Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to Frequently Asked Questions for First Generation Firebirds that have been asked and answered on FGF. Special thanks needs to be given to all the FGF members who took the time to respond to other member's questions.

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Short answer: The 1969 hood-mounted tach was UPC U85 (column code 471), listed “N.A. with 322” — the Trans Am package. So it could be ordered on essentially any 1969 Firebird except the T/A, because the T/A already included it (you didn’t order it separately).

Thomas DeMauro’s “Firebird Decoding Guide 1967–1981” lists the code as UB5 with no T/A restriction — likely a misprint in one of the sources. The T/A exclusion makes sense given the hood design.

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Content last modified: June 13, 2026 at 10:06 am

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Short answer: No alternate refrigerant is a true “drop-in” for R-12, regardless of sales claims — each has drawbacks, and many react badly with R-12 mineral oil. At minimum, flush the system, fit a compatible dryer, use a compatible oil, and use the correct charging fittings.

For a Firebird system the practical choice is 134a — 134a refrigerant, 134a dryer, a multi-compatible oil, and a 134a expansion valve. 134a runs higher head pressure, so a twin-flow condenser is also recommended.

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Short answer: That small coffee-can-shaped canister mounted to the firewall under the driver’s-side fender is the A/C reserve vacuum tank.

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Short answer: The canister with the vacuum hose is the vacuum reservoir for the A/C system’s actuators (it stores extra vacuum for the controls); the stray wire/plug is the radio antenna lead.

How the A/C actuators work: they’re used only in the “COLD IA” (cold inside air / recirc) position, just left of COLD. Two parallel vacuum pots: one closes the cowl-plenum flapper (shutting off outside air), the other opens the passenger kick-panel vent to draw inside air into the evaporator. “COLD OA” (just right of COLD) switches the vacuum off so the springs return them for outside air. Mid-way toward HOT the compressor switches off and intake air mixes through the heater core; full HOT runs all air through the heater core. VENT opens the plenum and closes the recirc with the compressor off and heater bypassed.

The kick-panel flapper replaces the manual one on non-A/C cars (a domed color-matched cover protects it). Without the actuators you lose the MAX-AC/RECIRC function — likely fine in cooler climates.

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Short answer: No true Ram Air car ever got factory A/C — that means 1967–68 Ram Air I, 1968 Ram Air II, and 1969 Ram Air IV cars. But a 1969 400 H.O. (“Ram Air III”) could get A/C with any transmission.

The reason: the 1969 RA III (the 400 H.O. with cold-air induction) was essentially a standard 400 mechanically — no mandatory 3.90, no special heads, 2-bolt mains (the manual RA III did get the 068 cam) — so PMD allowed A/C. Note the year quirk: A/C wasn’t offered with a manual transmission in 1968, though it could be in 1967 and 1969.

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Short answer: Before tearing into it, find the leak — a shop recharge may be cheaper than you expect. If converting to 134a, a NAPA-type kit (new O-rings + Ester oil) handles it: drain the old oil via the plug on the bottom of the compressor and add new, lube all new O-rings, replace the receiver-dryer, and flush the evaporator/condenser to remove incompatible old oil.

Use denatured alcohol (not brake cleaner) to flush — brake cleaner is too harsh on old rubber. Replace rubber lines with 134a “barrier” hose (134a permeates ordinary hose). And note: 1969 systems have no pressure/cycling switch (those came in the late ’70s/’80s), so the compressor runs on control power even with no Freon — the compressor running doesn’t mean the charge is OK. A clogged evaporator can also kill cooling.

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Short answer: You don’t need a newer compressor — rebuilt GM A-6 compressors use seals/oil compatible with R-12 or 134a (confirm it’s freshly rebuilt). For a proper 134a conversion: use a kit to replace the O-rings, switch the whole system to Ester (not PAG) oil, change to a 134a-type dryer, and flush every component (compressed air + denatured alcohol, each part separately) to remove all old R-12 oil.

Add the correct oil to each component before reassembly, fit the new-style fittings, and have a licensed shop evacuate and charge it. Install the dryer last (at the shop) so moisture doesn’t ruin it, and replace rubber lines with 134a “barrier” hose.

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Short answer: Doable — figure roughly $1,000 and a weekend. The popular choice is a Vintage Air kit (R134a-compatible, more compact and efficient than the factory system, and most of it hides inside the car — which also makes spark-plug changes far easier than on a factory-A/C car).

The kit is custom-made for the car with the needed brackets and hoses. Both Vintage Air and A/C pros recommend leaving the final charging and testing to a professional (to avoid venting refrigerant) — many capable owners install the kit themselves and have a shop do the charge.

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Short answer: Use a trunk-mounted CD changer that plays through the dash FM radio — tune the radio to a set frequency (e.g., 89.1) to hear the CDs, and control the changer with a remote you mount discreetly. That way you keep a stock-looking radio in the dash.

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Short answer: You can upgrade sound with little or no cutting. The no-holes route: a vintage Audiovox AM-FM converter that fits inside the ashtray, wired to the back of the factory AM radio — open the ashtray to change bands/stations. Period-correct, cheap, and fully reversible.

A more ambitious near-stock install (one member’s): a Sony head unit in the dash; an EQ and mini-gauges bracketed to the ashtray brackets; a pair of 5-1/4″ speakers at the dash mono-speaker location (on fabricated sheet metal); two 6×9 enclosures hung from the trunk-deck stationary panel (angled up, leaving room for a CD changer between them); and Sony amps mounted by the cocktail-shaker area. Quality head units have built-in noise filtering, so no extra suppressors were needed. (The aftermarket dash-speaker kit and its 4″ speakers were judged not worth it.)

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Short answer: In 1969 (unlike the 1968’s plug-in multiplex), stereo used a separate radio, and the AM/FM Stereo needs its matched external multiplex (MPX) unit to work; the plain AM and AM/FM radios work standalone (power + speaker only).

  • All three 1969 Firebird radios had longer pushbuttons (to reach through the angled dash). AM and AM/FM had black buttons; the Stereo had chrome. On AM/FM and Stereo, the left button is molded “AM,” the right “FM.”
  • The AM/FM Stereo’s MPX mounts above the glovebox; the 9-pin connector cable is on the radio and plugs into the MPX (opposite the 1968 arrangement).
  • The 8-track is self-contained. AM/8-track combos played the AM through the dash speaker and the tape through the four (kick-panel + rear) speakers — with no switch, so both could play at once. Repro harnesses are available for each application.

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Short answer: The 3-tab connector on the back of a 1967 radio, reading left to right, is: speaker, speaker, +12V.

