1970 Firebird 1973 Firebird Plastic Valance Panel
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A much scarcer plastic valance panel, said to have been used in 1973, has air openings cut out below the top of the panel. What muddles this part's history is that what looks like a plastic version appears in at least one '70 Firebird promo photo and is also present on some purportedly original '72 Firebirds. (One of the most notable Birds with this style is the '72 "SCCA" Trans Am.) From what the author has seen, the plastic version might have been limited to '72 Trans Am and Formula models at one point, or was a mid-production introduction but there is no proof of that. Be that as it may, this part was prone to damage, and it's accepted that the service replacement for it was the earlier steel valance. The Parts Place is reproducing the plastic style and it can be had through other Second-Gen parts suppliers as well. Backing up the '73-only argument though is its manner of attachment; on the underside of the bumper, eight sheet-metal screws held it in place at a point where the Endura bumper material ended and the metal core it was bonded to was exposed. The underside of the earlier bumpers don't have the metal core exposed-but for the weird file, the '72 SCCA Trans Am does appear to have a '72 bumper based on its grille style. View Related Article
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