Layson's - 68 Barracuda Tail Light Lenses

[dgc333]

Well after ordering new tail light lenses from Layson's in January with the gift certificate Santa gave me they showed up Tuesday!!!

I had been calling about every three weeks to see what was up and kept getting the same story, just waiting on the chrome piece to come back from the plater. Certainly frustrating and I was getting to the point that I was going to say just send me the lens and I will have my chrome trim piece re-plated locally.

Anyway the parts are perfect. It's great that Layson's is investing in getting parts manufactured for our cars and we need to support them. I just wish they could find a better way to keep their supply line filled so you don't wait 8 months for a part you order.

 

[OUTLAW]

I agree 8 months on back order is excessive. I work on lots of out of production exotic cars and classics and they don't take 3/4 of a year to fill an order. Try finding a camshaft for a hillman Imp or a timing chain guide rail for a Astin-Martin DB-6 or a 2nd gear for a TVR and it will only take about 3 months to get the parts from over seas. I need a pair of tail light for a 68 also but I don't have that kind of patience

 

[valiantdave]

I`ve always get frustrated when ordering from them,but all is forgiven when I see the parts.

 

[klrfish1968]

I bought a set... they suck! They have a gap around the outer edge and I had to take a file to them to make them fit in the tailight housing - better than nothing, but leaves alot to be desired in the "fit and finish" department!

 

[dgc333]

Gee! I had the gap on the right housing and not on the left with the factory lenses and the Layson were the same. I just assumed it was a variation in the casting of the housing. I know the housing vary because I have two set of housing and they don't follow the contour of the fender the same.

The only thing I thought was odd was the gasket had an opening for an extra screw (5 instead of 4) that kept it from laying into the gasket groove on the housing properly without being trimmed.

 

[AdamR]

I have a gap on the driverside. I've had 2 sets of tail ligts on the car bolth had the same gap. Car has origanal quarters so I bet it left the factory like that.

 

[fastback383]

I saw the trunk finish panels for the 68 at Moparfest yesterday . Real nice looking and heavy. Much heavier than the stock one, it looked like it was made out of stainless, you could see where it was welded togethor on the back. $680 for the pair. A little too much for me.... But they sure looked sweet.


Look close, gettin some air ! Not bad for a high mile 400 & only going 13.7's..

 

[abodybill]

When buying from Layson's if you don't see the part at a show then I can tell you from experience thats they will take your money and hold onto it till they get enough people's money to do the part.

I waited for almost 1 year for the repops on the demons tail lights and finally told them send my money back and ol Dave hates to do that and after that dealing with them they are on the very bottum of my list of who not to buy from.

now this is just my .02 worth.

 

[convx4]

I dont recommend Laysons. They say that they have a product in stock when placing an order. But when you don't receve a full order, the missing items are listed as back ordered. Then they want you to wait till they can get it for you. I made my first order from them three years ago, and had lots of problens. Then I thought that I would see if things got better last March. They still suck! There repop emblems suck they dont even look right. The emblems break when installed. Cheep Junk!! I reused my originals in the places of the ones that broke. Dont let your frinds buy from Laysons!
Bill S [email protected]

 

[dgc333]

Guys!

I certainly don't like waiting for parts and there is certainly room for improvement regarding how they manage inventory, but much of the stuff they sell they are having reproduced and it's either them or you don't get it period.

I for one will continue to support them and recomend that everyone support them because if you don't there won't be a source for the parts they reproduce. This is the first thread where I have ever heard a knock on the quality of the parts they sell. It's always like valinetdave says, "all is forgiven when I see the parts".

The only time they take your money is for a new part they are going to reproduce and they are up front about that and by investing you get a significant price break over what they sell the part for once it's available.

 

[Lars]

I seem to remember Laysons offering rubber flooring instead of carpet for our A bodies, but I can't find it anywhere. Anybody know if they carry them of someone who does??

 

[NiceFishEh]

As far as fit is concerned, someone puttied the gap between the outside edge of the casting and the metal with some black crap. My 69er came with an extra set of tail lights. When I swap the spare lens, the change made no improvement.

Remedy:

I used a piece of that rubber/foam spline commonly used to repair screen doors. I seated the lens against the body until the spline squeezed out to just inside the outside edge. It looks like a factory gasket and is very capable of handling the outdoor elements. It looks professional...not to mention better fitting than the factory gasket.