     +------------+
     | --  --  -- |
     +------------+
       ^   ^   ^
       |   |   +----- +12V
       |   +--------- Speaker
       +------------- Speaker
This view is looking into the connector with the radio’s faceplate toward you (the connector actually faces the floor when installed). The two speaker tabs share a common ground.

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Short answer: Yes — the factory AM/FM radio came with a “shorting plug” in an auxiliary socket; the dealer removed it when installing the FM multiplex (stereo) adapter. The plug has a vacuum-tube-style pin layout carrying the volume, balance, and tone controls.

When the multiplex adapter plugs into that socket, it disables those functions in the radio and moves them to the adapter, adding the second stereo channel across the 4-speaker system. This was the dealer-installed setup for 1967–68 Firebirds (other models could get a similar system as factory equipment). The pin count in that socket also helps a radio expert confirm a unit is a correct Pontiac radio.

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Short answer: Per the 1967 Firebird Service Manual supplement, the antenna should lean inboard about 4° when viewed from the front or rear, and stand vertical when viewed from the side.

This spec is given for both the front and rear fender mounts, and the 1968 is believed to be the same.

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All of these antenna parts are interchangeable across 1967–68 Firebirds. The mast itself (3934224) is the same for both the front-fender and rear-quarter mounts — what differs is the trim bezel, the ground ring, and the lead-in cable. The body, mounting nut, and mast are common to both positions.

1967–68 Firebird Antenna Part Numbers
Part Front Rear
Mast 3934224 3934224 (same)
Bezel 3897333 (front fender) 3903424 (rear quarter)
Body 3880695 3880695 (same)
Mounting nut 3863499 3863499 (same)
Ground ring 3863239 3903406
Lead-in cable 3897334 3897311

Front antenna order list: 3934224, 3897333, 3880695, 3863499, 3863239, 3897334
Rear antenna order list: 3934224, 3903424, 3880695, 3863499, 3903406, 3897311

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Short answer: The antenna body and large mounting nut are the same between the 1968 Firebird and Camaro front-fender antenna. Members differ on the mast and bezel — see below.

Member opinions differ:

  • One: the body, bezel, and nut are identical, and the mast is likely the same too (differences minor if any).
  • Another: the mast is different and the bezel is likely different; the body and large nut are the same. (Note there is no “AM/FM”-specific Pontiac antenna — that is a Chevy distinction.)

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Short answer: The standard antenna location on a 1968 Firebird is the right-hand front fender. An optional right-hand rear-quarter antenna was also available. Which one your car came with is recorded on its Body Broadcast Sheet (if still in the car) or its Billing History. Reproduction parts are available for both.

There is no single “factory-correct” position for the rear-quarter hole — four original Firebirds measured no two exactly alike, because the assembly line stamped the hole using a hand-placed template rather than a machine. The figures below, gathered and cross-checked by members, get you as close as the factory did.

Rear antenna hole — measured on original cars:

  • From the back of the car forward: three cars measured 14½”, 15¼”, and 15¼”
  • Lateral position: about 27″ from the car’s centerline (one member’s working figure; the factory drawing lists 28.94″)
  • Hole diameter: 1⅛” (1.125″)
  • Bezel-key notch: 0.14″ wide × 0.12″ long (about ⅛” × ⅛”), rotated ~75° from horizontal — roughly the 5 o’clock position looking down at the hole from behind the car

Cross-checked against a 1968 Camaro assembly manual (same application):

  • 1.125″ diameter hole
  • 1.875″ — centerline to quarter edge at the trunk gap
  • 1.750″ — centerline to quarter character line (outboard)
  • 15.375″ — centerline to bottom edge of quarter panel (at the trunk edge line)

The factory drawing originally listed the location as 114.25″ and 28.94″ “PV.” The 28.94″ is from the car’s centerline; the 114.25″ is measured from the front edge of the heater/AC air box, which sticks out about 1″ past the firewall — so measure 113.25″ back from the firewall itself.

1968 Camaro assembly drawing showing rear antenna placement, same application as the Firebird
Camaro assembly drawing for the rear-antenna location (same application as the Firebird). Click to enlarge.

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Short answer: The 1968 Firebird used a telescoping (manual) mast, not a whip antenna — regardless of whether the car had an AM or AM/FM radio. GM did not use whip antennas on the 1968 (or other 1960s models); they were all telescoping until the 1970s.

The main variation is in the ball/tip design — some tips have one groove, some two, some none; some are round, some oval.

For a replacement, a good NOS mast is usually the better route, since rechroming an original is difficult and costly.

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Short answer: The standard antenna on all 1967–69 Firebirds (with the radio option) was a manual mast on the right-hand front fender.

A manual rear quarter-panel antenna (right-hand side) was optional on 1967–68 only. Late in 1969, an optional power antenna became available, also on the right rear quarter panel.

The manual rear antenna was not offered on the 1969 Firebird, at least not in any known documentation.

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Short answer: Yes — all 1968–72 GM A-body cars (Chevelle, GTO/LeMans, Cutlass, Monte Carlo, Skylark, etc.) use the same armrest pad and base as the 1968–69 Firebird/Camaro standard interior, and the inside door handles are the same. They turn up at wreckers in all colors.

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Short answer: The Year One / Ames repro ashtrays fit correctly but aren’t exact — 1967–68 rear ashtrays had ribbed covers, and the reproduction covers don’t have the ridges.

Also note the ashtrays changed size in 1968: the 1967 units are noticeably larger and won’t fit a 1968 or 1969 (a junkyard 1967 set won’t drop into a later car).

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Short answer: The assist handle over the glovebox came on Custom Interior Firebirds (those cars also got the instrument-panel emblem on the glovebox door). Headrests were an option on the 1968 (code 572).

The exact mounting locations for the under-hood light and compass weren’t confirmed in this thread.

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Short answer: The bird emblem on the glovebox door came with the Custom Trim option (there’s no separate sales code for just the emblem), and all 1967s had it. Some standard-trim early 1968s also have it — there’s no firm rule on why.

The “bird” glass is still a mystery — no factory documentation explains the criteria, and it’s been shown not to be tied to Custom Trim, convertibles, 400s, power windows, tinted glass, or A/C. It does seem limited to early-build 1968s, though the cutoff date isn’t established.

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Short answer: Burlwood trim was used on all 1968–69 consoles, all 1968 dash center plates, and the 1969 Custom-trim dash only. So a 1969 Standard-trim car with a console has a burlwood console but a non-wood dash.

