1970-1972 plastic cowl inserts- 3 pieces- $15

Discussion in 'Parts for sale' started by George D., Oct 16, 2021.

  1. George D.

    George D. Platinum Level Contributor

    I know they are correct for 1971-1972 Skylark/ GS models.... I thought I saw some discussion if they were correct for mid-late 70's? Anyway, just 1 slat missing, dry, no other cracks or missing plastic things.

    $15 + shipping

    cowls2.jpg cowls3.jpg cowls4.jpg cowlsc.jpg
     
  2. Dano

    Dano Platinum Level Contributor

    I have a Freemont built '70 Skylark that has them and I'm sure are orig. IIRC, the other Freemont '70 I have is earlier & has a regular screen. I think my '71 Flint car had a screen. I can check if anyone is interested. I guess I'll be interested at some point but we're a ways off from that:).
     
  3. George D.

    George D. Platinum Level Contributor

    Dan- you can have them.
     
  4. Dano

    Dano Platinum Level Contributor

    Thanks George but I don't really need them. Well, on 2nd thought maybe - Depends if my '71 came w/them orig. (I don't believe it did) & if I sell the later Freemont built car whole & don't part it.

    How's the garage cleanup coming along?
     
  5. Duane

    Duane Member

    FYI
    They are a 72 only part and if I remember correctly the early 72’s came with the steel mesh screen.
    Duane
     
    mrolds69 likes this.
  6. Dano

    Dano Platinum Level Contributor

    That's what I thought too until getting this Freemont built early '70 Skylark I have sitting here which seems to be a pretty orig. car & has the plastic '72 (for Buick anyway) cowl screens. Same car also has the coolant decal that didn't come on Buicks on the orig. clear overflow & it sure looks orig. Maybe the plastic screens came on something else assembled @ Freemont & this one happened to get them & the decal. If so, then the question is, if say this were a GS being restored, do you put it back the way it was & get marked down in a concours event or the way it was supposed to be?

    In a Corvette resto book I have from the '80's ("State of the Art" - I believe the 1st one that really detailed the concours type restos on those cars), the quote that I always remember, & it more refers to adding/deleting options, changing colors, etc. is "The way it was, not the way we wish it was." That said, I have a hard time not leaving the (correct early '70) tach that someone installed in place of the Rallye Clock on my very low option '70 Stage 1 4-sp but we'll see when the time comes. Surely it was a mistake by the dealer on the order form unless the original owner (car was special ordered) intended to put a "Day 2" Sun Tach on the steering column. Saw another low option '70 Stage 1 4-sp w/a Rim Blow wheel - Again, almost surely the wrong box was checked & it should've had a Rallye Steering Wheel.

    In the theoretical case of the Freemont built GS coming like my Skylark, "The way it was, or the way it should've been?" I'd be hard pressed to not put the blem(s) in the stripes if restoring an orig. paint GSX and had the originals to reference.
     
  7. Matt Knutson

    Matt Knutson Well-Known Member

    Those plastic cowl screen covers don't show up in my parts catalog 11/71.
     
  8. Duane

    Duane Member

    I want to apologize for posting something like this on a "for sale" thread, but it needs to be answered.


    First off,
    I deal in Factory info, and that is what we base the judging on. If you build a car differently then what the factory info states, then you better have proof of what you are doing or you will receive deductions.

    I had to do exactly that when I brought the 69 Motion Equipped car to the GSCA Concours judging class. I had to show EXACTLY what parts Motion was using, at the time my car was being "built" so the judges could verify that those were the parts on the car. And that was all the way down to the style of the chrome valve cover breather cap. Without this type of documentation, and with so many obvious changes, I would not have received any award.

    We have gone though this type of question many times before, and the answer is still the same. I don't see why this is continually questioned.


    Now on to the question at hand,
    It states in the 1972 assembly manual (P 11-3.4) that on 11-26-71 the steel mesh screen and the retaining clips were removed and the 3 plastic screens were added.

