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Where to buy 69 charger tail light cover

Started by Hioffcr, December 30, 2023, 12:07:35 AM

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Hioffcr

Hi everyone,

I've been looking everywhere trying to find who makes or stocks the rear tail light cover that's in the inside of the trunk for my 69, what's everyone doing?

69hemibeep

Last I heard the company making them was having trouble getting the plastic to make them and told the supplier to come get his molds. I'll check with them Tuesday when they open.

Hioffcr

Quote from: 69hemibeep on December 30, 2023, 08:48:22 AMLast I heard the company making them was having trouble getting the plastic to make them and told the supplier to come get his molds. I'll check with them Tuesday when they open.

That would be awesome, much appreciated  :cheers:  :cheers:

Mopar Nut

Quote from: 69hemibeep on December 30, 2023, 08:48:22 AMLast I heard the company making them was having trouble getting the plastic to make them and told the supplier to come get his molds. I'll check with them Tuesday when they open.

What's the company's name?
"Dear God, my prayer for 2024 is a fat bank account and a thin body. Please don't mix these up like you did the last ten years."

Mopar Nut

There's a used one on Facebook marketplace.
"Dear God, my prayer for 2024 is a fat bank account and a thin body. Please don't mix these up like you did the last ten years."

69hemibeep

I got ahold of the guys at Mrmoparts out west of me today. They have the molds and say they have sourced the plastic at a better price needed to make the covers but need to talk to the guy that has the equipment to do it. Mark said he would call me tomorrow with an update. They also have other venders asking about them and evidently they supply all of the vendors the way it sounds. We shall see they are busy boys and if I don't hear from them I'll try again.

Mopar Nut

"Dear God, my prayer for 2024 is a fat bank account and a thin body. Please don't mix these up like you did the last ten years."


Mopar Nut

"Dear God, my prayer for 2024 is a fat bank account and a thin body. Please don't mix these up like you did the last ten years."

69hemibeep



69hemibeep

I called MrMoparts yesterday. On Thursday he will pay a visit to the factory and see what the deal is because the guy is bad about answering the phone and returning messages. I'm suppose to hear from MrMoparts after the visit.


69hemibeep

Thanks for the reminder I'll try again today.


69hemibeep

I'm suppose to hear something by Wednesday, not going to hold my breath.

Daytona R/T SE

Quote from: 69hemibeep on February 17, 2024, 08:00:50 AMI'm suppose to hear something by Wednesday, not going to hold my breath.

Anything?

 :shruggy:

69hemibeep

I give up. These guys were having them made and want to again, stay on them. https://www.mrmoparts.net



69hemibeep

I was over at the shop and talked to the guys about producing the part again while picking up parts. They say the guy refuses to use ABS from anywhere but his supplier which makes the part too expensive to produce.


Dino

They are not a precise fit part. You shouldn't have any trouble getting it to fit.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

Daytona R/T SE


Old Moparz

Quote from: Daytona R/T SE on October 28, 2024, 09:40:49 AMI just ordered one of each from Summit Racing...

(Free shipping.)

https://www.oerparts.com/product/all-years/dodge/charger/parts/748830.html


https://www.oerparts.com/product/all-years/dodge/charger/parts/748831.html

We'll see what the differences are between'69 and '70.  :scratchchin:

Stay tuned...


Very similar but you can see the differences....
               Bob               



              Going Nowhere In A Hurry

Daytona R/T SE

Quote from: Old Moparz on October 29, 2024, 02:16:18 PM
Quote from: Daytona R/T SE on October 28, 2024, 09:40:49 AMI just ordered one of each from Summit Racing...

(Free shipping.)

https://www.oerparts.com/product/all-years/dodge/charger/parts/748830.html


https://www.oerparts.com/product/all-years/dodge/charger/parts/748831.html

We'll see what the differences are between'69 and '70.  :scratchchin:

Stay tuned...


Very similar but you can see the differences....





Yes, These differences can be seen in the photos. :2thumbs:

The dimension I'm most concerned with is the "depth" front-to-back.

There is a difference in the length of the "hoods" over the tail light bulbs/wiring.

This difference changed sometime during the 69/70 model years.

The plastic cover was changed to accommodate the change in the "hoods".

Was it late '69 ?

Early '70?

:scratchchin:

Nobody I asked could give me a 100% definitive answer, so I bought both.