The 1969 sales brochure called that dash “camera-case grain” — black within the chromed border, matching the interior color outside it. Black-grained consoles you may have seen are 1967 Firebird/Camaro (it’s what’s under a 1968–69 burlwood applique). In 1967 the dash center plate had a straight-grain wood-like finish and the console had no wood.

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Short answer: The one-piece ACC-style kits fit well — often better than the original. Position the carpet over the high-beam switch first and the rest pretty much falls into place.

  • Rear seat-bracket bolts: don’t cut full holes — cut a three-sided ~1.5″ × 1.5″ slot and fold the flap back to drive the bolt, then fold it back over (or use a scratch awl to find the center and make a small incision). Both look factory.
  • Shifter boot (manual): cut just enough for the shifter to work and leave the rest — it’s very easy to cut this hole too big; a little extra material around it doesn’t hurt.

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Short answer: The chrome louvered “pancake” air cleaner was stock on 1967 Firebird 400s without A.I.R. (it was also used on Corvettes). California 400s, which came with the A.I.R. emissions system, used a traditional closed-snorkel air cleaner with a chrome top instead. Either way the car also had chrome valve covers, breather, and master-cylinder cover.

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Short answer: Unsnap the wire from the back (it just snaps on), then unscrew the housing from the backside.

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Short answer: You can buy replacement lenses, or restore yours: wet-sand lightly with very fine paper (1500–2000 grit, higher is better) using warm soapy water, then polish with a plastic/lens polish (Mother’s works). They’ll look bad right after sanding, but the polish brings them back clear like new. Repeat a few times per lens.

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Short answer: Yes — you can service these points-type clocks yourself and get the original tick back.

  1. Remove the adjustment knob (unscrew counter-clockwise), the two side screws holding the “cup,” and the nut on the +12V tab to free the mechanism.
  2. Take the back off the clockworks (three screws on stanchions). Careful: the winder mechanism (a white spring holding half the points) is spring-loaded and can unwind.
  3. Dress the points with a points file or a thin emery board.
  4. Lube only the bearing points (where a gear shaft touches a plate) — use a WD-40 straw to place a tiny dot exactly where you want it (clocks dislike excess oil, which attracts dirt).
  5. Rewind the spring (about three wraps) and reassemble.

If the +12V coil tab is broken off, unwrap one turn of the coil to get enough wire to solder to.

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Short answer: You can often fix one yourself — redress the contact points and put a little light oil on the gears. If not, several shops repair them or convert them to quartz.

  • DIY: clean the mechanism with an electronics cleaner like “Blast Off,” add a tiny bit of very light oil, then run it on the battery for several days before reinstalling.
  • Quartz conversion: ~$100; keeps perfect time and looks identical — many members feel the mechanical movement isn’t worth saving.
  • Shops: listed in Vintage Parts 411, Year One, and Hemmings Motor News. One named: ISI, Instrument Services, Inc., 11765 Main Street, Roscoe, Illinois 61073 — 1-800-558-2674 (clocks, speedometers, tachs, gauges, clusters; 1920s–1980s).

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Short answer: The three wires: orange = constant +12V; black (with the clip) = ground; gray = the light.

At the clock, the gray wire goes to a quick-disconnect; the other half joins a blue wire to the bulb socket. The gray light wire connects to the console shifter light.

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Short answer: Here’s the collected (and still partly unverified) information on the 1967–68 Firebird clock option — corrections from documented original cars are welcome.

  • Face color: 1967 gauges/tach/clock had a black face; 1968 had a steel-blue face.
  • Console mount: used a special adaptor base plus a bracket under the console (the 1968 service manual doesn’t show the adaptor base).
  • Floor mount: used only a bracket, mounted under the carpet.
  • NOS examples seen: black face with orange hour/minute hands and a white second hand; steel-blue face with white hour/minute hands and an orange second hand.

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Short answer: On 1969 Firebirds, the electric clock (sales code 474) went in the upper-right rectangular pod.

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Short answer: For a 1968 Parchment Custom Interior: the carpet should be black, the kick panels black, and the U-shaped door-jamb strip parchment.

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Short answer: The console clock cases were all black.

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Short answer: Flip the console over — the plastic already has cast-in holes (with reinforcement) on the underside where the clock screws go.

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Short answer: The 1967 console top had a satin-black “camera-case grain” finish. For 1968–69, Pontiac added a burled-walnut metal applique (with matching door and rear covers) and eliminated the rear ashtray and light.

The main console structure and chrome rails were the same all three Firebird years (and the 1967 Camaro). Unbolt a 1968–69 walnut applique and you’re looking at a 1967 console with holes drilled for the applique studs. The appliques differed between standard- and automatic-equipped cars.

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Short answer: The factory manual just says “remove the console,” so here’s the real procedure members use:

  1. Pop off the black plastic button on top (it just snaps in).
  2. Loosen the set screw inside the T-handle (right side) and pull the handle off the shaft.
  3. Remove the PRNDL shift plate — it’s held by either 4 chrome screws through the top or hidden snap-in clips (gently pry up to release the clips) so the console can slide over it.
  4. Remove the small screw on each side at the front of the console, plus the larger floor screws: one inside the console bin (bottom) and one under the rear cover (remove the cover’s sheet-metal screws first); some also have a bolt up in the glovebox.

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Short answer: Only the 1967 Camaro console is the same as the “standard” console used in 1967–69 Firebirds. The shift-plate insert can be changed to suit either an automatic or a manual transmission.

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Short answer: Yes — shoulder belts were available in first-gen convertibles; the 1969 Fisher Body Manual shows front and rear installation. The front belt’s outer strap anchored near the convertible-top pivot (coming through the box around the top mounts); the rear belt’s outer strap mounted in the trunk at one of the cocktail-shaker bolts.

Look at the upright rear-seat support of any F-body convertible — there’s a ~3″ indentation on each side for the belt to pass over. (One oddity: a rear passenger belted in tightly could get choked if you lower the top into its well.)

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Short answer: Both a chrome and a black 1968 convertible-top switch are correct — owners who’ve had their cars since new confirm both (chrome on some, black on early-1968 cars). There’s no outside bezel; the factory hole was often cut sloppily.

These switches burn out from the top motor’s high current — some members add a relay to the circuit to protect the switch points. Reproductions are mostly the black switch (Performance Years #RFI242); the chrome one mainly turns up NOS on eBay.
1968 chrome convertible-top switch
1968 chrome top switch.
1968 black convertible-top switch
1968 black top switch.
Convertible-top switch side view
Side view (note the factory hole cut).

