68 GTO - Which Lighter Bezel is Correct?
 

Hi guys,

I was wondering if someone could tell me about cigarette lighter bezels on 68 GTOs.

My car's lighter was missing when I bought it and the bezel was in bad shape so I bought one from GTOJOHN. His came with a metal trim ring and looked original. The repro bezels I bought has one that is plastic and says lighter on it, which is correct or is it a trim level thing?

Thanks!

Every one I've seen was plastic with the legend on it. Sometimes the lettering is white, sometimes black. I'm not sure about why that is. I pulled one from a clean '68 Lemans and I think the lettering was white.

This is what came on the bezel from GTOJOHN.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/361180544613...;3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Well...
 

I thought the black/white was an early/late thing...but that could even be on '69's...my memory being what it is....or isn't.

Ron, early/late is what I seem to recall on the black and white lettering too but I'm not sure. I can't even remember which is on mine right now!
Joe, I don't recall ever seeing one like that on a '68...but then again, the lighter bezel is not something that just jumps out at me when I look at a car.

I'm going to go with the bezel with letters. Makes me curious though....

my observation
 

of the lighter

casco

and

rochester use different surrounds

just my observation

casco in a tempest dash built 213 67

Scott

That makes sense, thanks Scott!

I knew there were two manufacturers but never knew what the difference was. So the bezels are interchageable?
If not, then that's obviously going to dictate which one you'll need Joe.

Dang it! Now I'm going to have to look at all of my loose dashes to see what is what. I might have enough now - these don't count what are still in my cars. :D

http://i60.tinypic.com/29c7zlx.jpg

http://i61.tinypic.com/2ednvcg.jpg

Kurt, you are a sick man...and you have my un-ending admiration
Seriously, I was wondering when you'd show up and set us straight on this.

I have a nice uncut 68 dash with TWO factory option switch cutouts. I assume it was some combination of CONV TOP / REAR DEF / REVERB??

Me too and I notice the first one in the pic has the ring with no letters....

Hi Guys, I meant to do this last night but family stuff prevented my short walk to the shed out back. The weather is finally measurably above zero so that makes this task even easier. I'll plan to look tonight - I also owe GTOJOHN a look at a few things. More soon. :D

I just went out and looked at mine, The wipers and lights has white on them, The lighter has NO paint on my lighter ring. I have owned my 68 for 41 years.

So Randy, maybe you have the Casco and the ones of us with the writing have the Rochester? or visa versa...Like I said, I never knew what the difference in the two was, just that there are two that were used.

Guys, I just looked at the 15 dash bezels I have in the shed and only one has the lighter bezel in place - it is plain - no lettering. I have a bin in that shed that contains dash controls by function but I was unable to reach it this afternoon. Because of winter, I loaded up the shed with stuff I wanted protected and it will take some reorganizing and a bit of time to get to that back wall where the bins are. I will look at my late 67 Kansas built car (one owner) along side the garage under cover later to see what it shows.

Thanks Kurt. I know I ,for one, always appreciate your help on these kinds of questions. I especially appreciate it when you brave the MN winter to get out there!

Ditto, I am happy to be a 68 GTO owner (again) and have both of your input/insight.

BTW, I too braved the MN weather from 87-96!

Joe

Guys, here is a picture of the one-owner 68 I purchased a couple of years ago - the Kansas car I mentioned above. Bezel shows no writing but you can clearly see the "TONE" on the radio bezel to the right. Please ignore that black line through the steering wheel - I accidentally drew that with another tool before I cropped the picture and did not notice until I posted this. :o

http://i62.tinypic.com/2rh0k6p.jpg