71 NOS tail light bezel

[black07ss]

I picked up a NOS tail light bezel today. Dose any one know if the cross pieces were red from the factory??

[Rob Peters]

Bob,

I have never noticed red on the cross bars but not having them on my 70 I have never really looked that closely.

Rob

[Andreas]

Is that paint or just protective plastic for the chrome that you can peel off?

[Monte7071]

I have a set of NOS ones in the attic and they have the red also. I dont know if the red is tape or not.

[Canuck]

Maybe the original intention was to appear as though there is just a virtical bar with the cross bars there for strength and painted red to blend in with the lens. Could be that the red faded or washed off over a shorth period of time. I'll have to look on my 72 to see if there is any hint of red on the cross bars.

[Kevin Wiles]

Jared and I were just talking about that the other day. I didn't think they came like that from the factory but I must be wrong. With Leo Koniks refurbished parts, they restore them and paint them red there. So there must be something I didn't know! I'm going to vote for they are factory, and its a little known fact. (the red paint on these cars bezels must have flaked off soon after new)

[CrazyDavey]

my originals do not have any sign of red.....

[71ss454 * (Larry)]

i have sold at least 10 NOS pair's of them all had red paint

[CrazyDavey]

interesting, both of my '72's didn't have that....

[Kevin Wiles]

does ANYONE remember seeing red painted bars on their car when it was new? maybe (going out on a limb here) only the replacement parts had the paint on them. It just looks like to me that as long as i've been around these cars and paid so much attention to them, that I would have seen this on an original car at least one time by now.

[black07ss]

I have never seen them with the red. It looks like it is painted on. Just wanted to make sure before I went and removed it. Thanks a bunch

[Kevin Wiles]

Leo what do you think?

[Monteman1971]

Don't remove the red paint!!!! It's factory that way....through the years I've bought plenty of these and they've all had the red paint. And like Leo when I restore them I always put the red back on. I use a transparent red (found in any hobby store) that modelers use to replicate rear tail lenses on models.

 

Apparently this paint never lasted long from the factory so that's why we never see it on most Monte's.

 

My 2 cents

Steve

[Jared Richey]

I wondered why Leo repainted it red on his reconditioned tailight bezels

Of my large number of rear taillight grids for 71-72 I've had/have, never noticed any red paint, but like said I guess it didn't last long.

I personally like the chrome showing, but I would have to see the bezel with the red installed to see if I like it that way.

[jpnewlin]

Interesting topic to say the least.

I never noticed it on my cars, but i guess i never looked that close.

[black07ss]

Yes Steve it looks like a plastic modle paint. I thought it was some kind of protective coating at first but as I kept looking at it I could see a slight over spray

[Sam (Bones)]

learn something new everyday

[Canuck]

Another project to do on my 72

[CrazyDavey]

I have never seen a Monte with those areas painted red. My first '72 was fairly new when I got it and it was chrome. What would be the point of adding a grid pattern piece and then trying to make it disappear with red paint? Maybe some had that and some didn't depending on the vendor who produced them. Doesn't make any sense.....

[Canuck]

My guess is GM wanted to add the virtical strip in the centre of the taillight and needed the 2 horizontal bars for strength (i.e. so the virtical bar does not flex or bust off). That idea makes sense since the virtical bar is raised while the cross bars are recessed.

[MC-71]

That is correct. My 71 has the red.

[Canuck]

I looked closely at my 72 (unrestored original with 68,000 miles) taillights this morning. There is actually a little bit of red left on both. I'd say that's some good proof right there. I'll see if I can get a pic this weekend.

[Vaughn]

Just went and looked at my 72. It has 20,000 original k, never been touched, even has the original bias ply tires. It has the Red. Very cool!!! Never noticed that before.

[stangeba]

I just went and looked at my 71 built in Canada. It has 145,000 miles but no red anymore. I don't remember one way or another if they ever had it. :-(

Bruce

[Rob Peters]

So, with a discovery like this, there may still be hope that there is a documented 70 ragtop still out there or one of those elusive Factory SS454 4-Speed's.

Rob