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Short answer: 1968 interior paint breaks down by sheen:

Flat colors
Parts Color / Code
Upper instrument panel, rear-window defroster grille, radio speaker grille Flat Black — DuPont 4428L
Semi-gloss (lower instrument panel, rear-seat folding back panel, air-outlet bushing)
Color DuPont #
Black 88L
Dark Red 9201LM
Dark Blue Met. 94520H
Dark Teal Met. 9453LH
Dark Turquoise Met. 9454LH
Dark Gold Met. 9456L
Dark Saddle Met. 9458L
The rear package tray is flat, not semi-gloss: black stays black, parchment (white) is painted black, red stays red. The 1968 Pontiac Dealer Service Information Bulletin codes vary slightly from the above — use those first (PDF below).

[pdfjs-viewer url=/dtb/docs/68-I-12.pdf viewer_height=800px fullscreen=true download=false print=true]

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Short answer: Firebird rear seats are the same width in coupe and convertible — both had rear armrests. (The “convertible seats are narrower” idea comes from Camaros, where the coupe had no rear armrests and a wider seat, except fold-down-equipped cars.) Bottom line: if the car has rear armrests, the seat is the correct Firebird width for either body style.

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Short answer: The correct directional/cruise lever-and-switch assembly is part #6465256 for 1968–70 (with cruise control), and #6455211 for 1967. The cruise lever is parts group 3.887 (the standard lever is group 2.897).

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Short answer: No — Custom interior did not automatically include custom seat belts. Belts were a separate option from the interior (as were shoulder belts). Members have Custom-interior cars with standard belts and Standard-interior cars with deluxe belts.

Ordering deluxe belts also didn’t mean you got shoulder belts. The rarest combination would be a convertible with deluxe shoulder belts.

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Short answer: The 1968 Custom Trim Option is code 554, and the trim-tag style number tells you what your car has. Note that the Custom Trim Option (554) and the Custom/Deluxe interior are separate — you can have the option with standard interior.

1968 Trim-Tag Style Numbers
Coupe Conv. Meaning
22337 22367 Standard interior, no Custom Trim option
22437 22467 Standard interior, with Custom Trim option
22637 22667 Deluxe (Custom) interior, with Custom Trim option

Custom Trim Option (554) included: deluxe wheel discs, deluxe steering wheel, molded-vinyl door and quarter trim, vinyl-and-weave seats, roof-rail moldings, wheel-opening moldings, instrument-panel grip (grab bar), pedal trim, and dual horns. It also came with different (longer) window regulators.

Speculated as included (not confirmed): 160-mph speedo, “BIRD” emblem on the glove-box door, custom/deluxe seat belts (brushed-metal buckles), the small white “BIRD” etched on the front side glass, interior windshield A-pillar moldings, and wheel trim rings (when ordered with Rally II wheels).

Any of these items could be ordered individually on a standard-interior car (22437/22467) — except the deluxe interior itself, which defines 22637/22667.

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Short answer: The 1968 Custom Trim option (554) included: Custom seat covers (Morrokide + stitched knit vinyl), custom molded door and quarter trim panels, the assist bar above the glovebox, dual horns, deluxe wheel covers, deluxe steering wheel, custom pedal trim, front & rear wheel-opening moldings, drip-rail moldings (coupes), and windshield-pillar garnish moldings.

The RH sideview mirror was not part of the option. Everything in the package could be ordered separately on a Standard-trim car except the custom seats/trim panels and the assist bar. (And contrary to a common claim, the etched “Bird” front-side glass was not tied to Custom Trim — many original Standard-trim cars have it.) More on FGF.

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Short answer: Deluxe (Custom) vs. Standard belt buckles:

  • Deluxe: brushed-chrome metal buckle cover; the latch (“spade”) has a narrow slot.
  • Standard: color-keyed plastic cover; wide latch slot.
  • Button emblem: 1967–68 Deluxe used the Fisher coach emblem (black); 1969 and later used the GM Mark of Excellence (blue).

Members’ measurements differ a bit: one cites a 9/16″ (Deluxe) vs 1-1/8″ (Standard) spade slot; another, measuring an original 1968 Deluxe set, gives the buckle’s latch slot at ~2.1875″ wide and the male latch slot at .50×.625″.

Mystery: some Firebirds (e.g., a documented 1968 RA I convertible with original date-coded Deluxe belts) came with Deluxe belts not noted on the paperwork — another unexplained one, like the “Bird” glass.

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Short answer: The walnut knob was a 1968 factory or dealer option. Only the GTO used the unique “GTO crest” knob; everything else, Firebird included, used the “Pontiac Motor Division” knob with the shift-pattern design.

A few cars reportedly left dealers with a GTO knob (likely just dealer stock used to dress cars up). Note only the GTO knob has been correctly reproduced — the PMD repro is a cheap version with an incorrect adhesive lucite medallion (no detail) and an incorrectly formed knob. Figure ~$75 and up for a correct used/NOS PMD knob.

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Short answer: The part numbers: 984700 = 1968 Firebird/full-size 4-speed Custom Walnut knob; 9794300 = 1969 all 4-speed. This was a factory/dealer option for all Pontiacs, with a unique smaller GTO-crest version used on the GTO (’65–68).

Members who compared an original to a reproduction noted the repro differs noticeably in size and detail — worth knowing if you’re chasing a correct look.

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Short answer: For 1968 Firebirds the instrument panel was painted to match the interior color (not the body color). Find your trim number on the body tag and match it to the chart below.

Upper Instrument Panel (0° gloss) — 1968
Color Trim Numbers
Velvet Black 253-272-259-269-260-275-262-273
Aleutian Blue 250-255
Laguna Turquoise 261-256
Burgundy 252-258
Interior (30° gloss) — 1968
Color Trim Numbers
Starlight Black 253-272-259-269-260-275-262-273
Aleutian Blue 250-255
Laguna Turquoise 261-256
April Gold 251-257
Regimental Red 252-258
Source: Pontiac Service Craftsman News, No. 1 — 1968, pg. 8. (Note: 251-257 and the April Gold row are missing from the upper-panel chart; April Gold is the likely fit.) The full chart, including company paint codes for mixing, is in the PDF below.


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Short answer: Replacing the cowl/dash panel is one of the easier sheet-metal jobs — if the windshield and front clip are out of the way (none of the seams show). The old panel is spot-welded under the dash pad and along the front under the cowl, brazed at the front corners, with a small weld on each “A” pillar.

Getting access: You don’t have to fully remove the front clip — pull the steering column, loosen the four subframe bolts, unbolt the fenders top and bottom, loosen the exhaust and the brake/fuel lines, and slide the clip forward 3–4″ to expose the seams while leaving the heater/AC hoses and brake lines connected. (Or remove the fenders/clip and windshield outright.) Wire-wheel or sandblast the cowl area first to reveal how much metal beyond the panel needs replacing.

