I was working on refurbing my tailights (I have 2 sets) (see thread here)and noticed that when I was installing the completed set on the car I noticed they were not the same as the ones already on the car.

Neither set appears to be a repop, both have/had 40 years of grime inside and out on them, both have the same molded in "guide 3a SAE ST1A72" on the lens

Has anyone else ever noticed that theres more than 1 style for 72 tail light lenses ? any comments as to why ??

 

Retro - there shouldn't be 2 styles. From where I'm looking at the pics, the left set middle ribs don't look even. Kind of like they were ground down by someone at some time. I have several sets of these lenses and they are all the same as the one on the right. None of my lenses are repops either.

Once they are cleaned up and installed though, no one is going to be able to tell, especially from head on.

If the ones on the left are OEMs, I'd take them to GM and ask for a new set..

 

I have both versions too and have been wondering "why?" for many years.

 

Wondering, were there 2 different molds? I like the look of the restored ones better. Maybe they changed it for aesthetics?

 

I haven't looked at mine, but could one be upper and one lower?

 

No, the uppers and lowers are different sizes and these ones are the same.

 

thanks for the interest guys

Alan is right they are the same, both lowers. Ive looked at them seperately many times, but it wasnt until i had them side by side that I saw they appear very different.

curiously the 4 uppers I have all look the same which made me think maybe just the lowers came in two flavors ?

 

I was curious about this,so I checked all my spares,as well the originals on my 72. All of my upper lenses have the flat ribs,and all of my lower lenses have the concave ribs