This is absolutely bizarre. A quick google search reveals there is NOTHING out there. How does not one single company make new tails for our cars?

Rear-end collisions are a thing.... at what point are we as a population of third gen owners going to run out of used taillights for our babies?

 

I would guess the cost it would take to make custom mold(s) needed is cost prohibitive compared to the amount of tail lights they think they could sell.

Realistically, how much would you pay for a set of tail lights? $200? $800? It's not an easy sell for a major manufacturer so the interest is not there.

I believe we would have a better chance of an individual making replacement parts or full lenses before we see a major player set into the market.

 

You've realized a big opportunity for yourself--- starting your own manufacturing company to fill a void in the aftermarket parts industry!

 

Agreed, even back in the "hayday" of these cars no one made after market lights, but they did mustangs which was almost as large. Unfortunately fbody owners have a reputation in the aftermarket world as not willing to pay the price they need to sell it at to turn a profit.

The lenses are getting harder and harder to find in good shape, eventually you will see a market but just know a set of taillights for these cars is going to be close to a grand new. The front turn signals for the firebirds are finally reproduced. So these cars are getting old enough that the aftermarket will start making more, but typically they will not until there is a large demand because you can no longer cheaply replace them from the junkyard.

@1Aauto is a big sponsor on these boards maybe if we could organize a group buy for firebird and camaro lights they could get someone to produce a run... once they have the tooling they would keep selling them.

 

Hi there, PM us with your year, make and model, and I can let you know if we have any replacement options available! - 1AKarin

 

You don't have these tail lights for these cars listed on your site. Most of us would be happy with any of the styles from 82-92 but on the firebird the grid lights are the most popular.

 

Is Tony no longer around at 1A? He seemed to know a lot about our cars, didn't he own one? I don't remember if I saw it but he seemed super knowledgeable.

 

He posted his farewell here, that he was leaving 1AAuto

 

Yep Tony was helpful and knowledgeable dude

 

Aww, No not Tony!

Well hopefully it's bigger and better things for him.

 

This leads me to wonder , across the 10 years our Firebirds were built , just how many different taillight configurations were there ? My car is a 1989 and your right , I hated it's factory taillights because they didn't have the Firebird signature look like the 84 taillights had , so I swapped in the earlier ones on mine

 

These two and then two other.

 

Dang... good luck ever getting those GTA lights in production, Pontiac went ham with all those different lights lol

 

I can tell you, when I get really nice taillights in, they go out again in 24 hours or so.

 

Don't forget the base 82-85 firebird lights

 

i have to say I like the ones that came with my 89 350. Just seem to fit that car for me.

 

Forgot about some.

82-84 T/A export and 84 Trans Am 15th Anniversary.

 

And to get back on topic, I don't know why no one will make new tail lights. People will spend $200-500 for junk 91-92 TA tail lights that are de-laminated, cracked, or tinted to cover the de-lamination. $1000 or more for perfect ones and good chance they will just de-laminate someday.

 

The 87-90 GTA I think is the most sought-after, I do like them. I'm sure the purest amongst us would want all options. But if a manufacturer was to choose I would start with those. And maybe the formula/base lights from the latter years as they are the most common.

The harness is slightly different between the styles so a nice sub harness with new bulb sockets would be a good option.

 

Agree, if someone made these with quality for less than a grand a set I would put my order in today. Most of the base models have crazing in the yellow lenses I have seen.

 

Because there's not adequate demand for the item to generate enough revenue to over the cost of the molds, etc., required to make the part(s).

But as I suggested to opie, maybe you've uncovered a niche market into which you could start a business and fill that need.

 

Not sure if that is completely accurate, as I believe the later ('91-92) TA/GTA tails are more desireable. Either way, I think a more feasible option would be for a method to correct the delamination to be fixed. I think that is a more cost-effective solution to our taillight shortage issue. I'm not savvy enough to develop a fix for that. It would be much cheaper than creating new assemblies.