[eaglesan13]

Most of the 1970 style hood hinge I've seen look like they were black phosphate, but had lightened up a bit over time, making them look light black (or grayish) to me. Here are the hinges off go my 1970 04B Norwood Formula. They have the stamped numbers like Norwood's, and they have blue paint daubs.

I currently own two 1971 Firebirds, both are 02B Norwood cars, and both have the 1970 style hood hinges, so I don't know how deep into the 1971 run they used the early hinges. The hinges on my Formula appear to have been painted at one time, but the trans am hinges are in original condition. They appear black to me, and have the blue paint daubs on them.

[SD455DJ]

Originally Posted by Norwood

Dennis, all 70 hinges have this welded in brace

Thanks Craig! It looks like the passenger hood hinge is a replacement as it doesn't have the welded-in brace the driver side '525' hinge does and it doesn't have the stamped '524' in it....bummer.

Dennis

[SD455DJ]

Originally Posted by eaglesan13

Most of the 1970 style hood hinge I've seen look like they were black phosphate, but had lightened up a bit over time, making them look light black (or grayish) to me. Here are the hinges off go my 1970 04B Norwood Formula. They have the stamped numbers like Norwood's, and they have blue paint daubs.

I currently own two 1971 Firebirds, both are 02B Norwood cars, and both have the 1970 style hood hinges, so I don't know how deep into the 1971 run they used the early hinges. The hinges on my Formula appear to have been painted at one time, but the trans am hinges are in original condition. They appear black to me, and have the blue paint daubs on them.

Thanks for the pics of your hinges eaglesan13! Hmmm...so is our passenger side hinge original (?) as it does have the more finished/cleaner die stamped reinforcement like both sets of your hinges...just without the stamped '524'???

Ours has blue paint daubs too...almost look painted on the bottom portion that bolts to the fenders.

Dennis

[eaglesan13]

Dennis,

I don't know if I've ever seen a hinge that had the reinforcement, but without the numbers stamped. Maybe I have, and just haven't noticed. I have seen the early hinges where the 524/525 numbers had been X'd out. I don't have any pictures of that, and have no idea why it would have been done.

Since your hinge has the reinforcement, and if there is no indication that the car had any body parts (like fender or hood) replaced, it wouldn't surprise me if it was an original hinge. I'd leave it alone if it were my car.

Cool car!

Chris

Originally Posted by SD455DJ

Thanks for the pics of your hinges eaglesan13! Hmmm...so is our passenger side hinge original (?) as it does have the more finished/cleaner die stamped reinforcement like both sets of your hinges...just without the stamped '524'???

Ours has blue paint daubs too...almost look painted on the bottom portion that bolts to the fenders.

Dennis

[keith k]

Originally Posted by SD455DJ

Keith K, It sure looks like gray phos plating to us.

Dennis

Thanks for checking and posting the pics, Dennis!

[Transamric]

Maybe I'm stating the obvious here, but the May 1st 1970 Pontiac MPC shows that the hood hinges were part numbers 9790524 & 9790525. Then by the March 1973 MPC they carried the "Chevrolet" part numbers of 3990431 & 3990432 as the Service replacements for all "F" body 1970-73.

[Transamric]

FWIW, the September 1971 MPC (section 8.015) shows both pairs of part numbers with the #524 & 525 listed as 1970 only and #431 & 432 A 1971 - 72.

[1965gp]

Wow- so much to learn from this car! The details are amazing. Thank you for painting the air cleaner- that was hard to look at....

[SD455DJ]

Originally Posted by eaglesan13

Dennis,

I don't know if I've ever seen a hinge that had the reinforcement, but without the numbers stamped. Maybe I have, and just haven't noticed. I have seen the early hinges where the 524/525 numbers had been X'd out. I don't have any pictures of that, and have no idea why it would have been done.

Since your hinge has the reinforcement, and if there is no indication that the car had any body parts (like fender or hood) replaced, it wouldn't surprise me if it was an original hinge. I'd leave it alone if it were my car.

Cool car!

Chris

Chris,

Thanks! The fenders and hood are indeed the originals, so we also feel confident that the hood hinges are also the original to the car. They both have the messy blue paint daubs on them just like in your pictures you posted.

Dennis

[SD455DJ]

Originally Posted by Transamric

FWIW, the September 1971 MPC (section 8.015) shows both pairs of part numbers with the #524 & 525 listed as 1970 only and #431 & 432 A 1971 - 72.

Transamric,

Very interesting! Now I'll have to check what hinges are on my '71 Formula.

Dennis

[SD455DJ]

Dan replaced the original broken and indented console with an NOS one I bought a long time ago from our local Pontiac dealership (boy, I miss those days!) along with an NOS bezel and repro gear indicator lens. We reused the original allen head bezel screws, console door & box, and seat belt holders.

Dennis

[SD455DJ]

Dan also replaced all the light bulbs while he was deep into the console swap and installed a new trunk mat as well.

Dennis

[unruhjonny]

is that an arrowhead sticker possibly covering the dash insert bird holes?

[SD455DJ]

Originally Posted by unruhjonny

is that an arrowhead sticker possibly covering the dash insert bird holes?

Jonny,

It is an emblem and could be attached with a backing nut. We don't know when the bird emblem was swapped out for the arrowhead. Do you have pictures of the proper bird emblem and the back side of the insert? Does the bird emblem attach with a single pin, or 2?

Thanks, Dennis

[FASTASSBIRD]

Man there is some truth to there being different colors in the wood paneling of the dash inserts


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[unruhjonny]

Originally Posted by SD455DJ

Jonny,

It is an emblem and could be attached with a backing nut. We don't know when the bird emblem was swapped out for the arrowhead. Do you have pictures of the proper bird emblem and the back side of the insert? Does the bird emblem attach with a single pin, or 2?

Thanks, Dennis

it's the same unit used on all 1970-1981 Firebirds*;
It has one larger plastic locking pin, which is retained by a metal "V" clip, and is complimented by a smaller plastic locating pin.

* = the exception being any gauge cars with AC, which did not have a bird on the dash.

I have chosen to link this specific one because it shows the "V" clip in place, and the alignment pin:



and then I found this (which I couldn't link):

[johnta1]

Assembly diagram for Bird on dash

[SD455DJ]

Thanks Jonny! That is very helpful and good to know the hole we see to the upper left of the arrowhead is the pilot hole for the bird emblem.

Thanks Johnta1 for the assembly manual illustration. I don't have that in my parts manual which makes finding things a bit more challenging.

Dennis

[Transamric]

Originally Posted by SD455DJ

Dan also replaced all the light bulbs while he was deep into the console swap and installed a new trunk mat as well.

Dennis

Could we get a picture of the placement of the trunk spare tire jacking instructions? I'm imaging that it's the original too.

[SD455DJ]

Originally Posted by Transamric

Could we get a picture of the placement of the trunk spare tire jacking instructions? I'm imaging that it's the original too.

Transamric, Here is a picture of the original jack/spare instructions on the trunk lid. Unfortunately, the posi instruction decal fell off, but you can see the stick-um residue where it was.

Dennis