[Brewster]

I have noticed a few differences with the colors of the Grills on the 1972 Firebird Formulas. It appears most received a complete Silver Grill however I have seen some Black(inner) and Silver (exterior) along with completely all Black.

I have seen nos all Silver Grills and the Black and Silver on ebay so I know they where available over the counter. Which confirms that more then one color was available from GM.

1) Is it possible the Grill colors where determined by the exterior color of the car?
2) Due to uaw strike inventory wasnt consistent and cars got what was in stock?
3) They union personal were color blind?

http://www.autopartsdb.net/assets/im...g/4/485265.JPG

http://www.autopartsdb.net/assets/im...g/4/485575.JPG

http://image.highperformancepontiac....72_grilles.jpg

Let me know your thoughts and or opinions.
Brew

[Bentwheelbob]

Here we go.....

[78w72]

my 72 350 base bird had all silver grilles. from what i have seen of other cars the black inners were on formulas & or t/a's. never seen all black ones.

my opinion is that the black inners look best followed by all silver. not a fan of the all black ones.

[Norwood]

Every thing that I can find states black grill inserts on Trans Am but no mention on Formula. Why would the literature state black for the Trans Am and no mention of it with the Formula. So with that I will guess silver .

[pressthatpedal]

My old 72 Formula 400 that I bought in 1982 had all silver grills

[blue71ta]

this should be an interesting debate. I would think they should be silver with black honeycomb area, same as the '72 T/As. Every other year of second gen Formula had the same grills as the T/A for that same year - either silver with black background or all black.

So I always wondered why '72 would be the only ('70-'81) Formula that had all silver? Doesn't make much sense, if that is indeed the case.

I know the GM press photo of the Sundance Orange (with white interior) car shows all silver grills, but the pre-production photos don't always match the production cars.

The grills on my '72 Formula were painted all black by the previous owner, so I can't tell what they were originally.

[necdb3]

I've never seen a 72 Formula 350, 400, or 455 with ORIGINAL grills that had black in them. Doesn't mean they couldn't have done it, I've just never seen one.

My first car 72 F455, was all silver as well.

Bob stated it well "Here we go"

[giles]

I was surprised to learn, years ago, that 72 formulas were intended to have all-silver grilles. Every other year seems to be black-out. When I have questions like this I go to the MPC or the assembly manual to see what the design "intent" was. I believe you'll find silver in this case. Now it is not unreasonable to assume a few or many were mis built as both parts were on line and available. There's the case of how it was built and how it was supposed to be built and they are not always the same. I prefer to side with "intent" rather than "actual" as mistakes were made and I prefer not to reinforce them. But as an owner you can do what suits you

[Transamric]

My I'm surprised that it does appear '72 Formulas got "base" colored grille centers. My early production 350 Formula has all Argent grilles, but I always assumed this was from incorrect "fender bender" repair.
Does anyone have a 1972 Firebird Assembly Manual or Product Description Manual to see what it shows?

[Norwood]

I guess its really just as simple as looking at the part #..

485264 72 ALL EXC TRANS AM RT
485264 72 ALL EXC TRANS AM LT

485575 72 TRANS AM BLK RT
485576 72 TRANS AM BLK LT

So my 1975 dated book shows all but Trans Am got the same silver grill

[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by Brewster

I have noticed a few differences with the colors of the Grills on the 1972 Firebird Formulas. It appears most received a complete Silver Grill however I have seen some Black(inner) and Silver (exterior) along with completely all Black.

I have seen nos all Silver Grills and the Black and Silver on ebay so I know they where available over the counter. Which confirms that more then one color was available from GM.

1) Is it possible the Grill colors where determined by the exterior color of the car?
2) Due to uaw strike inventory wasnt consistent and cars got what was in stock?
3) They union personal were color blind?

http://www.autopartsdb.net/assets/im...g/4/485265.JPG

http://www.autopartsdb.net/assets/im...g/4/485575.JPG

http://image.highperformancepontiac....72_grilles.jpg

Let me know your thoughts and or opinions.
Brew

The HPP picture is WRONG , so are the others it seems too
ALL 72's Except Trans Am's got argent grilles with chrome trim as Norwood has shown with the part numbers
Base birds, Esprit AND Formula's
Here is a early GM '72 photo taken in sept 71

[blue71ta]

Originally Posted by Formulabruce

The HPP picture is WRONG , so are the others it seems too
ALL 72's Except Trans Am's got argent grilles with chrome trim as Norwood has shown with the part numbers
Base birds, Esprit AND Formula's
Here is a early GM '72 photo taken in sept 71

that's the photo I was referring to in my first post. You'll also notice that it has the steel front valance rather than the "plastic" one.

The GM photo for the '71 T/A (with red interior) clearly has the 1970 bucket seats in it.

The GM photo for the '73 T/A has '72 T/A grills in it. You have to look close, but you can see the honeycomb pattern.

Maybe the '72 Formulas did have the all argent grills, but my point is that the advertising photos often had differences from the assembly line cars. (The '69 T/A and '69 Judge are other examples of this).

There were differences in production line parts versus what the Master Parts Catalog might show as well. It's great as reference material, but not always gospel...

Not trying to be argumentative, just making some points... If the consensus is that they were all silver from the factory, I accept it.

[Bentwheelbob]

Here's more factory art work with what would appear to be argent grills. However, given that both argent and black were available, I bet more than a few non-TA's came out of assembly with black grills, and there could have been TA's with Argent grills. Maybe someone will eventually dig up a "back in the day" picture showing black grills on a non-TA.

[Formulabruce]

There is plenty of Merit to what Blue71ta has said. Especially when it comes to Press or advertising photos..Here is one of a few ORIGINAL press release photos I have with the release attached by Pontiac Relations , for the 1970 Formula 400. Note the argent surround, but a Black Grille. I just took apart a 1970 formula400 front end ( broken grilles were Argent through and through) Note Date
The Date on the pic above by Bob I think is a mid year advertisement

[Formulabruce]

Speaking of Grilles, heres a NOS Grill Molding/trim I see on ebay ( NOT mine) big $$$
http://www.ebay.com/itm/251629832535...S:1120&vxp=mtr

[Norwood]

I sold a pair of nos moldings about 5 years ago for 500.00 if I recall


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[4birds]

After owning several 1972 Formulas, my experience is they have all come from the factory with all siver grills. I also have 2 1972 Trans Ams. One has black molded plastic grills with the silver surrounds painted, the other has light colored molded plastic with the honeycomb part painted black.
I have seen MANY factory inconsistencies and mistakes over the years. These thing were put together by PEOPLE. We all make mistakes.......unless your not normal.

[bird72]

My 72 F400 had silver grilles. I know to some it is a "wish they were black like other years and TA's". I think on a Formula they look great silver as the honeycomb pattern really shows, where on black ones it is hard to see. Silver 72 honeycomb grilles with honeycomb rims, which are about same silver, really set each other off and look great, a one year only design possibility. So to me they are not a darn it thing, but yes, pretty cool thing.

[Formulabruce]

^ ^ ^ X2!! I even did my R/A screens in honeycomb argent!! ( 4th Gen style) ( lots of light in this pic shows my car isnt Black)

[Brewster]

The thing is my Silver car has black grills and there not painted. Do I go Silver due to the masses or keep them black???
Personally I like them both but the deciding factor is to have the car factory correct. Thoughts?

Oh, and yes the valance is already off the car for the correct item along with those Ram Air decals.