72 TA : New Project

[njsteve]

The Wells is an exact duplicate except there is no stamped Delco or part number on it. Only the original GM/Delco units have any words stamped on them at all. The more recent GM/Delco senders have nothing on them at all which leads me to believe that they have some outside manufacturer making them to some universal, one-sender-fits-all spec.

Here are two vintage Delcos on the left, then a correct old NOS Delco sender with the stampings and a more recent (inaccurate) Delco sender with no stamping, on the right:



Close up of some vintage Delco senders with the "AC MADE IN USA" stamping:



By the way, these are other peoples' photos - I don't have any of these senders. A Pontiac buddy just sent me the one that I tested and that one I put in the car.

[iluv69s]

I hope my car turns out even close to this nice...!!
Great Job!!

[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]

Gee, we finally made 100 pages on this darn car.
Only took 6 years! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[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 with the bottom of the &quot;beak&quot; and has the two small air inlets that mimic the grill openings. This makes for a much smoother look.



And the profile views:

[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).

[RPOLS3]

Only need <span style="text-decoration: line-through">5</span> 4 more replies to hit 1,000.

Great thread Steve.

Jake

[SS427]

Can't wait for your next 'project'!!! Great stuff Steve!

[x Baldwin Motion]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: njsteve</div><div class="ubbcode-body">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.



.......</div></div>


Steve, can you point out exactly where you added material here please. Did we already see before and during photos for this piece?