Removing the old panel:

  • Inside, remove the dash pad and cut the panel loose at the top edge under the pad (or drill the spot welds under the pad).
  • On the firewall/cowl side, drill out the spot welds; grind out the brazed front-corner welds; cut the tack weld on each front (A-pillar) column flush, leaving the tabs on the pillars to reuse.
  • Remove and keep the VIN plate — it has to stay with the car and transfer to the new panel.

Installing the new panel: repair any holes in the cowl, prime/paint the new panel, pre-drill the spot-weld holes, reinstall the VIN plate, secure with self-tapping/sheet-metal screws and weld, touch up burnt paint, then caulk all exposed seams (the cowl seam and any chrome-mounting holes) to prevent leaks. Reinstall with caulk where the original foam seal was.

Tips: Do the areas that don’t show first (floors, trunk, cowl), then the outside — less heartbreak if you slip. If a body shop does rust repair under the windshield, tell them the area ~1″ forward of the angled bend (near the VIN) needs a clean finish too — shops often assume it’s hidden.

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Short answer: You can order a wiring diagram (which covers the dash printed circuit board) from Classic Industries or most other restoration catalogs — about $7 for a ~20-page set.

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Short answer: Besides the ~8 perimeter screws, the pad is held by nuts on studs molded into it, hidden underneath in the middle — reach them through the radio opening (you’ll need to remove a few accessories first).

At the lower “ears” the pad is held by spring-steel clips on pegs (push-in, like today’s Christmas-tree fasteners) — these are tough to remove without tearing the pad, so go slowly.

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Bulletin 68-I-13 — Pontiac Motor Division Dealer Service Information Bulletin, Section 1A, dated October 31, 1967. Attention: Service Manager.

Subject: Revised Procedure for Evaporator Core Removal — 1967–1968 Pontiac, 1968 Tempest, 1967–1968 Firebird 6-Cyl.

Short answer: An improved removal method for the evaporator core or left case half is described below; the flat-rate times in this bulletin supersede those in the 1967 Flat Rate Manual and the new Warranty & Flat Rate Manual immediately.

Evaporator Core — Removal Procedure

  1. Depressurize the refrigeration system.
  2. Disconnect the oil bleed and equalizer line at the P.O.A. valve.
  3. Disconnect P.O.A. inlet and expansion valve outlet fittings and cap all openings.
  4. R&R insulation at the expansion valve thermo bulb and remove clamps.
  5. On Pontiac models, disconnect the water control valve and hose and remove from bracket.
  6. On Pontiac models, remove the screw retaining the expansion valve to the bracket.
  7. Remove the screw or screws from the P.O.A. valve bracket.
  8. Remove screws retaining the left half of the case (inboard side) to the dash and to the right half of the case.
  9. On 1967 Pontiacs, remove the spark plug wire bracket.
  10. Gently pry the case from the sealer (on Pontiac models, use care not to destroy the gasket).
  11. On Tempest V-8, use a long bar and pry up slightly on the right side of the engine to allow removal of the case; on Pontiac models, tilt the top of the case towards the engine. On Firebird and Tempest 6-cyl. models, remove the left case half.
  12. Remove the core.
  13. To replace, reverse the removal procedure.
  14. Use care to reseal the case halves and the case to the dash.

Evaporator Case Left Half — Removal Procedure

1967 and 1968 Pontiacs: Follow the evaporator core removal procedure above; the case half can then be removed.

1968 Tempest Models:

  1. Remove screws attaching the left case half to the dash and to the right case half. Remove the expansion valve bracket retaining screw.
  2. Pry gently on the case and separate from the dash and right case half.
  3. On V-8s, use a long bar to lift the right side of the engine slightly, which allows removal of the case.
  4. Remove the case and reseal.

1967–68 Firebird 6-Cyl. Models:

  1. Remove the P.O.A. valve from the bracket, disconnect the inlet oil bleed and equalizer line, and lay aside.
  2. Disconnect the resistor and relay wires.
  3. Remove the case attaching screws, pry loose, and remove the case. Carefully reseal when assembling.

Revised Flat-Rate Times

Column headers: P = Pontiac, T = Tempest, F = Firebird. Values are in hours.

Flat-Rate Times — Evaporator Service Operations
Operation Model Year P (Pontiac) T (Tempest) F (Firebird)
013-150-00 Evaporator Core — Replace & Seal — 01 6-Cylinder 68 .9 .9
67 2.9 .9
013-150-00 Evaporator Core — Replace & Seal — 02 V-8 68 1.3 1.2 2.4
67 1.3 2.9 2.4
013-152-00 Evaporator Case Assembly — Replace — 01 Left Half (Inboard) — 6-Cylinder
(Do not add for evacuate and charge time on 1968 Tempest)
68 .6 .9
67 2.9 .9
013-152-00 Evaporator Case Assembly — Replace — 01 Left Half (Inboard) — V-8
(Do not add for evacuate and charge time on 1968 Tempest)
68 1.3 .8 2.4
67 1.3 2.9 2.4
This is a transcription of the original dealer bulletin for easier reading and search. The complete original scan is shown below.

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Bulletin 68-I-35 — Pontiac Motor Division Dealer Service Information Bulletin, Section 2, dated January 31, 1968. Attention: Service Manager.

Subject: Soiled or Stained Seat Belts.

Short answer: Clean soiled or stained seat belts only with a mild soap and lukewarm water solution — volatile cleaners and redyeing both weaken the belt fiber and must not be used.

Soiled or stained seat belts should only be cleaned with a mild soap and lukewarm water solution. Use of volatile cleaners could remove color and weaken the fiber.

Note: Under no circumstances should seat belts be redyed, as this could also weaken the fiber.

This is a transcription of the original dealer bulletin for easier reading and search. The complete original scan is shown below.

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Bulletin 68-I-36 — Pontiac Motor Division Dealer Service Information Bulletin, Section 1A, dated January 31, 1968. Attention: Service Manager.

Subject: Operating Instructions for 1968 Pontiac Custom Air Conditioning System.

Short answer: Owners and service personnel should understand the two rotary switches and six mode buttons of the 1968 Pontiac Custom A/C system; the Freon compressor operates automatically above freezing in any mode except VENT, and each button directs airflow differently.

There appears to be some lack of understanding as to proper operation of the new 1968 Pontiac Custom Air Conditioning system. Owners’ acceptance of this new and flexible system will be much greater if they are instructed as to its proper operation at the time of new car delivery or when cars are in for service.

