71 Challenger reflectors

[ROMI]

Any one know where you can buy replacements for the 4 reflectors on the tail panel of a 71 Challenger?

[shatar4]

Has anyone found some yet? I'm at the point I'm putting on the back tail light panel and they look like s**t!

[70Cuda]

Hey Romi, you said you bought used off of eBay last I knew and you did the goo gone trick.  I finished mine with the same old crappy reflectors but have a tailpanel from eBay being shipped my way too.

Somebody should reproduce these.

[70Cuda]

Well, I think I scored on the reflectors.  The panel I bought of eBay showed up today and has perfect reflectors.  I couldn't believe that this panel was still together and shipped as one unit - the seals between the panels is unbroken and it made it here OK with the Challenger emblem in tack too.  One panel is a bit warped though and one reflector is off already so I may not refinish that one.

I meant to say if you get a panel, I'd leave the reflectors on and refinish it that way.  Mine turned out great but still has bad reflectors so I'll do the same with the new one and maybe ebay the leftovers (I have three full panels right now).  Duct tape the reflectors and blast away and then remask to paint.

Good luck with yours.

[shatar4]

I don't think mine are that good to leave on as is. I took a pic of the best one on the car and it's cracked in half.

[ROMI]

Yeah, it would be sweet if someone would repop them.  I did buy a dented up tail panel with good reflectors but in the process of "goo gone" them off they broke.  I super glued them back and polished them and they'll work but they won't look like new.  I agree that if you CAN get by without taking them off, I would do it. They are only glued on the edges, there's a tin foil type insert behind them that is REALLY glued on there and trying to take those off just ruins them SOOOOOOO to make a long story short, do the best with what you got and don't take them off if you don't have to.
I didn't have a choice since I didn't have them to start with.
I should have mentioned, the real reason you want to leave them back on is because after 35 years they are incredibly brittle.

[70Cuda]

Somebody offered to sell me some in the parts wanted section that are probably better than the ones cruizin posted so you might look at that post.

Yeah, brittle is how I ruined my first one.  Are you sure on just the edge being glued, might be able to razor through that.

[ROMI]

Yeah, brittle is how I ruined my first one.  Are you sure on just the edge being glued, might be able to razor through that.

Yep, it's not the edge on the side but the edge on the back, I know that sounds dumb but the foil is glued to the panel and the reflector is NOT glued to the foil but to the panel only at the very edge, even if you ran a razor between the panel and the reflector you wouldn't hit the glue that's on the back and that's where all the little pieces broke (being so brittle). The majority of the glue was disolved with the goo gone but I was impatient and I think if you took your time (say a whole 24 hours of soaking) they might just "fall off" literally.  By the way, I still haven't gotten the silver foil off and I don't think I can without tearing it up.
It might help if I took some pictures, I'll try to do that tonight when I get home from work.

[70Cuda]

Unless yours are ruined (and I hope you didn't do that) I really don't understand why you would take the foil off to start with.  If it's to move it from one panel to the other, you can get shiny silver tape that looks like that from Menards and I have a roll but don't plan on using it.  The tape is actually for foil faced insulating boards 4x8 that go on the outsides of houses and get sided over.

I have no experience with goo gone but the panel I bought as it turns out...needs some serious metal work so I may just move the reflectors.  I assume it doesn't hurt the reflectors any.

[ROMI]

You got it right. The tail panel on my car is in great shape just missing the reflectors. I looked everywhere for reflectors but the only ones I could find were attached to a banged up tail panel. So I bought it and took the reflectors off.  THAT's when I learned about the foil.  As for the Goo Gone, it didn't affect the reflectors one bit, it's kind of like WD40. For all I know, WD40 might take them off 
I'll have to check Menards about the foil tape, thanks for the tip.

[Stacked440]

I was thinking of repopping them.  Ive repopped some misc emblems for cars in the past out of fiberglass resin.  The reflectors i have for my rear tail panel or O.K. at best, kinda cracked and a few are faded.  We'll see ill keep you guys posted if i decide to make a bunch.

[70Cuda]

I did a successful one reflector test with goo gone (purchased at office max in case anybody is looking for it) and used some patience and it worked out just fine.  Soaked it 3-4 times over a day and a half and it pushed off nicely.  Having broke one, it scared me when it popped off but all was good, two more to go.

Thanks for the repop offer.  I hope the numbers show up but that's probably too much to ask for.

Does anybody have a good adhesive recommendation?

[Bullitt-]

just a thought for anyone really desparate for reflectors, could they be created from somethon else? see pic

[shatar4]

What is it and where do I get it from?

[Bullitt-]

Reflective Tape Kit 4654K by Peterson Manufacturing
http://www.doityourself.com/invt/7483415
http://www.optronicsinc.com/trailer3.htm
Reflect Strips High Visibility Alternating Red and White - 2 Inches by 18 Inches Scotchlite 03463NA by 3M
http://www.doityourself.com/invt/u797316
http://www.etrailer.com/z-RFL-12W.aspx