[Dens71TA]

Originally Posted by Norwood

these rivits are a pain in the a** to make...............

It wouldn't be any fun if it was easy!

[70RAlll]

I will re do the latches for $100.00 Norwood gets $50 for making the rivets and re seating them and i get $50 for the plating and clean up /prep work..

[ddmrk]

Bill can you post of one that has been redone I am interested.THANKS !!!!!

[70RAlll]

Guys here are the hood latch pictures. As I said, Craig gets $50 each and I get $50 each to do these. They will take approx. 4-6 weeks to get back, you will have to be patient,the black phosphate guy I use can be slow.You can email me directly at [email protected]. You will have to include $7 each, for shipping. I will have to ship to Craig and he will ship to you.So total will be $114.00

[Norwood]

I will add that if you are considering this DON'T WAIT...... This will be a limited run..

[70RAlll]

Yes, how ever many I get on this weeks thread is all I am doing. There is more than $50 worth fo work here and I think Craig is in teh same boat as I am here, it is tedious work and we both don't mind doing a run for some of the board members, but I have no intention to do anymore after this run. I already have three done for myself, so I don't need any more.

[unruhjonny]

Originally Posted by 70RAlll

... I have documented this on at least a dozen original cars and will be covered in my book...

Wow - a book being put together by an enthusiast?? - isn't that against the rules??

I since I cannot recall seeing this on any 70-73 Firebird, I will keep this in mind...

I hdo recall seeing some of the 70-73 Firebirds havethe endura bumper's lower 'lip' painted black - and that just makes sense to me...

Here's my question (primarily directed to you 70RAIII);
Has the body colour versus natural (grey) front/lower signal housing deal been figured out??

I personally only see them grey on "restored" cars, and aside from it looking kinda stupid, it has always bothered me...

Guys here are the hood latch pictures

WOW!!

This was definatly something I would like to have done...

RE "limited run": how much time do I have to email you & send the latch(es)?

[70RAlll]

Originally Posted by unruhjonny

Wow - a book being put together by an enthusiast?? - isn't that against the rules??

I since I cannot recall seeing this on any 70-73 Firebird, I will keep this in mind...

I hdo recall seeing some of the 70-73 Firebirds havethe endura bumper's lower 'lip' painted black - and that just makes sense to me...

Here's my question (primarily directed to you 70RAIII);
Has the body colour versus natural (grey) front/lower signal housing deal been figured out??

I personally only see them grey on "restored" cars, and aside from it looking kinda stupid, it has always bothered me...



WOW!!

This was definatly something I would like to have done...

RE "limited run": how much time do I have to email you & send the latch(es)?

The front parking light housings(at least that is what I call them) were body color on 1970 and 1971 Trans Ams for sure, no debate,none at all. Took me for ever to agree to that one. My 1st TA had them argent silver and I was just so damn sure that car was original, yes took me a while to learn very few are original. But I know the base Firebirds were argent silver, I am pretty sure the Formulas were silver,but not sure. If I was pressed, I would say only the TA's have the body color,leaving all others,including Formulas, silver. Someone else who knows Formulas better can confirm this. I could(and probably am) wrong on Formulas' colors/finishes.

[giles]

Bill, I try to never say "never". I will take issue with your comment on the parklamp fillers. Yes I believe that most all 70s were body color. I believe that most 71s and possibly even some very late 70s (like RAIV cars?) were silver. I know of at least two '71 documented cars that have silver bezels. I have seen and taken notes on too many painted 70s and silver 71s to believe much else. I do not believe that there was any disctinction made here between Formula and TA in this regard. But.... if you have some good evidence my ears are always open.... and this really should evolve into a seperate post as we are way off the black valance topic....

[unruhjonny]

we are way off the black valance topic...