    I personally had a 71 Stage 1 automatic coupe that was made in Fremont, and it had the steel mesh cowl screen.

    I find it hard to believe that they were available during the 1970 model year, which was around 2 years before they showed up in the assembly manuals. If so then show me the proof that Fremont did this.



    The first time I ever saw one of these was on a 72 Chevelle. The earlier Chevelle's did not come with any cowl screens (that I know of), but we often would buy the 72 plastic pieces and install them on the earlier Chevelle's so the leaves, etc. would not get into the cowls. I will be doing this exact thing on my 70 Chevelle when it is completed.
    Duane
     
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  9. Dano

    Dano Platinum Level Contributor

    Sorry, I must've missed the previous iterations of those topic. Not that I'm restoring this Skylark but in the theoretical case that is was a GS and being restored, the only proof I have, or anyone would have of a factory screw up, be it cowl screens, GSX stripes, or anything else would be pictures of the unmolested car itself or maybe a date coded part - Factory screw ups did happen. I'm not saying Fremont did this as as matter of course & Idk what else they assembled there - I have earlier '70 Freemont Skylark that has the mesh screen as it should. Maybe someone did replace the mesh w/plastic on this car and added the coolant decal but I doubt it. As a judge, I agree w/you - The owner had better have something showing how it was built if it differs from the norm. As a restorer, if one is sure of the screw up, to be true to the cause would be to build it as it was built originally, not how it was supposed to be.

    That said, I don't think I could bring myself to duplicate the factory crappy panel alignment and you've said that's scored the same either way but that's a different situation as is your case w/ Motion, that's a completely different scenario again - There would likley be some actual documentation of what they did.
     
  10. Duane

    Duane Member

    The point I was trying to make is I don’t believe those plastic inserts were ever made before the 72 model year.

    People often think their cars were built exactly like when they found them. Even cars that were only purchased a few years after they were built have changes, especially for cars of our vintage.

    In 73-74, when the gas crisis hit, people were trading their muscle cars in for “gas mileage” cars. Between the cost of gas and insurance they could no longer afford them.

    In 1975 we, as in high school kids were buying these cars for incredibly cheap prices, and were altering/trashing, and sometimes destroying them all the time. In our high school there were so many 65-68 Mustangs we all made a pact; if you totaled your car and were still physically ok, you had to help us strip your car and the rest of the group got whatever parts we could use. If you were not able, the group still got the car and stripped it. I ended up with an entire new interior, dual exhaust, 4-bbl carb, air cleaner, and intake, different wheels/tires etc.

    At the time we could care less about originality. All we were interested in was keeping them running and making them better.

    Unless you know exactly what was changed on your car from day one, you need to assume that anything found on it that is not considered correct, has been changed and go from there.

    Then you can research the parts in question, and see if they are indeed correct or not. Sometimes we add info to our archives, and sometimes we find the parts were added.

    This is how we figure out what is correct.
    Duane
     
    Last edited: Oct 17, 2021
  11. Duane

    Duane Member

    By the way, just so I am not totally screwing up this “for sale ad” I will buy these parts if they get to me.
    Thanks.
    Duane
     
  12. Dano

    Dano Platinum Level Contributor

    Well, I was the one who started screwing up George's ad (sorry George) so if anyone should buy them... Of course if you actually do need them then they're yours:).
     
  13. Dano

    Dano Platinum Level Contributor

    I certainly understood the point that obviously if they weren't available... I'd have to check and see if Olds or Pontiac used them assuming they assembled all the A-Bodies @ Freemont - If not, then they were almost certainly added. I do believe the coolant decal was a factory mistake but I don't disagree that it's certainly possible someone did add the plastic screens & coolant decal to this car. They are 50 year old cars and a lot could've happened and as you said, it could've been easy on in its life.
     
  14. Duane

    Duane Member

    I don't remember if I have a set for the Chevelle, so if you don't need them I will take them.
    Duane
     
  15. Dano

    Dano Platinum Level Contributor

    I don't need them - I have a set on my '70 Freemont car if I do :).
     

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