Taillight Issue

I have been conversing with a guy on a '68 Shelby. I noticed that the taillights have the black surround. I was under the impression, like on the GTCSs that they should be all chrome?!?!

Can anyone pipe in on the issue?

He forwarded me this in an email:
"...From what I read in The Mustang Recognition Guide Written by Larry Dobbs ,Donald Farr , Jerry Heasley and Rick Kopec They are correct for 1968. In 1968 The 1965 Thunderbird sequential taillights replaced the 1967 cougar taillights found in the 1967 Shelby's.Its on page 132...........Tony"

Any help is greatly appreciated

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/shelby/gt350h/1797710.html#PhotoSwipe1455302567332

I Googled 1968 Shelby 350, and the photos all had the Black surround on the tail light bezels.
On another note: The photos of the car you're looking at had 2 different steering wheels. (I like the original better.)

Neil

Yes, they are supposed to be chrome but since most of them have been restored they have the black surrounds.

This is from Pete Disher.

Pete Disher said:

Shelby Tail Light Doors
That is what the chrome trim over the lens is called. 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.

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http://www.thecoralsnake.com/TRIVIA.HTML

franklinair said:

I Googled 1968 Shelby 350, and the photos all had the Black surround on the tail light bezels.
On another note: The photos of the car you're looking at had 2 different steering wheels. (I like the original better.)

Neil

Click to expand...

Good eye!

The black paint on the chrome tail light bezels is easy to remove.
Take the bezels off, use lacquer thinner & 000 steel wool. 30 minutes, and you're done.

Neil

The T-Bird had the black paint on the edge, from the factory.

The Shelby's and GTCS used the same part as T-Bird, but without the black paint, just chrome. This is the original set-up

As mentionned above, people replacing theirs using OEM parts, got the T-Bird version from Ford and didn't know or bother to correct this.

As Neil said, the removal of the paint is pretty straightforward

gtcs1

franklinair said:

I Googled 1968 Shelby 350, and the photos all had the Black surround on the tail light bezels.
On another note: The photos of the car you're looking at had 2 different steering wheels. (I like the original better.)

Neil

Click to expand...

do you need to soak them at all? or just dab and rub?

Dab & Rub. The black paint comes off easily using lacquer thinner.

Neil