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#1
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Alternatives to Unobtanium - 71 Deluxe interior white plastic parts
My understanding is no repop exists for many interior plastic parts for the 71 interior, and a deluxe interior is even a worst case.
What have people done for the front seat back panel, seat lever mechanism cover or the rear window trim? Pics of the seat back cover, discolored and slowly crumbling, and seat level mechanism even worse. No picture of the rear window trim, long since crumbled to dust. Even painting parts wont preserve, nor would covering. Looking for ideas. Thanks Ken
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71 Firebird Esprit 94 TA - 396 LT1 powered - Bought new in 1993. Total money pit Cars gone by - 76 Formula, 73 Esprit, 75 Esprit. 87 Buick WE4 |
#2
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1971 seats are not actually one year items like 1970;
Those seats were used for 1972 (both standard and deluxe), then were used as the standard seat (seat covers aside) through to 1977. I would think that reproduction parts, properly painted would be your best option.
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1970 Formula 400 Carousel Red paint on Black standard interior A no-engine, no-transmission, no-wheel option car. Quite likely one of few '70 Muncie three speed Formula 400's left. 1991 Grand Am: 14.4 @ 93.7mph (DA corrected) (retired DD, stock appearing) 2009 Cobalt SS: 13.9 @ 103mph (current DD; makes something north of 300hp & 350ft/lbs) |
#3
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Feel your pain. For me, it's those pull cups on the lower door panels. The plastic is petrified, basically. Look at it cross-eyed and it cracks. There was a guy on eBay selling a pair of them for $450. I've glued one of mine in about six places and I'm thinking of having it plastic-dipped to hide the glue scars.
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"A MAN IS ONLY AS OLD AS THE WOMAN HE FEELS." -- Groucho Marx |
#4
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71 Seat Back panels, will standard fit same as custom/deluxe?
I've known the standard seat back panels were repop'd.
Do they fit the same? I've never compared. I must improve my seat back panels, they detract from the interior, which is now essentially all replaced. Thanks
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71 Firebird Esprit 94 TA - 396 LT1 powered - Bought new in 1993. Total money pit Cars gone by - 76 Formula, 73 Esprit, 75 Esprit. 87 Buick WE4 |
#5
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Unfortunately, just about every color other than black deteriorated fairly quickly if the car was not garaged. Decades ago spent multiple hours in the frigid MN cold fighting to pull perfect original colored kick panels. The '73+ F-body standard seat backs are reproduced, & they fit the '71-72 seats. Being the '73 & later standards, they do have the large recess in them.
Have found its even very hard to find a nice used black '71-72 bucket seat back, & have had a bunch of partscars including a few really nice interior 71 & 72 Esprits. Do have a perfect black panel, w another with a light scratch. WIll be going on my '72 T/A's buckets as soon as back from my upholstery guy.
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Buzzards gotta eat... same as worms. |
#6
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WOuld you believe...
So I got to thinking, or more correctly, remembering, why when I had the seats redone long ago, did I not finish the seat back?
Dug out the list of what might be in the garage attic, and lo and behold- New seat back panels (repops), and some unknown take-off (std interior). I had completely forgotten, of course, 17 years will do that. My originals, the plastic integrity isn't so back (survived some scrubbing) but just so yellowed. The repop should fit, though its a tad larger than the OEs. Clearly different material, grain, and the edges are more a radius then a bevel. Now I'm sure I did not buy paint back then, time for that research, as I recall SEM products and prep the plastic. I'll probably use the OE take-offs and see how that goes.
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71 Firebird Esprit 94 TA - 396 LT1 powered - Bought new in 1993. Total money pit Cars gone by - 76 Formula, 73 Esprit, 75 Esprit. 87 Buick WE4 |
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