What is the difference between 69 and 70 taillights?

[A34]

Hey Guys,

I can't remember the difference between 69 and 70 taillights. I think one of them has silver paint surrounding the inner lens and one doesn't. Could someone please help me clear the cob webs out of  my memory? Thanks !!!   

[70charginglizard]

Yep.
One shouold have the chrome accents and the other shouldn't.
Also, the 70 taillights have a reflector in the lens and the 69 doesn't.   

[A34]

Yep.
One shouold have the chrome accents and the other shouldn't.
Also, the 70 taillights have a reflector in the lens and the 69 doesn't.   

Thanks dude, the chrome bezel I'm aware of. I was thinking of a painted silver part inside the inner part of the lens. Any idea on that?

[70charginglizard]

OIC.

Your talking about the silver outline paint on the inside of the lens.

Yep that should only apply to the 69 lens. (although I have seen some 69 lens without the silver lens accent paint though, think thats just because they got lazy at the factory that day)

These two pics should clear things up-


1969-

By kels70charger

1970-

By kels70charger

(note the reflector in the 70 lens and no silver lens outline paint. If any 70's did have the lens accent paint then it was probably done by mistake)

[Charger1970]

Here's a related topic over at the 70 Charger Registry forum.

http://1970chargerregistry.com/70messageboard/viewtopic.php?t=2421&highlight=taillight&sid=5d3900d68fdbf35cf79f11cef37da0fa

[Charger1970]

Here's a little better picture of the '70 rectangular reflector.

[70charginglizard]

Here's a little better picture of the '70 rectangular reflector.

Nice!

[69charger2002]

MAN 70's look good...... from the back.. lol

[twenty mike mike]

A34, thanks for asking the question. I had idly wondered about that too, but have been too idle to bother to ask.   

[A34]

Wow Fellas, thanks for the great info!!!

I've got a buddy needing a 70 and I think I have one somewhere, so now I know what to look for. 

[70charginglizard]

No problem.

Glad to help.

Thats what we are here for. 

[Dodge Don]

Here's a little better picture of the '70 rectangular reflector.

That's okay, non-70 drivers get used to seeing the tail of our cars 

[Blakcharger440]

Here's a little better picture of the '70 rectangular reflector.

That's okay, non-70 drivers get used to seeing the tail of our cars 

And 69 owners have grille envy  as they always have to comment on the size of the bumper. 

[charge70]

Sorry guys,there are more differences than that.Early 70's up to 1/1/70 the taillamp lenses didn't have the reflector in them.after that date they did.Also XH cars used a lens that had the silver accent inside like a 69,XP and XS cars didn't.I parted a 70 XH car and I think they use the chrome bezel around the lens like a 69,but I don't remember for sure as I sold the lamp assy's.XH cars don't have the aluminum tail panel like the XP and XS cars,thats why I think they used the chrome bezel. John.

[1969chargerrtse]

Here's a little better picture of the '70 rectangular reflector.

That's okay, non-70 drivers get used to seeing the tail of our cars 

And 69 owners have grille envy  as they always have to comment on the size of the bumper. 

One thing us 69 Charger owners do not have is grille envy.  That grille is probably considered one of the best designs to this day.  69 GTO with hideaways would be there also along with the 69 camaro RS/SS.  Interesting facts about the 70 tail lights.  Never really noticed they didn't have the inner silver stripe.    Who woulda thunk?

[70charginglizard]

Here's a little better picture of the '70 rectangular reflector.

That's okay, non-70 drivers get used to seeing the tail of our cars 

And 69 owners have grille envy  as they always have to comment on the size of the bumper. 

One thing us 69 Charger owners do not have is grille envy.  That grille is probably considered one of the best designs to this day.  69 GTO with hideaways would be there also along with the 69 camaro RS/SS.  Interesting facts about the 70 tail lights.  Never really noticed they didn't have the inner silver stripe.    Who woulda thunk?

I love any 2nd gen chargers. Be it 68,69 or 70. 
They are all awesome in my mind. One of the coolest muscle cars in the history of the muscle car. I know 2nd gens are my personal favorite.

[70charginglizard]

Sorry guys,there are more differences than that.Early 70's up to 1/1/70 the taillamp lenses didn't have the reflector in them.after that date they did.Also XH cars used a lens that had the silver accent inside like a 69,XP and XS cars didn't.I parted a 70 XH car and I think they use the chrome bezel around the lens like a 69,but I don't remember for sure as I sold the lamp assy's.XH cars don't have the aluminum tail panel like the XP and XS cars,thats why I think they used the chrome bezel. John.

Agreed.
I think that was mainly due to the fact that the factory was just trying to use up all of the extra 69 tail lights they had laying around before they transitioned over to the new ones with the reflectors. Of coarse thats just an assumption on my part.

I can say that I haven't personally seen a late model 70 XH charger with the newer 70 charger tail lights with the reflectors in it other than mine now because I changed them out to the 70 tail lights. but I do have to say that I know when I bought mine, it didn't. It had the 69 tail lights with the inner silver lens paint and the outer chrome accents around them and it was a Feb-17 build XH base charger. (before I got to it of coarse.)

[charge70]

Kelly,I think that it was a government thing,as the parts book is very specific about the change over date.I also remember reading about this but I don't remember where. John.

[Charger_Fan]

Here's a '70 base model (XH)...just ignore the screwed on quarters in this shot.

[Dodge Don]

All 70 Chargers with a build date between August 1 1969 and December 31 1969 had the taillights without reflectors.

A new safety law in 1970 resulted in all 70 Chargers built after January 1 1970 having taillights with reflectors.

[nakita7]

So, did all 70's have the chrome/black bezel then?

[JimShine]

I took a set of taillights out of a baseline 1969 built 1970 model year Charger without the reflector. Neither side ever had the argent paint stripe. The line was molded there, but it never, ever was painted.

[Charger_Fan]

So, did all 70's have the chrome/black bezel then?

All R/T's & 500's had the taillight bezel standard. The base model XH 70's didn't have it, so looked like a '69 from the rear.

[moparstuart]

So, did all 70's have the chrome/black bezel then?

All R/T's & 500's had the taillight bezel standard. The base model XH 70's didn't have it, so looked like a '69 from the rear.

what is the difference in the tailpanels them selfs ?

[TripleBlackGator]

MAN 70's look good...... from the back.. lol

Damn straight! 

[Charger_Fan]

what is the difference in the tailpanels them selfs ?

The '70 R/T's & 500's got holes drilled in the tail panel for the trim hardware, otherwise there's no difference between 69's & 70's.