The control panel should be used as follows: Set the two rotary switches on the left and right side of the control to the desired blower speed and air temperature, respectively. With the SYSTEM button in the OFF position, depress any one of the other five buttons (INSIDE, A/C, BI-LEVEL, HEATER, or DE-ICE). The system will now operate in the mode and at the temperature and blower speed selected. If ambient temperature is above freezing, the Freon compressor will also automatically operate to minimize potential fogging. If it is desired not to operate the Freon compressor, it can be shut off by merely depressing the SYSTEM button to the first detent stop, at which time VENT will appear in the left window. If any other button except SYSTEM is then depressed, the Freon compressor will again operate (temperature above freezing) until the SYSTEM button is once again depressed to VENT. An ambient switch prevents Freon compressor operation whenever the temperature is below freezing.

Air flow from the various outlets in the system is controlled by the mode buttons, in order of occurrence on the panel:

1968 Pontiac Custom Air Conditioning — Mode Button Reference
Button Button Position System Function
1. SYSTEM OFF Air door closed and blower off.
1. SYSTEM ON Mode as selected by other five buttons — Freon compressor operating if temperature is above freezing.
1. SYSTEM VENT Mode as selected by other five buttons — Freon compressor off.
2. INSIDE Depressed Inside air is recirculated at temperature and blower speed as desired through five A/C outlets. This mode is suited for quick cool-down in hot weather.
3. A/C Depressed Outside air delivered at temperature & blower speed as desired through five A/C outlets. Suited to normal hot weather operation.
3. A/C Depressed w/VENT Supplies air through five A/C outlets which is the same temperature as outside air temperature (control set to all blue bars) or air may be heated by rotating the temperature control toward maximum heat (all red bars).
4. BI-LEVEL Depressed Outside air delivered through A/C and heater outlets at temperature and blower speed desired.
5. HEATER Depressed Outside air delivered through heater outlet at temperature and blower speed desired. Suited to cold weather operation.
5. HEATER Depressed w/VENT Outside air delivered through heater outlet at temperature and blower speed desired. Freon compressor is off.
6. DE-ICE Depressed Outside air delivered to windshield at temperature and blower speed desired. System button “ON” is recommended at all times for removing fog or ice from the windshield.
Refer owners to page 40 of the Owner’s Manual.
This is a transcription of the original dealer bulletin for easier reading and search. The complete original scan is shown below.

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Bulletin 68-I-47 — Pontiac Motor Division Dealer Service Information Bulletin, Section 5, dated February 28, 1968. Attention: Service Manager.

Subject: Complaints of Low Brake Pedal.

Short answer: Many low brake pedal complaints on power-brake-equipped vehicles are psychological in nature — the depressed floor area directly below the pedal is a design feature. Pedal height should be measured as described below; pedal height must not be adjusted, and if it does not meet specification, a full brake system inspection per the 1968 Pontiac Service Manual is required.

The area of the floorboard located directly below the brake pedal is depressed by design, allowing full travel of the brake pedal in the fully applied position and permitting the driver to pivot his foot from the accelerator to the brake with no appreciable raising of the foot (see the scan below, Fig. 1).

Correct method to check brake pedal height (see the scan below, Fig. 2): With the pedal in the fully released position, measure from the lower (inner) edge of the pedal pad to the raised area of the floor. The distance should be 2½″. This measurement may vary slightly depending on the amount of compression applied to the carpet and jute.

It is important that no attempt be made to adjust pedal height.

The specification requires that the brake pedal clevis (which connects the pedal arm to the pushrod) be torqued at the clevis stop nut to 90 lb-in. This applies to all 1968 applications.

If pedal height does not meet specifications, perform a thorough check of the brake pedal and associated parts (mounting bracket, clevis adjustment, etc.) and perform repairs as outlined in the 1968 Pontiac Service Manual.

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Bulletin 68-I-59 — Pontiac Motor Division Dealer Service Information Bulletin, Section 2, dated April 18, 1968. Attention: Service Manager.

Subject: Positioning of Inside Rear View Mirror — All Series.

Short answer: The 1968 mirror support has two ball sockets — one behind the mirror and one at the upper end of the bracket — allowing the entire assembly to swing fore, aft, and sideways. Many owners are unaware of this feature; dealers should inform customers who have difficulty positioning their mirror.

It has come to our attention that many owners apparently are not aware that the 1968 mirror support on all series has an exclusive feature consisting of a second ball socket at the upper end of the mirror bracket. This second ball socket allows the entire mirror bracket to swing fore and aft and sideways.

Coupled with the ball socket behind the mirror, this feature allows practically unlimited repositioning of the rear view mirror to any location necessary to please the most discriminating customers.

You may wish to convey this information to those customers who express concern over an inability to use the rear view mirror efficiently.

This is a transcription of the original dealer bulletin for easier reading and search. The complete original scan is shown below.

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Bulletin 68-I-77 — Pontiac Motor Division Dealer Service Information Bulletin, Section 9, dated June 7, 1968. Attention: Service Manager.

Subject: 1967–68 Turn Signal Switch Requires Positive Action.

Short answer: High effort to actuate the turn signal switch is a design feature required to provide positive engagement for both the lane-change and full-turn positions; no warranty claims should be submitted for switch replacement due to this condition.

If a complaint of “high effort” required to actuate the turn signal switch is received, advise the owner that this condition exists because of the design requirement for a positive action for both “lane change and full turn positions.”

Claims are not to be submitted for the replacement of switches for this condition.

This is a transcription of the original dealer bulletin for easier reading and search. The complete original scan is shown below.

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Short answer: Those bullet-shaped plastic inserts (which hold the metal door-panel clips in the door) are hard to find — parts counters stock the metal clip but not the insert.

Member fix (~$0.10 each): a 3/8″ drywall anchor has the right outside diameter. Drill the inside out with a 5/32″ bit about 5/8″ deep, trim off the three side ribs (the drywall grippers) with a razor knife, and it snaps into the door hole and grips the clip perfectly.

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Short answer: The only difference between 1968 and 1969 door panels is the door-lock-knob hole location — 1968 has it near the rear of the door; 1969 moved it about 9–10″ forward (a GM-wide change so drivers didn’t have to reach behind themselves). New Custom-trim panels are identical until that hole is punched.

So the cleanest path is a blank repro set punched for your year. Reproductions actually beat the originals here — they use ABS plastic instead of the original cardboard, which warps and rots when wet. Used panels only swap cleanly from the same year (1969 onto 1968 puts the lock hole in the wrong place).

