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  1. #1

    Default 1983 Fairmont Futura coupe tail light

    I am stumped, how do you remove the driver side 1983 Fairmont taillight housing?

    The lens is busted and it is different from the driver side taillight lens and housing?????

    Looks like someone installed a completely different year or maybe it is the right year and the driver side is the wrong year??????

    Anyway I removed all the retaining nuts that protrude through the back side of the housing into the trunk yet the taillight housing will not budge??

    Any ideas??

    JUST snagged this coupe for $1100.00 has 53xxx miles on it (original)
    already getting the ball rolling to install a 351W with a C4

    thanks in advance
    Mike


  2. #2
    FEP Super Member Mr. Squirrel's Avatar
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    Is this a San Antonio futura. The tail lights are held by a clear glue. Gotta just play with the light till it pops out. Not held on by bolts and screws but by silicone. If I remember right it has a zephyr taill light cover if its in SA
    "Never Trust a Bunny!"

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  3. #3

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    SA is right but it was originally purchased in Houston. The drive side looks like the traditional Futura tail light the passenger side looks completely bogus and like U said more than likely was a Zephyr--why did they install Zephyr tail lights for SA cars?? (or maybe someone is just pulling my leg LOL) Anyway I want to remove the complete housing and install a regular Futura tail light--how do I remove the complete tail light assembly??

    thanks

  4. #4
    FEP Member c391d's Avatar
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    Isn't there two bolts behind the license plate that need to be removed before you can remove just one side? If you want to remove the complete assembly you have to remove all of the retaining nuts both sides.

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    FEP Super Member IDMooseMan's Avatar
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    That car looks nice.
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  6. #6

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    yes there are two bolts behind the L- plate I will take those out tomorrow and see what happens-thanks again to all of you for your help.

    Mike

  7. #7
    FEP Senior Member Greywolf's Avatar
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    Yeah, the taillights come together to make the license plate area. On the LTDs, the license plate is its own separate piece (so 3 pieces total).

    One day I am going to see if it's possible to use LTD lights on a Futura/Z7 ... would greatly expand the taillight choices, and look a bit cleaner IMNSHO.

  8. #8

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    Like I said one side was Fairmont and on side was Zephyr,had to remove whole thing -the passenger side was for the Zephyr tail light lens and backup and the drive side Fairmont--anyway Now I have to find a Fairmont complete tail light assembly right and left

  9. #9

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    this is what the passenger side tail light and housing looked like-it is completely different than the driver side and that include the bucket assembly itself

    QUESTION; Will other fairmont tail light assemblies fit the future coupe (the complete assembly both sides)
    Last edited by texasfairmont; 07-09-2012 at 02:45 PM.

  10. #10
    FEP Senior Member Greywolf's Avatar
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    Futura/Z7 tails are unique. Profile is similar to fox LTD tails so they may be adaptable but they don't "appear" to be a drop-in swap-in. I don't know if the inner panels (broken part on yours) can be interchanged with a '79 Mustang. They look similar but the housings are not the same, just the lens part is similar...?

    The lens pieces were available separately, it appears just the outer corner of a Zephyr Z7 taillight was used on your passenger side--it should be horizontal bars all the way across.*

    On the bright side, the Futura/Z7 taillight bidding wars seem to be over at the moment so they might be available at reasonable cost, lol!

    *Post coffee edit: Zephyr (early 80s Mercury in general) used horizontal taillight marks; Fairmont/early 80s Fords tended to use the vertical blocks like on your driver's side (and broken part of passenger's side).
    Last edited by Greywolf; 07-10-2012 at 06:11 AM. Reason: Post-Coffee Clarification

  11. #11

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    I will continue to look for the fairmont lens -thanks for all you guys help on this issue.

    Mike

  12. #12
    FEP Super Member Mr. Squirrel's Avatar
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    Where in Sa you from?
    "Never Trust a Bunny!"

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    MERCURYS is what I'm bout. MERCURY CrAzY

  13. #13
    FEP Power Member jessew's Avatar
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    The shattered piece looks like it came off a box top fairmont.
    1983 Mercury Zephyr Z7 AM Radio, no a/c, 200 3.3l I6, C5 Automatic, Police scanner, 40 Channel Cobra 29LTD CB radio, PA system mounted under bumper

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  14. #14
    FEP Power Member Durango's Avatar
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    The lenses are unique to the F/Z coupe. The design is similar to the sedan and Mustang but none are interchangeable.

    They were held in place with butyl tape (service parts came with a short roll of the stuff).

    You can get the halves apart, but they were not serviced that way. Ford sold the lenses individually and both pieces as an assembled unit. Hollander (salvage yard interchange) lists the sedan and wagon taillights individually, but the coupe is considered an assembly.

    I just checked car-part.com and this place http://www.bigjimsautowreckingandtowing.com/ in Oregon is showing they have a set in stock for $100 - but that is a walk-in price, don't know if they'll ship it and how much more that would cost...

    There are also several auto wreckers selling individual lenses - looks like there is one that has the lens you need for $50 - I can't provide a link to the search results, but you can search right here: www.car-part.com

    I threw several of these assemblies away back in the late 80s because nobody wanted them - still makes me angry just thinking about it.
    Last edited by Durango; 07-10-2012 at 11:15 AM.
    1981 Durango (ends my 18 year drought of not owning a F/Z)

  15. #15
    FEP Power Member Durango's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Greywolf View Post
    Yeah, the taillights come together to make the license plate area. On the LTDs, the license plate is its own separate piece (so 3 pieces total).

    One day I am going to see if it's possible to use LTD lights on a Futura/Z7 ... would greatly expand the taillight choices, and look a bit cleaner IMNSHO.
    I have been thinking of the same thing for some time now and I recently stumbled across these pics via a google image search:



    I am completely not a fan of the license plate treatment, but it does show the lines are pretty similar. I think if you used the stock LTD plate bucket it would look not bad at all.
    1981 Durango (ends my 18 year drought of not owning a F/Z)

  16. #16
    FEP Senior Member Greywolf's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Durango View Post
    I have been thinking of the same thing for some time now and I recently stumbled across these pics via a google image search:

    I am completely not a fan of the license plate treatment, but it does show the lines are pretty similar. I think if you used the stock LTD plate bucket it would look not bad at all.
    I think the rear needs to be altered a lot to make this work.

    If I recall correctly, though, the LTD license plate lamp is above the plate, and the FF/Z7 have then on either side. The light bucket is recessed deeper and might require hacking a hole in the middle of the taillight area, and possibly interfere with the latch in order to get the light in place.

    I'm not sure on that and eventually I'll report back on it; I have LTD taillights to test (but the car is 750 miles from my house and I'm 2000 miles from that at the moment...).

  17. #17
    FEP Power Member jessew's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Durango View Post

    I threw several of these assemblies away back in the late 80s because nobody wanted them - still makes me angry just thinking about it.
    All my hopes and dreams crushed
    1983 Mercury Zephyr Z7 AM Radio, no a/c, 200 3.3l I6, C5 Automatic, Police scanner, 40 Channel Cobra 29LTD CB radio, PA system mounted under bumper

    2008 Ford F150 XL 2wd v6, 5 speed.

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  19. #19
    FEP Power Member PIGBOY's Avatar
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    SHOOT IT WITH A .45 CALIBER AND IT WILL FALL RIGHT OFF? NO THANKS NEEDED. WELCOME.
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  20. #20

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    my .45 did well but my Mossberg removed it and the rest of the fender LOL

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