73-80 and 81 82 parking lamp lenses color

[R77K10]

ok i dont know if theres been a thread about this one or not yet, probably so, but i cant find one,

anyways ive always been curious and never found any real answers about the white and orange parking lamp lenses 73-80 and 81 82

seems that the 73 74 ones are white and the later ones were orange

or did it depend on package of the truck ?

also in 81 82 it seems most of them were white but i can recall having spotted a very few that were orange and sometimes one of each on the same truck, even though most of the time one is busted out, which is commonly seen on the 81 82 trucks, seems liek the centers crack and pop out of them those two years commonly
see that all the time

any thoughts?

 

[dyeager535]

I say go over to dremu's brochure page and check out what GM was printing that year.

LMC might also list what colors they are if they sell them, which I'm sure they do.

 

[R77K10]

but the only problem with the brochure idea is that what if gm put whichever lenses on based on the model package of a particular truck in a given year

hmm

 

[dyeager535]

Well, if it was based on package, they'd probably have demonstrated that in the brochures, so I'd think.

I seem to recall that was a difference '81-82 though, the lense color was a year thing. I don't believe GM used clear lenses on the trucks after that time frame though, right? I guess they figured out it was cheaper to use all amber lenses instead of amber bulbs and clear lenses?

Never messed with the pre-'81 stuff, but even the '81-82 is a bit one off, both years had lenses in the bumpers, right?

 

[colbystephens]

any thoughts?

i believe it's referred to as "amber." other than that, i don't know.

 

[R77K10]

actually the 83 up ones are clear

amber is technical i know

and white is technically clear

but we all know what we are talking about here,, lol

im not being real technical here because ppl get pissy when i do get technical
but then ppl get pissy when youre not

you just cant win..

if we want to get technical then we could add the first gen(not GMC) into this lol

the 67 68 ones were amber, the 69 70 ones were clear, then in 71 72 went back to amber again

GM just couldnt make up its mind

but i am focusing on the 73-80 and 81 82 ones because im unsure on them they seem to be just plain random


the 67-72 were simple, not random at all in a given year, they were either all amber, or all clear,



thanks

 

[dyeager535]

Well, you bring up a good point then. At some point after '83 they went back to amber lenses, right?

So perhaps it was just a simple styling deal, each year by changing the colors of the lenses they could say there was a change, and that might appeal to certain people as opposed to the other colors. Can't think of any other reason to change back and forth, if it was just a one year changeover and that was it, I can see cost being an issue, but since they went back and forth, I'd just go with styling.

 

[colbystephens]

Well, you bring up a good point then. At some point after '83 they went back to amber lenses, right?

mine's an '83 and i've got the amber lenses.

 

[R77K10]

i have never seen an 83 up with amber



i cant recall ever seeing anything but clear after 82

i swear i havent

ever

unless its somehow mentally blocked from my mind ?


very interesting hmmm

got a pic of your 83 front ?

i checked oyur pic galleries and i see one hell of a circus wagon black k5 with both an 81 82 bumper and 83-up front clip

whats that all about lmao how many different trucks was it built from haha

 

[colbystephens]

oh crap. i lied - i have clear. sorry. i was thinking about the marker lights on the side. mine are definitely clear.

 

[dyeager535]

Heh, I'm not listening to the brochures anymore, I just saw the same pic listed for two consecutive years.

'87 looks like they COULD be amber based on one of the pics, but '84 was all shot with the parking lights on, no way to tell from those that I can see.

Even '81-82 show all clear lenses, but I'm with you, they aren't all clear. I'm sure I've got a set of amber lenses for my truck, if I was home I'd go hunt for them if I still have them. I have a picture online that shows the clear ones at my house, I suspect I've got amber on the truck. Only a few more months until I can walk over and look at them.

 

[74BBPowerHouse]

My 82 and 74 Both have orange

 

[R77K10]

81 and 82 were the oddest of them all

very strange

most clear but a few orange

i dont think we will ever know why

ive owned a billion 81 and 82s but all mine have been clear,