[Jim Rotella]

Bruce,

I agree, the plastic valance with the heavier metal lamp housings would be impractical. Although several '72 owners claim that their cars were delivered with metal valances, most people say that all '72 and '73 Firebirds were delivered from the factory with plastic valances and the ones with metal valances were replaced at some point after they were damaged. I've never seen any factory documents that can confirm either theory. I'd like to know when the changeover from metal parking lamp housings to plastic ones took place. I would think that it would have been earlier in the model year than January '72, otherwise we would see a whole lot more '72 cars with these metal housings.

[WarbirdTA]

Without knowing my build date on my old (long gone) 1972 base Firebird, I don't know if this is any help.
My Firebird had the Amber lens/plastic housing, and the plastic valance.
Since it was my first car, and I grew up in the Hot Rod crase of Southern California, cruising Van Nuys Blvd. and Whittier Blvd. and others, I took my parking lens off, cut off the amber lens, and glued on blue plastic, and put them back on the car.
lasted only one day, before I found out they were illegal.
Went to the junk yard, and had to get replacements.
Oh, to be young again (and stupid).

George

[bird72]

Well, I am halfway there, don't know which half yet. Got ONE lense on ebay just now. I believe these are L or R parts (going on memory here) and he didn't list which it was so I'll find out when I get it.

Here is link and it has good pics of the clear 72 style housing / lense.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1972-...spagenameZWDVW

[GonicGM]

Originally Posted by bird72

Well, I am halfway there

72 clear plastic lenses/housings on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...9858%26fvi%3D1

[bird72]

Originally Posted by GonicGM

72 clear plastic lenses/housings on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...9858%26fvi%3D1

Thanks, but I just read your post and missed 'em! The quest continues.....