70 sublime

Would the change be the same time the 70 tail lights got the extra square reflector in the middle of the lense ?
next project 70 Charger FJ5 green

Daytona R/T SE

Quote from: 70 sublime on October 29, 2024, 09:24:27 PMWould the change be the same time the 70 tail lights got the extra square reflector in the middle of the lense ?


I don't know. :shruggy:

Interesting point. :scratchchin:

Old Moparz

Glad I snagged the cover I found at Carlisle last summer for $10.  :o  My son was with me & doesn't really know parts pricing but knew it was a great deal. No damage, just some scuffs & scratches.
               Bob               



              Going Nowhere In A Hurry

hemigeno

The cast taillight housings changed in early 1969 from what I can tell.  This has to do with the "eyebrow" or shroud that arches over the tail lamp socket inside the trunk.  That housing / eyebrow changed from a longer version (which required the deeper tail light cover) to a shorter version - probably about 1" shorter.  Once you notice the difference, you can tell them apart at a glance.  Whenever that housing changed, the tail light cover went to the shallow version at the same time.

The January-built R/T (assembled in St. Louis) I used to own had the long eyebrows / and deeper tail light cover, whereas most spring '69 cars (including most, if not all Daytonas) had the short housing / eyebrow and shallow cover.  '70s would have all had the shallow covers.

I don't recall whether 287970 / #501 has the short or long tail light housing, as that's a February car if memory serves correctly...  It might narrow down when the changeover occurred just a bit?  Hamtramck vs. St. Louis may also have played a role in the changeover date too.

Anyone else have original taillight housings in their car that can shed more light on this topic?


69hemibeep

I have one out of a 70 I can dig out for reference. It's cracked and brittle.

Daytona R/T SE

Quote from: hemigeno on October 31, 2024, 12:19:47 AMThe cast taillight housings changed in early 1969 from what I can tell.  This has to do with the "eyebrow" or shroud that arches over the tail lamp socket inside the trunk.  That housing / eyebrow changed from a longer version (which required the deeper tail light cover) to a shorter version - probably about 1" shorter.  Once you notice the difference, you can tell them apart at a glance.  Whenever that housing changed, the tail light cover went to the shallow version at the same time.

The January-built R/T (assembled in St. Louis) I used to own had the long eyebrows / and deeper tail light cover, whereas most spring '69 cars (including most, if not all Daytonas) had the short housing / eyebrow and shallow cover.  '70s would have all had the shallow covers.

I don't recall whether 287970 / #501 has the short or long tail light housing, as that's a February car if memory serves correctly...  It might narrow down when the changeover occurred just a bit?  Hamtramck vs. St. Louis may also have played a role in the changeover date too.

Anyone else have original taillight housings in their car that can shed more light on this topic?




Good info, Geno.

It's all starting to make sense to me now. :scratchchin:

I've got five or six original plastic tail light covers in various stages of decay.

Two of which are noticeably shorter by about 3/4"

For anybody who has tried to install a full sized 15" spare in the trunk of a Daytona, or C500, you quickly realize that an extra almost inch of wiggle room might be advantageous.  :scratchchin:

I am curious to see if the differences in depth are made into the repops I just ordered, or did they just cut them differently to include those mounting tabs.?  :shruggy:

We'll find out, they're scheduled to be delivered on Monday.

Stay tuned. :scope:


Daytona R/T SE

My tail light cover panels arrived today.

The first thing I noticed is one of the boxes is taller than the other.

As Geno pointed out in his post above, the one listed for a '70 charger is not as deep as the one listed for a '69.

Since the parts are so flexible, it was difficult to get an accurate measurement of the difference in depth.

It's at least an inch difference.

Also, the '70 has two more mounting tabs than the '69. :scratchchin:


b5blue

The one with extra tabs matches my 70's.  :scratchchin:

Old Moparz


Quote from: Daytona R/T SE on November 04, 2024, 04:53:03 PMMy tail light cover panels arrived today.



They look nice, let us know how they fit & line up in the trunk.  :2thumbs:
               Bob               



              Going Nowhere In A Hurry

Daytona R/T SE

Quote from: Old Moparz on November 05, 2024, 09:24:43 AM
Quote from: Daytona R/T SE on November 04, 2024, 04:53:03 PMMy tail light cover panels arrived today.



