I purchased a set of reproduction tail lite bezels and I'm a little confused as to the correct way they should be. Should the black paint on the outer part be removed or left on? My original ones had the paint removed but I have seen many GTCS cars in the Gallery with the paint left on.

Originally the tail light bezels did not have the black paint on them. If you wanted it to be correct, you would have to remove the black paint.

Hope this helps.

Brad

The tail light bezels are interchangable with the Thunderbird. The Thunderbird had the black paint around the base. California Special's are all chrome. If you take some paint stripper and wipe it on the black paint, it will come off. Next take some fine steel wool and rub the chrome, this will take off the remainder of the paint and it will also polish the chrome. ;D ::) :P

make sure it's 00 fine steel wool. it will take some elbow grease to get the paint off, but it looks great afterwards.
good luck

66joej,
like bluto explained, the bezels you can buy today are for the '65 T-bird. In '68 Ford produced both bezels, black trimmed and all chrome. But around '72 Ford decided to save money by eliminating one of them from their inventory, and the complete chrome one was it. So the one that is now reproduced is the T-bird one. Just follow the info that the others gave and they will look great.

Just a heads up for everyone....Ford does not make these anymore and you will see many being sold as NOS. They are being reproduced using Ford tooling by someone (I forget the name..same one doing fenders etc) They are a great product, I have some, but I just don't want anyone to pay for something stated as NOS but is actually new.

Doug

Here is the story--as I wrote to "The Shelby American" some time ago:

http://www.thecarsource.com/shelby/restore/1968_shelby_tail_lights.html

I didn't know that Ford stopped making them--but that doesn't suprise me. One more thing--as far as I know, the metal is too thin (potmetal?) to rechrome them, as they do get pitted badly over time.

Paul.

They are being reproduced using Ford tooling by someone (I forget the name..same one doing fenders etc) They are a great product, I have some, but I just don't want anyone to pay for something stated as NOS but is actually new.

Larry's Thunderbird is the only people I know of that can get them. Maybe Scott Drake too?? If you guys buy from Larry's. Get them out of the T-bird catalog, NOT the Mustang catalog. Their $10 cheaper for the SAME part #. Like we wouldn't notice. I got both catalogs just too make sure.