1965- 1966 tail lights Differences

[Cullen01]

Can someone help me and explain the difference between these two sets of taillights ? Are they the same year and different trim levels or different years???
Thank you

 

[biddle]

When you post to the forum, use a descriptive title for better results.

1965- 1966 taillights could mean anything. I revised to 1965- 1966 tail lights Differences.

 

[fordrodsteven]

The picture with license plate number WDX 413 is a 1965 Thunderbird. The car with tag number 300 AXZ is a 1966 Thunderbird. They are not different trim levels of the same year. Looking at it though, it might be possible to fit the 1966 assembly onto a 1965 and-vice versa. Although I don't know why you would want to do that. I would want to be really sure of an exact interchange before I spent any money to find out I was wrong.

 

[OneAmongOthers]

The tail lights obviously look different to me. They don’t look interchangeable. Has a chrome center vanity piece and the other doesn’t. By that I’d assume the way the tail light lenses go in is different as well. At least where the mounting points are.

 

[Gary Tayman]

Obviously different parts. I'm not sure about the bumper itself -- the 64 and 65 look the same but might not necessarily be the same part number. The 66 seems to have the same shape, but I'm sure someone else could chime in on that one. The taillight lenses on the 64 have bird emblems, and the center pod has THUNDERBIRD on the insert. The 65 has vertical bars over the taillights and a bird emblem in the center pod. The 66 has one large taillight across the back, with no pod, but the backup lights are removed from the lower panel and the center of the taillight is a single backup light.

 

[NotASnowBird]

Good Afternoon:

I have a '65 that appears to have '66 tail lights... According to the VIN, the car was built late in the year (November). I am wondering if they slapped the '66 tail lights in or if maybe they were exchanged by some previous owner... Thank you!

 

[Ward 57]

Good Afternoon:

I have a '65 that appears to have '66 tail lights... According to the VIN, the car was built late in the year (November). I am wondering if they slapped the '66 tail lights in or if maybe they were exchanged by some previous owner... Thank you!

Could be, They did it with the late '57s on interior parts, and used '58 knobs and other interior parts as they sold more than expected. The opposite is true with my early '57. It has an unusual booster vacuum line configuration but I know it's original and documented in the restoration manual. It also has a '56 power steering ram, also original.
Double check your data plate, The late '57s had an additional letter in the interior code to designate the difference but unless you can see evidence anywhere that it was changed like chipped paint or signs the bolts have been messed with the assemblers may have just slipped it in as production was more important than constancy at that time.