[ace770]

should the fog light lenses on a 72 formula be clear or yellow/orange?

[Paul Brezinski]

Clear, the amber ones were in 73

[Jim Rotella]

ace770,

If the fog lamps you are refering to are the parking/turn signal lamps, then they would be clear on the early '72 cars and amber on the late '72 cars. The early '72 clear all plastic one piece parking lamp assemblies are getting kind of hard to find. They were used only about half a year and were replaced by the amber lenses that were again used on the '73 models. These clear one piece units are often confused with the two piece assembly used on the '70 and '71 cars. I hope this helps.

Jim

[unruhjonny]

wow... that's a new one...
I've never heard of a clear one piece signal/marker lens
- Is this the piece used specificly with the plastic lower valence? - since my service manuals appear to depict a differnt marker lens for metal or plastic lower valences?

[Jim Rotella]

jonny,

In '72 and '73, either valance used the same lense/housing assembly. The metal valance required the plastic fillers, but the plastic valance did not.The clear lense housing is the same assembly as the amber version, just a different color lense. The lense is actually glued to the housing and is sold as one complete unit.

On the '70-'71 models, there was a metal housing with a seperate clear lense and gasket that was screwed in place by the same screws that attached the housing to the metal valance.

Jim

[ace770]

I have a metal valance panel and amber lenses. wonder if that is right. if I give you a vin would you be able to tell me if I have the right one? Also while on the topic is the plastic frame around the assembly body color?

Thanks for all your help

[Jim Rotella]

ace770,

The correct valance for 1972 is more likely the plastic one. It is widely believed that all '72 and '73 firebirbs came from the factory with the very brittle plastic valances, and whenever they became damaged, the factory replacement part was the original design metal valance with the plastic filler panels for the parking lamps. You find some people who claim that some '72-'73 cars came from the factory with metal valances as the factory recognized there was a durability problem with the plastic ones. I feel that either valance is acceptable, but keep in mind that the original plastic ones are nearly impossible to find.

The plastic parking lamp housing itself is molded in a gray color. The color of the lenses supposedly changed from clear to amber on cars built after Jan 1, 1972. Check for your build date and that should tell you what color your lenses should be. I've seen later cars with the clear lenses, so again I think either way would be acceptable. Depends how picky you really want to get.

Jim

[bird72]

My 72 F400 came with a metal valance that was so ratty and original color, I believe it was original, but who knows...... I used to have a 73 TA that had a bucaneer red metal valance, must have been changed? Had that car in 1988 and it appeared original.

[unruhjonny]

Originally Posted by Jim Rotella

jonny,

On the '70-'71 models, there was a metal housing with a seperate clear lense and gasket that was screwed in place by the same screws that attached the housing to the metal valance.

Jim

CAn you believe that it's been so long since I've tinkered with my '70, that I forgot that...

I interpreted your post as meaning that the clear one piece signal was a completely clear - moulded in one piece affair...

wow is my face red.

[Jim Rotella]

jonny,

I kinda made it sound like that.

Jim