tail light swap

[foamermetal]

I posted once and didn't get any response. Will an 81 reliant tail light fit in the tail light opening on the 82 Lebaron convertible? It seems from pictures of the Plymouth that the trunk lid is diffrent, but the lights might fit. I cant stand the look of the red barons taillights. It reminds me of being half asleep with that chrome strip at the top. Anyone have pics of the two diffrent lenses? Found some rear bumper trim in the trunk but it's not for a lebaron. Any clue as to how it mounts to the bumper so when I find some I'll know how to remove it?

[89ARIES]

Sorry, I am not sure, but I think the reliant light will work. I've seen a lot of K-body swaps. I think 1of10K on this board is the guy to talk to
since he owns a 1981 Reliant. I think he would know.

[1of10K]

Yes it would, the '82 Lebaron has the same trunk lid as the 81 and other 1st gen. You can tell they are the same by the upward cutout in the middle so the license plate shows. The rear edge on the fenders and (rear) inner trunk stampings are the same, quarter panels are not, however.

I have thought about putting Le Baron tailights on mine to have that nice vertical chrome strip, but my '81 lights were nos and too nice to put back in their boxes.

Bumper trim is held on by small round washer-like parts that are pressed on to the rubber strip mounting tabs from inside the bumper cover. If you try to pry them off an existing car, you will probably break the strip mounting tabs. I went to a junkyard and pried some off a wreck to see how they work, saved the little parts to use in putting a nos rub strip on mine, if I ever find a white one!

[foamermetal]

Thanks for the info on the lights. When I purchased the Red Baron there was trim missing from the back bumper and some trim in the trunk, from what I don't know. Is bumper trim interchangeable with 82 Lebaron from other K cars. I could verify this myself if I could only spot another K car, thats why I'm asking.

[1of10K]

Best way to tell is to hold or tape the bumper trim you have around the bumper the way it would be when mounted to see how it looks. The trim from the rear bumpers on 81-84 K will be the right length, but the style may not match the other trim on your Lebaron, only you can tell if you like the way it looks from checking out the cars on line or on ebay. Front bumper trim will interchange, but it is not identical, between the 81-84 Reliant and Aries models(Not Lebaron, 400 or 600) but again the color and style changes slightly between the years. I bought an NOS '82 Black Front Bumper trim ( they actually call them "nerfs" ) some time ago to save for my '81, in case I never find that NOS white '81 trim. It looks like the '82 center can be painted, there are ever so slight variations in the width of the chrome parts verses the painted part on an '82 that can be corrected by carefull painting if needed.

[foamermetal]

Went to pullapart in Atlanta and brought home two taillights from an 84 Aries. Holding them up to the red baron seemed like a go. They are totally diffrent mount holes. What a waste of twenty bucks. First trip to the yard for my son though hope he didn't get discouraged. Did score a windshield washer tank, vacuum diaphram for the 2.6 and some emission hosees, wanted the exhaust manifold but it was cracked also. Perhaps a homemade header is in the future