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Short answer: A clean way to add a dual-gate to a Firebird automatic is to use a Hurst dual-gate from an Oldsmobile 442 — it’s the exact same size and form as the Firebird shifter (even the mounting holes match), and the console fits smoothly over it. The 442 unit has a bent stick (sits closer to the driver) and a more positive lock on the manual side than the straight-stick GTO version.

A dual-gate has two slots: a “hers” side that works like a normal shifter and a “his” side that shifts manually — so you can row up and down through an automatic without missing a gear or hitting reverse. (A 1968 Firebird with a 442 dual-gate won Best of Show at a recent T/A Nationals.)
Fitting the plate: the GTO shifter plate is smaller than the Firebird’s, so it won’t cover the console hole. Mark the Firebird plate with the GTO outline, cut the opening with a Dremel cutting wheel, grind the lip off the GTO plate, and JB-Weld it into the Firebird shell (add a couple of gussets to beef it up). A custom walnut-veneer insert finishes it off.
GTO dual-gate and bracket
GTO dual-gate and bracket.
442 dual-gate and plate
442 dual-gate and plate.
Standard and dual-gate plates
Standard and dual-gate plates.
Modified dual-gate plate, front
Modified dual-gate plate — front.
Modified dual-gate plate, back
Modified dual-gate plate — back (showing the smaller GTO bezel fitted into the Firebird one).
Dual-gate in console, top
Dual-gate in console — top.
Dual-gate in console, side
Dual-gate in console — side.

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Short answer: Reference photos of the factory A/C kick panels and factory kick-panel speakers:

Left kick panel
Left kick panel.
Right kick panel
Right kick panel.
Both kick panels
Both kick panels.
Speaker opening with tape measure
Speaker opening (with tape measure for reference).

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Short answer: Factory radio part/model numbers:

Firebird Radios
Application Number
1967 Firebird AM/FM 986824
1968 Firebird AM 7305572
1968 Firebird AM/FM 7305582
1967–68 F AM die-cast face plate 7298249
1967–68 F AM/FM die-cast face plate 7298474
1969 Firebird AM/FM (model #) 92FFP1

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Short answer: Collected walnut shift-knob part numbers (further verification welcome):

Walnut Shift Knob Part Numbers
Part # Application
984700 4-speed — all 1968 (per 1968 Accessory Book)
984848 3-speed — all 1966–69
984989 M/T 1967 Firebird
9794300 4-speed — all 1969
Per the 1968 Full-Line Accessory Booklet, the Custom Gearshift Knob (code 524) was “walnut appearing,” available on all models (factory/dealer), with the shift position shown on the 4-speed knob and the Pontiac “Vee” crest on the 3-speed knob. The “Pontiac Motor Division” w/pattern knob is most likely what the factory installed on 4-speed Firebirds; reports of the GTO-crest knob and the 1969-style knob on 1968 ‘Birds remain unverified.

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Short answer: Factory literature says A/C (order #582) was not offered with a manual transmission on the 1968 Firebird — the A/C sales brochure lists it only with automatic, and the service manual’s radiator/rear-axle usage charts show no A/C for M/T V8s. Multiple original owners report being denied the combination when ordering.

There’s one conflicting source: a 1968 Pontiac Sales Album power-train chart (dated 8-10-67) shows certain 3-speed combos (engine codes 341/343/344/345 with a 3.23 axle) could be ordered with A/C, but not with the 3.55 axle, and not the 250 4-bbl (ZD) Sprint with 3.55. Summary across years: 1967 offered A/C on all but Ram Air (even Sprint), but only up to a 3.36 axle; 1968–69 didn’t offer A/C with the 400 manual, or with Sprints (auto or manual); a handful of 1969 Ram Air cars (and 32 T/As) had A/C. A documented M/T-with-A/C 1968 has not surfaced.

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Short answer: Per Jim Mattison (PHS), the correct gloss level on the firewall area is 85% black.

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Short answer: You do not need to remove the dash to replace the firewall padding. You just have to remove everything bolted through the padding into the firewall — mainly the air/heater box and the steering column.

The air/heater box is the hard part on an assembled car — the bolts under the passenger fender are nearly impossible to reach without removing the fender (doable, just slow). The parking-brake assembly is held in three places: one bolt at the bottom of the dash and two nuts on the engine side of the firewall (partly hidden between the booster and the fender on power-brake cars). Once it’s loose, the cable detaches easily.

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Short answer: On 1968s, only the coupe has the flow-through vents in the quarter panel at the door jamb — convertibles do not. In 1969, both body styles got them.

This flow-through ventilation replaced the wing (vent) windows. Convertibles did not need it — they leak enough air on their own.

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Short answer: Dimensions for the rear folding-seat channel (which holds the cardboard insert behind the seat), for converting a regular seat to folding:

Fold-down rear seat channel dimensions
Channel dimensions.

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Short answer: The fold-down seat bottom is the same as the fixed seat. The top portion has no real cushion to redo — just some cotton and burlap over the springs.

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Short answer: The two refrigerants themselves are compatible, but the oil is the problem — R-134a isn’t compatible with R-12 mineral oil (the oil must dissolve in the refrigerant to circulate and lubricate). So “just top off a low R-12 system with 134a” is not the right fix.

The correct conversion: remove and drain the compressor, flush the lines with solvent (removing ~80–90% of the old oil), refill with the correct PAG or Ester oil, reassemble, evacuate, and recharge with 134a. Be skeptical of the “just add this oil” bottle kits — A/C seminar instructors couldn’t explain how they’d actually work. (Some “R-12 substitute” blends contain R-12 plus 134a and even butane — not safe.)

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Short answer: Test the gauge by grounding the brown sender wire at the trunk connector — the gauge should swing to empty. Test the sender with a meter on ohms from the trunk connector (red lead to the brown/sender wire going to the tank, black to a good body ground); bump the car and watch it change — roughly 90 ohms full, ~1 ohm empty.

A common failure is the sender’s internal coils breaking with age (they look like a Bic-pen spring around thin cardboard). The sender is pricey: ~$70+ for a replacement (a 350 no-vapor-return unit), or $100+ to have Year One rebuild the original. Think of the sender as a variable resistor and the gauge as an ohm-meter — more ohms = fuller tank.

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Short answer: The gauge swinging to empty when you switch on the lights is the classic bad-ground symptom. Check the grounds first: one is at the sender on the tank, the other near the filler neck (a large sheet-metal screw into the trunk floor). Quick test — run a jumper from a known good ground and touch the metal gauge-cluster housing; if the trouble clears, it’s the ground.