They look nice, let us know how they fit & line up in the trunk.  :2thumbs:

It might be a while, but will do. :2thumbs:

doctor4766

Quote from: Daytona R/T SE on November 04, 2024, 04:53:03 PMMy tail light cover panels arrived today.

The first thing I noticed is one of the boxes is taller than the other.

As Geno pointed out in his post above, the one listed for a '70 charger is not as deep as the one listed for a '69.

Since the parts are so flexible, it was difficult to get an accurate measurement of the difference in depth.

It's at least an inch difference.

Also, the '70 has two more mounting tabs than the '69. :scratchchin:


They look nice, but I notice how squared off they are compared to my original 1970 cover.
I haven't seen them like this before, so I'm surprised nobody has commented. I mean, would you use them in a high end resto? I suppose it's better than not having one at all.
Gotta love a '69

Daytona R/T SE

Quote from: doctor4766 on November 06, 2024, 07:05:14 PMThey look nice, but I notice how squared off they are compared to my original 1970 cover.
I haven't seen them like this before, so I'm surprised nobody has commented. I mean, would you use them in a high end resto? I suppose it's better than not having one at all.

I'm not sure what you mean by squared off?  :scratchchin:

Do you mean the ends?

For comparison, I'll post a couple of pictures of two of my originals, which with Geno's help, I now realize are for a late '69/'70.

Here they are at the local car wash getting 50+ years of filth, spider webs and mud daubers blasted off of them.

Let's see if we can spot the differences, old verses new.

    :scope:

Old:


Daytona R/T SE


doctor4766

Quote from: Daytona R/T SE on November 07, 2024, 04:41:40 PM
Quote from: doctor4766 on November 06, 2024, 07:05:14 PMThey look nice, but I notice how squared off they are compared to my original 1970 cover.
I haven't seen them like this before, so I'm surprised nobody has commented. I mean, would you use them in a high end resto? I suppose it's better than not having one at all.

I'm not sure what you mean by squared off?  :scratchchin:

Do you mean the ends?

For comparison, I'll post a couple of pictures of two of my originals, which with Geno's help, I now realize are for a late '69/'70.

Here they are at the local car wash getting 50+ years of filth, spider webs and mud daubers blasted off of them.

Let's see if we can spot the differences, old verses new.

    :scope:

Old:



Look at the "roundness" of the corners on mine, particularly the corners on either side of the trunk latch.
Maybe it's the lighting/shadowing on the pics you put up, but they don't look as rounded
Gotta love a '69

Daytona R/T SE

Quote from: doctor4766 on November 08, 2024, 09:32:56 PM
Quote from: Daytona R/T SE on November 07, 2024, 04:41:40 PM
Quote from: doctor4766 on November 06, 2024, 07:05:14 PMThey look nice, but I notice how squared off they are compared to my original 1970 cover.
I haven't seen them like this before, so I'm surprised nobody has commented. I mean, would you use them in a high end resto? I suppose it's better than not having one at all.

I'm not sure what you mean by squared off?  :scratchchin:

Do you mean the ends?

For comparison, I'll post a couple of pictures of two of my originals, which with Geno's help, I now realize are for a late '69/'70.

Here they are at the local car wash getting 50+ years of filth, spider webs and mud daubers blasted off of them.

Let's see if we can spot the differences, old verses new.

    :scope:

Old:



Look at the "roundness" of the corners on mine, particularly the corners on either side of the trunk latch.
Maybe it's the lighting/shadowing on the pics you put up, but they don't look as rounded

OK, now I think I understand what you mean.

At some point when I get some time, I'll dig out my original '70 covers and compare them side by side with the new ones.

Daytona R/T SE

As promised, pictures of my old, scruffy, original late 1969/1970 tail light covers.


b5blue


doctor4766

Quote from: Daytona R/T SE on November 09, 2024, 05:11:25 PMAs promised, pictures of my old, scruffy, original late 1969/1970 tail light covers.



So, side by side, are they close?
(And don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be picky, I'm actually very happy that someone is finally making them available)
Gotta love a '69

Daytona R/T SE

Quote from: doctor4766 on November 10, 2024, 06:53:02 PM
Quote from: Daytona R/T SE on November 09, 2024, 05:11:25 PMAs promised, pictures of my old, scruffy, original late 1969/1970 tail light covers.



So, side by side, are they close?
(And don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be picky, I'm actually very happy that someone is finally making them available)

I think they are very close.  :coolgleamA:

Close enough for my junk, anyway. :2thumbs: