Looking for late 70 steel radiator cover, not sure if 71 and 72 are the same This is for a friend not on the board.
Kerry, I'm not sure how precise you want to be with the cover but here is a little summary of radiator covers: While taking photos and notes of original, unrestored cars for many years, this is what I have observed about '70-'72 radiator covers: -'70: Three different covers used this year. Early cars used plastic cover with metal hold down brackets on the ends, then switched to metal with a single large hole, then late in the '7o model year another large hole was added near the first hole for a total of two holes. -'71: 2-hole cover all year - '72: the early cars had a metal cover with two holes (just like the '71 models) but at some point during the production year they increased the number of holes to four. We have a small fleet of '72 Buicks and the early cars have covers with 2 holes, while the later cars all have a cover with four holes. Here are photos of each of the four styles of cover, plastic, 1 hole, 2-hole, and 4-hole. Good luck with your search.
On the 70 metal ones does it matter on number of holes if a/c or non a/c to see the drier sight glass? Or is it a early/ late change as you state? I have a 70 June build non a/c and have both a one hole and a two hole to use and want to use the correct one. Maybe Duane knows gregg
I have one with the single hole. Does anyone know when they transitioned from the plastic to the metal/single hole?
Right around the first or second week of January is what I've read and been told. Around the same time, they also switched to the black overflow cover and flat lenses, among other small things.
some good info form Duane regarding the timing of the change for the radiator cover and other parts: http://v8buick.com/index.php?threads/1970-early-or-1970-late.249223/#post-2038435