. Check to make sure there is no adhesive squeeze out.
I applied tape at each adhesive point.

That nasty RTV whatever is hard to take off. What I did........outside well away from the house etc,
was soak a section of the lens or housing in gasoline for 15 minutes or so. Gas does the trick but it's
still a messy job. As I remember I used one of those round metal oil drain pans. Gas won't hurt the plastic lens but I washed mine in soapy water right after I got all the spoodge off them just to make sure. 

[six-tee-nine]

True

The old goop goes away the best with gas and nothing else.

The trim was put on plastic tabs that are molded onto the housings. Once the trim was in place they melted the tips of the plastic tabs down and so it got stuck together.
Grind away the heads of the tabs and you can pull the trim of. later on you'll have to use some kind of bonding product to put the trim back in place.
Be carefull wit the lenses and the trim as well. The plastic tabs become brittle over time so dont yank them of in a hurry with a large screwdriver. Dont drop the trim its pot metal and will reak before you know it. Go gently.

You can clean the lenses with soap and water on the inside to remove dust and stuff that collected in the lenses over the years. I polished the outside of mine with a scratch remover and a small polishing wheel in my Dremel tool.
Dont  overheat the plastic when polishing or you get dull spots.
I then masked the lens and painted the silver line in the middle of the lens.

Mine look like new now