Oh come on Giles! - the lamps fit inside of the valence, so it's not that far off...
I find it kinda funny that the only really debated parts of these cars are on the very front of the car...
-this valence deal
-the black versus body colour lower lip on the endura bumpmers
-the parking lamp lenses
-(and to a smaller group) the presence (or lack there in) of the 70-71 Formula/Esprit Bumper bird.

[ddmrk]

Here are some pictures of the ORIGINAL parking light bezel (PAINTED) from the 33,000 all ORIGINAL Formula that I Stripped

[giles]

Originally Posted by ddmrk

Here are some pictures of the ORIGINAL parking light bezel (PAINTED) from the 33,000 all ORIGINAL Formula that I Stripped

Ddmrk, was it a 70 or 71? Do you have info on build week and/ or plant?
If so please post, thanks!

[RAFormulas]

Originally Posted by unruhjonny

Oh come on Giles! - the lamps fit inside of the valence, so it's not that far off...
I find it kinda funny that the only really debated parts of these cars are on the very front of the car...
-this valence deal
-the black versus body colour lower lip on the endura bumpmers
-the parking lamp lenses
-(and to a smaller group) the presence (or lack there in) of the 70-71 Formula/Esprit Bumper bird.

From my point of view, for 1970 Formulas, the following is true.
-- Bottom of front valance was black. (be it primer or black paint)
-- lower lip of endura bumper was black. (be it primer or black paint or natural rubber)
-- parking lamp housings were body color
-- Bird on endura bumper was there.

The above is true of every "original" 1970 Formula I have investigated. Is this true of ALL 1970 Formulas, beats the #$%# out of me, and I can't say ALL, but Im betting it was. As far as 71-73 Formulas are concerned, I am ignorant on these years.

[Jim Rotella]

Originally Posted by giles

Bill, I try to never say "never". I will take issue with your comment on the parklamp fillers. Yes I believe that most all 70s were body color. I believe that most 71s and possibly even some very late 70s (like RAIV cars?) were silver. I know of at least two '71 documented cars that have silver bezels. I have seen and taken notes on too many painted 70s and silver 71s to believe much else. I do not believe that there was any disctinction made here between Formula and TA in this regard. But.... if you have some good evidence my ears are always open.... and this really should evolve into a seperate post as we are way off the black valance topic....

I agree with giles on this one. I had also thought that all '70-'71 Firebirds were built with body colored parking lamp fillers. But after checking out every early Firebird I came across, I found that almost all of the '71 Firebirds had silver fillers. Almost all of the '70's had body colored fillers and most of the '72-'73 cars I've observed that had steel valances had the silver fillers also, although these cars were probably built with plastic valances and were later fitted with steel replacement valances. In these instances, the fillers were probably left silver when installed by the dealers.

[unruhjonny]

this thread rocks!

[70RAlll]

I was going from memory when I posted this and could have been wrong. After looking in my notes, I see GM had two different part numbers for the F body filler panels. 480705/706 is listed as "paint to match" and is 1970 only. The more common 483960/961 is listed a fitting all F bodys 70-73 and is the only one listed in the MPC dated 1972. SO, the painted ones must have been 1970 only with service replacements as soon as 1972 reverting to the silver 483960/961 fillers.I guess the 480705/706 fillers will be a way to verify if your 1970 car still has the original fillers. I bet Ddmrk, the ones you posted are probably the 480705's, right??

[ddmrk]

Originally Posted by giles

Ddmrk, was it a 70 or 71? Do you have info on build week and/ or plant?
If so please post, thanks!

Giles
it is a 70 here is a picture of the trim tag

[giles]

Thanks ddmrk!
I have no doubt that most or all of 70 cars were built with painted parklamp fillers. Here is a picture of my 03C Van Nuys Formula valance. The black paint is quite apparent and the blue filler is barely visible in the background.

[lawbreaker2]

You guys are killing me with this.stuff. now I have to go dig thru 3ft.of snow to get to my car so I can loom at the fro.t bumper.

[johnta1]

Gives you some incentive to get out to your car!

(and shovel that walk)