The New, Newer Project: Part Tres...

[TMagda]

Steve,

Really cool car. Thanks for all of the posting you do. I really enjoy reading them.

Why are you making a new front valance? For a better fit?

Thanks,

Tom

[njsteve]

The vast majority of the 1972's and 1973's came with the polyethylene valance but they broke very early in the ownership timespan. Some of them even broke while the cars were being driven onto the trailers at the assembly plant. It was a bad design, made out of never before used material, compounded by the mounting holes molded in the wrong place.

The original owner Rick, said the he had replaced the original poly valance with the earlier steel valance early on, when it cracked and shattered.

The poly valance has an upper cross bar that mounts against the underside of the nose and looks much more streamlined than the "gap-tooth" look of the replacement steel valance.

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

I can't wait to see this car at MCACN.

I may have missed it earlier, but is it being certified for survivor status?

Ryan

[njsteve]

I am looking forward to the show. No, the car is not there for any certifcations or awards. Just there to have fun and hang out.

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

Good plan,

Ryan

[njsteve]

I took the white car out today and did a 100 mile round trip. I had to go to PA to run an errand. She sure does cruise nicely at 75 with the 3.08 gears. When I got back, I pulled one of the spark plugs. It looked perfect: nice off-white insulator with a little hint of tan on the electrode.

After two weeks of sanding, priming, and repeating the process, numerous times, I should be painting the polyethylene valance on Monday. So stay tuned for the install.

[njsteve]

After the three hour Votech class last night both sides of the valance are painted and ready to go. I got to wield the paint gun myself for this, so it was rather satisfying to see it go from broken pieces, to primer, and on to paint all by my own hands. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

Looks great, your a one man band now.

Ryan

[njsteve]

Got the finished polyethylene valance installed today. It was reasonably uneventful. I made sure that all the lower mounting bolts have the large flat washers in place and are finger tight so the valance can move and flex with the nose. The upper mounts use #14 screws with attached washers. These, I wrapped in Teflon tape and finger tightened as well. The Teflon tape allows the screws to remain in their position even though they are not fully tightened to spec.

The front end sure looks a lot more streamlined with the polyethylene valance than it did with the warranty replacement steel valance that was installed by the dealer when the original poly valance shattered.

Before, with the steel valance:




And after:





In this shot you can really see the difference in the hue of original paint on the bumper as compared to the front fenders. The flexible nose/bumpers were painted by the manufacturers and installed on the cars in their prepainted configuration, while the body sheetmetal was painted on the Norwood/Fisher Body assembly line.

[GMC_Typhoon]

Beautiful car man,keep up the good work.