[666 the legend]

Hey Steve..yah gonna JAZZ it up with a STRIPE..?? [ I just love this stripe on these cars]..

[njsteve]

The fender vent stripe was a 1971-only, stripe. I dont think the upper fender/door stripe started until 1973.

[666 the legend]

So..?? There was never a 72 side stripe..?..

[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by njsteve

The fender vent stripe was a 1971-only, stripe. I dont think the upper fender/door stripe started until 1973.

I "think" that that stripe is in the 72 assy manual, has this open area for the emblem. Of course that doesnt mean it made production

[Formulabruce]

The Core support Mounting bolts for Steves car. I could NOT find a match in AMK for these. pics here may help others to find something close.


Washers, 4 required (sending 4) shimms were different.

[Formulabruce]

[RicksGTO]

the stripe was on my '72 Formula PHS and is listed in the sales catalog. I think the numbers posted for '72 option production show it was ordered on around 8% of all Firebirds in '72. Just didn't probably get added back after the first repaint too often.

[Formulabruce]

Its a really rare sight on a 72 for sure.

[njsteve]

Originally Posted by Formulabruce

Yes, another missing piece of hardware I need. :-)

[Lloyd-TX]

Originally Posted by Formulabruce

Not at all, I didnt know that, my 72 TA came with 2 trim rings LOL I never looked into it, and recently went to put my NOS ones on and it was a royal pain.
Funny though, my shell is a '73 anyways, guess Im somewhat off the hook LOL
Your Formy and Steve's and others on here with F455 cars is the model I used to build mine. Now I wish I had kept the factory AC, but it was pretty sun cooked and not much left. Someday Ill ride in someones WITH AC on hehe

Honeycomb trim rings are the WORST to install without damage, besides maybe the original style Rally II center caps, LOL!

BTW, you do recall that MY Formy is originally a 400 car, right?

[Lloyd-TX]

Originally Posted by 666 the legend

So..?? There was never a 72 side stripe..?..

Scanned from the 1972 Dealer Order Album . . .

[Lloyd-TX]

These Firebird decal and stripe color charts are of interest here as well.

1971 charts, but you'll get the idea.

[666 the legend]

With all this INTEREST in the SIDE STRIPE....Steve has to put one on NOW...!! So?? anyone have any PICS or maybe a PHOTO SHOP of a BLACK car with a WHITE STRIPE..?? I would love to see it in this COMBO...!!

[666 the legend]

They didnt make a WHITE STRIPE so..?? SILVER it IS..!! [ just from what I read in that pic above colors are ..BLUE,BLACK,SILVER and GOLD..]...

[Formulabruce]

UGH, Its an option thats best left on paper to me. Thanks Lloyd for the info.
I would have ordered Steves car if I was ordering in 72. Has the color and the goods as is

[njsteve]

Still no title or registration. UGH!

So I am still keeping busy with the car. Through the fellow members of my wonderful support group at the Performance Years forum (including TH65, Necb3, FormulaBruce, et al), I have managed to pick up all the A/C parts needed for the car. So I spent the day cleaning and installing everything. I had to pull the front valance and the radiator to get the existing wrong condensor out. It's a shame since it looks brand new but has the wrong upper hose fitting that is pointing downward in front of the condensor. I have no idea what application it is supposed to be for?

I'm glad I pulled the radiator as it had several areas where I could see it had been seaping. Another sad story since it was a relatively new CU477 four core brass/copper unit with no miles on it. Went bad from sitting all those years, I guess. I ordered a new CU477 that should be here next week. I also ripped out all the fan wiring as well as the crazy electric fan that was installed behind the radiator.

Here's an original late 1971 condensor with the correct ends for the rubber A/C pressure lines. This was the before shot, prior to removing the brackets, combing out all the fins, repainting it and installing nicer brackets...

[njsteve]

And here is the semi-final result. I installed an old receiver/dryer so as not to ruin the new Delco unit I purchased. Once you open the block offs on a new receiver/dryer you have 15 minutes to get it installed and evacuated or the desicant material soaks up all the moisture and is ruined. So I will vacuum test the system in a week or two to see if it holds a vacuum and then replace the R/D and fill up the system with freon.

[njsteve]

And while I had everything half-way apart I pulled out the original, fried engine compartment harness and installed the new American Autowire harness. (FYI, you can buy the harnesses at Rockauto.com at a hulluva discount. American Autowire lists the harness for $185. Rockauto had it for $120, and it shipped directly from American Autowire here in NJ).

I pulled the driver's side inner fender and that cut out about 4 hours of knucklegouging and blood donations by giving me direct access to the bulkhead area under the booster, where the harness bolts in. You do not want to wrestle with all the power brake lines and booster trying to find the bulkhead by feel. Just no fun. (Something I found out when replacing the defective harness in the 72 T/A).

The hardest part was getting the starter back in while holding it up with one hand, attaching the wires to it with the other hand, tightening the wires with a 1/4" drive ratchet with another hand and keeping it from falling on my head with my other, other hand. And then noticing I forgot the shim. And then the phone sitting on the trunk lid of the Charger rang....

[Formulabruce]

Steve looks like you have the ceiling in there for a 4 post lift )
Looks like your hitting all the trouble spots!
looking for the correct clutch to pump bolts tomorrow for you.
Good luck and keep up the fight!

[njsteve]

Yes, as a matter of fact I do have he height and 220 outlet. But I figured you've helped me out on stuff so much already, it would be too much to ask for you to send me one. :-)