[Formulabruce]

BUMP!! hoping to see the very Final pics

[njsteve]

Me too!
Still waiting on the damn valance to be finshed.
Other than that, I have been tinkering with the temp sender(s) http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...=632070&page=2 and a sticky fuel gauge float that was reading 1/4 when it was full. Until I took it for a ride and kept slamming the brakes, which seemed to break it free. I also have a new D992 starter solenoid coming this week since the original doesn't like to start when the car is hot. It never ends. :-)

[Norwood]

The Plesures of owning a Pontiac...

[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by njsteve

Me too!
Still waiting on the damn valance to be finshed.
Other than that, I have been tinkering with the temp sender(s) http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...=632070&page=2 and a sticky fuel gauge float that was reading 1/4 when it was full. Until I took it for a ride and kept slamming the brakes, which seemed to break it free. I also have a new D992 starter solenoid coming this week since the original doesn't like to start when the car is hot. It never ends. :-)

before I switched to a smaller starter, which has its benefits in being further from the heat, I shimmed my old ( well rebuilt) one and found it started much better when the engine was hot.
Did you check the "mesh" clearances on your starter? You can engage the starter gear with a screwdriver to check it with the converter cover off.
my 2 cents

[njsteve]

Pulled the starter and swapped out the solenoid for the D992 today. Works great now and sounds a lot stronger when cranking. Before I reinstalled the starter I wrapped the solenoid with some heat blocking insulation blanket material, held on with a couple wire ties. I never realized just how close that solenoid was to the ram-air exhaust manifolds. No wonder they cook!

[necdb3]

I owned a 72 formula 455 4spd as a daily driver as a kid. Every 9 months without fail, the solenoid would die. A few other items that it would go through on a regular basis were batterys and fan clutches.

Funny how when I bought my 72 T/A, shortly after the fan clutch goes out. Brings a smile to my face as all the memories come back.

Dave

[Norwood]

I went to a mini starter years ago...

[Lloyd-TX]

Originally Posted by njsteve

Pulled the starter and swapped out the solenoid for the D992 today. Works great now and sounds a lot stronger when cranking. Before I reinstalled the starter I wrapped the solenoid with some heat blocking insulation blanket material, held on with a couple wire ties. I never realized just how close that solenoid was to the ram-air exhaust manifolds. No wonder they cook!

Glad to hear that the solenoid worked out for you, Steve!

FYI - better than the heat wrap is one of the solenoid heat shields that PY sells.

[blue71ta]

I use a high-torque solenoid with heat shield on a rebuilt, stock starter on my '71 HO and haven't had any hot start problems. Also put a new engine harness in...

[njsteve]

Finally got the polyethylene valance back today. All that relocating and modifying paid off in the end - it actually fits without any binding, stretching or shoving into place. Just hand-tightening of the large washered bolts to hold it in place.

Here is a shot of the finished valance:

[njsteve]

And one of the major modifications, which was to add almost a 1/2 inch of reinforcement material (urethane bumper repair material) to the outer edges. Due to bad molding of these parts at the factory, the outer edges were at best, 1/64 of an inch thick and brittle as glass. The polyethylene valance was a great visual design but very poorly executed. That was why the vast majority were replaced by the visually different, stamped steel valance under a blanket warranty/service bulletin.



The other major modification was to fill all of the existing mounting holes and then redrill them in the correct locations so they would actually line up with the factory mounting positions on the radiator support. Some of the holes in the valance were over an inch away from their mounting points. The assembly line gorillas didn't care, so they would just shove the valance into place and make the bolts hold it there, til the car rolled to the end of the assembly line and the valance shattered once the car hit the first bump - usually the ramp onto the delivery truck.

[njsteve]

The mounted polyethylene valance, prior to the spoiler installation. The major difference between the poly valance and the steel one is that the poly valance has the upper bar that joins the bottom of the "beak" and has the two small air inlets that mimic the grill openings. This makes for a much smoother look.



And the profile views:

[Brewster]

Nice!
Nothing like that original look and Im sure it was worth the wait.

[njsteve]

Here's a comparison between the original 1972 polyethylene valance:



And the 1972 steel replacement warranty valance:



Notice the unfinished look of the mounting area under the beak and the large gap between the top of the steel valance and the bottom of the bumper, this was because the steel valance did not mount to the bottom of the bumper like the poly valance did. (The steel 1972 replacement valance was actually the same valance as used on the 1970 and 1971 Firebirds. The 1972 and 1973 cars came with the poly valance originally).


And no, I don't mean to come off as a "Poly-Valance Elitist", I'm just providing the body panel trivia for all to enjoy...

...a fair and valanced reporting of the facts. (ugh)

[Pepi]

Looks great!!! I like the more finished look also.

[tajohn]

Steve,

The 72 looks wonderful. It is amazing what you were able to accomplish in the TWO years it was going to take to redo the car..lol

While you were going through your trials fitting and remaking the front valance, I was able to track down an original blue valance for my 72. I agree, I like the poly look.

One question, shouldn't the parking lamps be a clear housing with amber bulbs not the amber housing(I thought they were 73 only).

[keith k]

Originally Posted by njsteve

And no, I don't mean to come off as a "Poly-Valance Elitist", I'm just providing the body panel trivia for all to enjoy...

...a fair and valanced reporting of the facts. (ugh)

Steve,
You're absolutely correct, of course, and you did an outstanding job with the valance. No doubt that's exactly what the Pontiac designers WANTED the car to look like.

But the funny thing is that I'm just so used to seeing them with the steel valance that the perfect plastic one almost looks "fake"!

Well done, as always-

[Transamric]

Originally Posted by tajohn

One question, shouldn't the parking lamps be a clear housing with amber bulbs not the amber housing(I thought they were 73 only).

You mean like this early '72??

[njsteve]

Originally Posted by tajohn

Steve,

The 72 looks wonderful. It is amazing what you were able to accomplish in the TWO years it was going to take to redo the car..lol

While you were going through your trials fitting and remaking the front valance, I was able to track down an original blue valance for my 72. I agree, I like the poly look.

One question, shouldn't the parking lamps be a clear housing with amber bulbs not the amber housing(I thought they were 73 only).

The 1972/73 poly valances used their own unique amber plastic one-piece lens assemblies. The lens was amber and the rear portion was a grey plastic. The lens is actually fused to the grey plastic housing. There is no way to change the lens color, like you can with the two-piece steel valance lenses. The plastic lenses also had a differently flanged bulb/socket assembly that fit the lens pods. That is why when you order a new headlight wiring harness for a 72 or 73 they should ask which of the two style sockets you have.

[njsteve]

Originally Posted by Transamric

You mean like this early '72??

By the way they sit so close to the front of the opening, those looks like the steel valance lenses in the plastic valance. Do you know much about the history on that green car?

The valance and lenses are the originals to my particular car.

Then again, anything is possible with a Pontiac!