1972 Charger (Base)... Will 1973/1974 tail light housings work?

[Jon JB Burnley]

Want to convert my tail lights to 1973/74 tail lights and the '72 housings will not accept the '73 lenses. If I buy 73/74 housings, will they replace the '72 housings?

Not scared of having to modify a little...

Follow up, where can I get 73/74 housings?

Thanks in advance!

 

[YY1]

Yes.

My 72 has 73/74 tail lights in it.

I agree the 73/74 look better to me (except for the R/T/Rallye lights).

...plus they would be killer as sequential (cougar style) turn signals.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Yes, lenses are exclusive for the housing. Except 72 base and SE where lenses interchange ( same housing, just diff finish and SE lense gets a trim over it ), rest of tail lights won't get diff lenses than their own ones.

Even 73/74 was the most produced of all Chargers ( specially 73 ) decent tail light housings are hard to find, because being plastic they get broken easily.

Yes they will fit. Some diffs are the ground wire attachment required for 73/74 ( a trunk reinforcement tail panel gets the provision for it ), and the bottom license plate bracket, which on 73/74 are a bit wider. You can live with the 71/72 bracket, but will look... a bit weird being shorter.

 

[Jon JB Burnley]

Yes.

My 72 has 73/74 tail lights in it.

I agree the 73/74 look better to me (except for the R/T/Rallye lights).

...plus they would be killer as sequential (cougar style) turn signals.

Oh yeah... R/T/Rallye's are cool! I don't have that coin! And I'll be saving up for the sequentials...

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Honestly, including R/T tail lights, 73/74 are still my fav 3rd gen tail lghts.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

this is the ground provision the plastic housing tail lights harness takes to feed them with ground

 

[T2R9]

The biggest thing to be aware of is in 73 the bulb sockets point straight back vs down on the 71-72's With the bumper in the flush position on 72's the sockets and wiring can hit the body and you might have to shim the mounts just a bit for clearance.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Even is true there is less room, will fit without problem or shimming need. Has been made dozen of times

In any case, where to shim? Bumper brackets to body? The bumper brackets is the piece which "would meet" the sockets and wiring, not the body itself. That would enlarge the bumper to body gap too. Any shim will enlarge the bumper/body gap actually

 

[Jon JB Burnley]

Even is true there is less room, will fit without problem or shimming need. Has been made dozen of times

In any case, where to shim? Bumper brackets to body? The bumper brackets is the piece which "would meet" the sockets and wiring, not the body itself. That would enlarge the bumper to body gap too. Any shim will enlarge the bumper/body gap actually

Not scared of a little work, but definitely something I can handle... IF I can find 73/74 housings!