What's correct taillight '65 GT

[Frank Miller]

I've been doing a full resto on a '65 Dart GT and noticed that in many thumbnail pictures I've seen to study what is common and correct, the clear backup center lense has been both on the trunk lid side and then on the outside quarter panel side. I thought mine had been switched wrong by the previous owner long ago but when I went to switch them from one side to the other of the trunk I found that the clear reverse lense had no bulb setup but rather a (original looking) rubber plug in the hole. My question is: Were reverse lights an option in '65?

 

[C130 Chief]

Reverse lights were optional in 65, and most cars had them (standard on 270, GT). My 65 only has the clear lens on the outboard sections, red on trunk lid.

 

[slantsixdan]

Reverse lens goes outboard, not inboard; the center section on the trunk lid is the red reflector. On cars without (optional!) reverse lights, both center sections were red reflectors.

 

[toolmanmike]

Reverse lens goes outboard, not inboard; the center section on the trunk lid is the red reflector. On cars without (optional!) reverse lights, both center sections were red reflectors.

Right on Dano' and Chief.

 

[Frank Miller]

Right on Dano' and Chief.

Just as you've shown I looked at many promotional brocheres and numerous show quality rear views and they all place the reverse lens on the outside. So a few weeks back I set about taking all the lights out to reverse the pieces properly but the bolt holes don't match, the reverse lens bulb hole has a rubber plug and there isn't any wiring coming back to the trunk. What gives? Was this a factory non-option fluke?

 

[slantsixdan]

Somebody has probably installed replacement lenses, using the ones they could find (w/reverse lamp provision), and swapped the LH and RH lens assemblies (RH inner lens installed in LH outer position, LH inner lens installed in RH outer position, RH outer lens installed in LH inner position, and LH outer lens installed in RH inner position), and if there's no wiring then your car probably came without the optional reversing lamps. If you wish to add reversing lamps, that can be done; you'll need a reversing lamp switch and some wiring, some sockets and some bulbs. Have you got a column or floor shift?

 

[cudamark]

Just as you've shown I looked at many promotional brocheres and numerous show quality rear views and they all place the reverse lens on the outside. So a few weeks back I set about taking all the lights out to reverse the pieces properly but the bolt holes don't match, the reverse lens bulb hole has a rubber plug and there isn't any wiring coming back to the trunk. What gives? Was this a factory non-option fluke?

We'll probably need some clear closeup photos. It could be that someone modified your lights. From the factory, the inner lenses were one piece in red. The outers were two piece and could have had red centers or clear centers. You can't swap around lights or lenses....the holes are wrong and the shape of the lenses prevents them from being mounted in a different housing. Maybe someone cut out your inner lens centers and glued in some clear plastic?

 

[andy l]

Frank if you have 2 sets of taillamps with clear centers I will take the other set from you I would like to have them matching let me [email protected]

 

[Frank Miller]

Andy, I like the advice Dan, Mike, Chief, and Mark have given. Since I picked up my '65 GT last summer I picked up five or six odd ball lamps some white inner, red inner, good, bad, and ugly lamps only because my left (red outer center was cracked). I've never seen an inner thats (one piece red) but I guess my existing outer two piece reds will stay because if Mark is right here and I don't have reverse wiring then thats the only thing correct as I begin to plunge into my full body resto. (I just completed an all out full powertrain resto that's top notch). To be factory accurate I ned to keep my eyes open for two lense red inners or this so called one piece red inner that I've never seen before.
Fella's, am I on the right track? And yes Andy, I will sell you my two inners with white (excl. chrome and lense) if I can track down the correct inners. And then of course, is it true that like on mine the hole locations are different on trunk verses outer so one can't just flip everything around and upside down?