71 cuda taillight outer bezel fitting issues

[realn96]

Anyone else have this problem? I am trying to install the taillights in my 71 cuda and the putter diecast bezel don't want to countersink all the way in. Now let me add that this is a AMD tail pa el which this must be the problem because the bezel is original! Wondering if I buy a repo bezel will it fit better? All this after I painted all the organosol black. Now getting chipped up!  Someone out there must have came across this too. Or am I the only one?

[anlauto]

How does it fit sitting on the bench ?

[realn96]

Hi Alan.
  The  outter bezel fits nice in the original tail panel. Had  the old panel  sitting  in the scrap pile. It's the AMD tail panel  is the problem. Have you ever run into this with the AMD 71. Cuda tail panel?

[anlauto]

Yea...but does the chrome part fit in the outer bezel when not in the car ?

[BFM_Cuda]

I had the same issue with my AMD tail panel. My taillights fit in the hole ok, but the recessed stamping around the opening was way off. It also was not curved enough in the center, the trunk lid over hung the tail panel by about an inch. I don't think the repo bezel will fit any better, sounds like a panel stamping issue.

Luckily, I still had my original tail panel and had not destroyed it when I removed it. I repaired it and cut the AMD one out to put the original back in.

[realn96]

yes Alan that fits fine . Its the outer bezel not sitting in the tail panel issue. Sounds like btm had  the same issue. Can't believe this hasn't been mentioned before! Wish I had  a repo outer bezel to see if it fits any better.   Driver side I can live with not so much with the passenger side!

[Cuda Cody]

AMD is good metal, but not perfect.  Nobody makes perfect metal.  One of the reasons I test fit all trim, fuel caps, lights, and door handles before paint.  Can you post a photo of how it fits?

[anlauto]

I would think if it's just the flange, it can be manipulated without damaging the paint ?

[Shane Kelley]

 

AMD is good metal, but not perfect.  Nobody makes perfect metal.  One of the reasons I test fit all trim, fuel caps, lights, and door handles before paint.  Can you post a photo of how it fits?

This is a must. It sucks having prebuild these things multipal times but if you don't these are the kinds of issues that fight you. This is the reason my car went together so fast. Everything was pre fit.

Post some pics of your issue and one of us might be able to come up with a solution.

[Claudia]

Anyone else have this problem? I am trying to install the taillights in my 71 cuda and the putter diecast bezel don't want to countersink all the way in. Now let me add that this is a AMD tail pa el which this must be the problem because the bezel is original! Wondering if I buy a repo bezel will it fit better? All this after I painted all the organosol black. Now getting chipped up!  Someone out there must have came across this too. Or am I the only one?

I had a similar issue . . . my outer taillight bezels would not sit flush in the tail panel openings but it was due to the four notches (around the threaded studs) not being cut deep enough in the AMD tail panel.  I was able to use a dremel / file to cut the notches deeper in the tail panel so the the outer bezel would sit all of the way down into the opening.

[realn96]

This is the reason my car went together so fast

yeah, I don't about that.  Never heard of this stuff going" fast"
did you have the same exact issue as I am having?

[realn96]

I had a similar issue . . . my outer taillight bezels would not sit flush in the tail panel openings but it was due to the four notches (around the threaded studs) not being cut deep enough in the AMD tail panel.  I was able to use a dremel / file to cut the notches deeper in the tail panel so the the outer bezel would sit all of the way down into the opening.


Do you mean that you opened up the circled area where the studs go through? was that all you had to do?
I tried that too. No such luck.
Cody , will get a few picture tomorrow.

My problem seems to be , the opening on the tail panel is too narrow both side to side and up and down/ I took a small grinder to the complete outer bezel . All 4 sides and by making it a little narrower it seams to be fitting a little better. I didn't go crazy, do not want it to look obvious!

[Shane Kelley]

This is the reason my car went together so fast

yeah, I don't about that.  Never heard of this stuff going" fast"
did you have the same exact issue as I am having?

I did not have your same exact issue. I used a NOS rear body panel. But I did still have to massage it to get the rear bezels fitting real nice. Just about everything has to be messed with on these cars in the body stages. It's a very time consuming process. But once it's painted your screwed. I built my car by myself from a bare body sitting on casters in 6 weeks. That's a couple hours each evening and weekends. So yes, I consider that pretty fast for one person.
If you post some pics I will try to help come up with a solution for you.

[Claudia]

I had a similar issue . . . my outer taillight bezels would not sit flush in the tail panel openings but it was due to the four notches (around the threaded studs) not being cut deep enough in the AMD tail panel.  I was able to use a dremel / file to cut the notches deeper in the tail panel so the the outer bezel would sit all of the way down into the opening.


Do you mean that you opened up the circled area where the studs go through? was that all you had to do?
I tried that too. No such luck.
Cody , will get a few picture tomorrow.

My problem seems to be , the opening on the tail panel is too narrow both side to side and up and down/ I took a small grinder to the complete outer bezel . All 4 sides and by making it a little narrower it seams to be fitting a little better. I didn't go crazy, do not want it to look obvious!

Yes, I only had to modify the half moon areas in the tail panel openings (four per side) where the taillight bezel studs pass through the tail panel.  Overall openings on my tail panel seems to be fine.  I agree with Cody . . . a picture or two may help.

[realn96]

here are some pictures. The blue tail panel is the original. just took a picture so you guys can see how the bezel sits in nice, The one picture with the taillight lenses is tightened uo so its pulled in as far as it will go. Like I said , it sat worse until I took a grinder to the whole outside perimeter of the bezel. so it sits in a little deeper. What do you guys think? Does it look good enough??