Tail Light Bezel

[MArndt2001]

Recently, I purchased a tail light bezel from Tony Branda. It came chrome with black paint on the part that screws to the body. I understand I have to remove the black to make it correct. If anyone has any suggestions on how to do this, I wold sure appreciate hearing them. Thanks. Mike

 

[Talan423]

mike-
i used 000 (triple zero) steel wool, paint thinner and elbow grease. it works great. good luck.

tom

 

[66 Dearborn HCS]

I'm confused. I've seen the taillight bezels with the vertical bars and I've seen the others that just look like a chrome ring around the outside of the lens and no vertical dividers. Which was used in which cars? I've heard different things, i.e. They are Cougar taillights as opposed to the '65 T-bird lights, then I've heard that the t-bird light is also the cougar light, but the '67 Cougar taillights don't look at all like the '65 T-bird lights. EESH!! Which is which? and what were they used on? T-bird, Shelby, Cougar,GT-CS/HCS???

 

[68sunlitgold]

Dearborn HCS,
The correct bezel is the 65 T-bird with the black paint removed. It has the vertical bars, the 64 T-bird is just the chrome outside piece. The 67 Cougar lights are only correct for the 67 Shelby. The 65 T-bird lights are correct for the '68 CS, HCS, and Shelby.
Doug

 

[CobraMan]

Black Paint Removable

I just went through this myself. I purchased bezels from Scott Drake (I'm a distributor). One of the Bezels had black paint while the other was all chrome. According to Scott Drake (large supplier and manufacturer of Mustang parts), the all chrome was a mistake. The supplier from China apparently has painted all the Chrome parts with the black trim. I have a feeling that Branda is purchasing from the same supplier.

The best and safest way to remove the paint is with Laquer Thinner. Use a 100% cotton rag to remove the black. There will more than likely be a thin line in the crack. It will make sense when you remove the paint. USe a Q-tip and laquer thinner to remove the paint in the crack. Use some Mothers chrome polish when all complete and you will have a beautiful Bezel.

Good luck. It's easy. DONT smoke while doing this job (or any other job for that matter)

 

[CalGal68]

New vs. Old Bezels

Glad to read how to take the black off. Previous owner of our CS rechromed the original bezels but now they just have shiny bumps. I've been tempted to replace with new (if I could get the black off) but don't want to part with the original either. Have any of you had any success cleaning up the old ones?

Debra

 

[Perkchiro]

Glad to read how to take the black off. Previous owner of our CS rechromed the original bezels but now they just have shiny bumps. I've been tempted to replace with new (if I could get the black off) but don't want to part with the original either. Have any of you had any success cleaning up the old ones?

Debra

No, my originals were old, pitted and not attractive at all. I replaced them with repops. They came with black surrounds and I removed that with laquer thinner and a soft cloth and some elbow grease. Turned out really well.

 

[zozobra]

I learned something else here. My car has the black paint around the currently installed bezels as does the set I just bought (mostly for the wiring). Since they matched perfectly I was thrilled. Now I have to wonder why both sets have the black paint. I guess after I take the paint off the better of the two sets it won't matter anymore. I appreciate the information.

 

[Talan423]

the shelby has the black paint on the perimeter of the bezel, the gt/cs does not. to make this correct for the gt/cs you have to get the black paint off of the bezel. a q-tip isn't going to do it, you have to use the 000 steel wool and paint thinner. it takes some hard scrubbing with the steel wool but it does come off and doesn't damage the chrome. have fun!!

tom

 

[Mosesatm]

the shelby has the black paint on the perimeter of the bezel.....
tom

There seems to be some debate about whether the '68 Shelbys had black on the bezels. The below quote is from www.thecoralsnake.com


Shelby Tail Light Doors
"The 1968 Shelby uses a tail light door that does not have any black paint on it. The 1969 Shelbys do have black paint. Don't make me get out another factory picture, get out your paint thinner."

 

[Mustanger]

I thought the reason for the black on the bezel was for '65 T-birds ... they had the black ...

 

[J_Speegle]

There seems to be some debate about whether the '68 Shelbys had black on the bezels. The below quote is from www.thecoralsnake.com

Not much of a debate.... just some owners that believe for some reason their cars were "different" because they bought them with black frames

 

[Mosesatm]

Not much of a debate.... just some owners that believe for some reason their cars were "different" because they bought them with black frames

I stand corrected; there is no debate. So the only cars with black paint on the tail light doors are the T-Birds and the '69 and '70 Shelbys.

 

[mmarsalone]

I've found that carb cleaner cuts the paint fairly easily. I spray it on 0000 steel wool and kind of wipe the paint and let it sit a bit. Then it comes off pretty easily. Then I clean with some Simple Green followed by Chrome polish. The carb cleaner works great on the camera case parts like 65' glove box doors and console center pieces also.

 

[PFSlim]

Not hard to take off and it makes the bezels look so much better all chrome.

Paul

 

[rvrtrash]

I guess, as usual, I did it the hard way. I had my originals rechromed.

Steve