If the ground is good, suspect the sender. It’s a rheostat (resistance wire) with a float-driven wiper; over the years the windings wear, shift, and develop dead spots — giving no reading or erratic readings, eventually failing. GM used a 0–99 ohm range (mid-scale ≈ half tank). Test with a meter on ohms; if worn, replace it rather than repair.

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Short answer: No — 1967 Firebirds only came with the 120 MPH speedo (even with the optional Rally Gauge cluster). 1968–69 used the 160 MPH speedo.

The 1967 and 1968 bezels are identical (both have two chrome rings), but the bezel lens differs — the 1967 cone is deeper. Currently only the 1967 lens is reproduced. A full conversion isn’t a shortcut job: it takes the dash harness with fuse box, the gauge set with the (different) speedo, and the engine and forward-lamp harnesses — the latter two unique to V-8 or OHC-6. A lot of work, but worth it.

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Short answer: On a 1967–68, converting from idiot lights to a Rally gauge cluster is not a simple pin swap. You can get the oil and water gauges to read fairly easily, but making the ammeter work requires reworking the harnesses all the way back to the voltage regulator — the Rally setup has extra wires the idiot-light cars don’t.

Realistically you either re-pin and add wiring to the bulkhead connector, forward-lamp harness, and dash harness, or buy the correct harnesses. (1969 is far easier.)

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Short answer: Externally the same, but internally different. The 1967 (and probably 1968) latch uses a little hook; the 1969 uses a cylinder with a small latch that pops in and out. The 1969 also has three circles (like cup bases) on the inside where the 1967 has two.

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Short answer: Skip the metal objects — use a flexible laminated plastic card (an ID card from your wallet) to slip the jammed latch open without scraping or breaking it.

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Short answer: Yes, you need a center bow — it’s shorter than the others and does not hook into the side roof rail. The pointed barbs hold the center bow and headliner in place and give your starting point; the bow threads through the center pocket of the new liner. Installation is impossible without it.

  • Strip the interior completely — windshield, back glass, package tray, and all weather-molding retainers.
  • Mark and number the bows (and which holes they came from) so they go back correctly.
  • Put small screws in the holes before installing so you can find them afterward (you can skip this for visors/mirror/shoulder-belt anchors, but cut a big enough hole for those so you don’t break them).
  • Start in the center and work out — forward, then back; at front and rear start at center and work to the corners. A second set of hands helps a lot.
  • You’ll need more glue than the kit supplies (3M adhesive; refill the can at an upholstery shop). The glue is forgiving even though it sets quickly.
  • Use the pinch/tack molding as you go to hold the fabric tight; the tack strip behind the sail panels holds the rear. When done, steam or spray with water to shrink it tight as a drum.
  • It’s very hard to do with the windshield and rear window installed.

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Short answer: Headrests were optional on 1967 (code AS2) and 1968 (code 571). For 1969 they became government-mandated — in two styles, straight (early, same as 1967–68) and curved (later).

The 1969 upper seat frame is the same as 1967–68, so a 1969 frame is the easiest way to add headrests to a 1967–68 (use the padding and cover for your model). Note 1969s built before 1/1/69 still listed headrests as a charged option — they all got them, but the price sheet didn’t make them standard until then.

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Short answer: Headrests (head restraints) were an option — here’s how they show up across the documentation (note the sources don’t fully agree on the code):

  • Billing card/manifest: 1967 = code 572; 1968 = code 572; 1969 = nothing listed.
  • Sales manual: 1968 head restraints = code 571, $52.66.
  • Body tags: 1967 has trim codes (Z = buckets without headrests, Y = buckets with headrests, H = standard bench); 1968 and 1969 references have no headrest body-tag code.

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Short answer: The seat frames are the same for 1967, 1968, and 1969 — the difference is the padding (1969 is slightly wider). So for a 1968-correct headrest seat, use a 1969 headrest seat with 1968 padding and seat covers.

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Short answer: For a non-A/C (cable, not vacuum) 1969, there are three color-coded cables at the controller:

  • Blue tab = defrost — hooks top-left on the controller and to the defrost gate near the gas pedal.
  • Black tab = heater on/off — hooks top-right on the same slide as the defrost cable (same lever); the other end hooks nearly opposite the defrost cable on the passenger side.
  • Red tab = temperature — hooks on the bottom of the controller; the other end goes on top of the heater-core box behind the glovebox.

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Short answer: One member’s take: the hood tach isn’t very accurate, is hard to read, and lacks the dampener circuitry good tachs have — so you can’t reliably tell, say, 5000 from 5200 rpm.

His preference is a Sun Super Tach (later Super Tach II) mounted on the steering column with a band clamp wrapped in rubber tubing to avoid scratches. It has a plug at the back, so the harness can be disconnected and tucked under the dash when showing the car.

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Short answer: The hood tach was mostly factory-installed (though dealers and owners fitted them too). The factory used a punch operation in a known location and added rivets plus nuts for security — so for a correct install, get the dimensions from a factory hood that has one. Today’s reproduction tachs work better than originals (circuits, lighting) but have a slightly “fuzzy”-looking plastic face.

History & variations (from PMD parts books, restoration guides, articles, and service bulletins — exceptions always exist):

  • First available Feb/Mar 1967 on all Pontiac models. The first “tall” style (taller case) used a single bulb, with face/redline variations by car and engine.
  • 1967 (and very early 1968) Firebirds used the tall style — black background with green characters (GTO and full-size were steel-blue with white characters).
  • The 2nd “short” style (case ~an inch shorter, two bulbs) went into production April 20, 1967; its face was a circular pattern, changed to an oval pattern June 29, 1967 — steel-blue background, white characters.
  • 1969 brought the final major change: black background with white characters. The hood tach lasted through 1972.
  • Redlines: 1967 OHC-6 Firebird = 6500 (later 5500); RA II used the OHC-6 5500; all others used 5100. The rarest is the “supposed” RA V hood tach with shift lights built into the face (one found on a 1969 Judge RA V build).

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Short answer: To place an aftermarket hood tach (all references as if sitting in the driver’s seat — “right” = toward hood center, “front” = toward the bumper):

  • Left rear corner of the tach to the left edge of the hood: 4.75″
  • Left rear corner of the tach to the rear edge of the hood: 3.75″
  • Right rear corner of the tach to the rear edge of the hood: 2 13/16″

Fudge these slightly to get the tach face square to the car’s axis. The required hole in the hood is 3.75″, offset (not centered under the tach) to clear the housing and wires below.

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Short answer: Yes — the hole size, mounting holes, and location differ between the 1967 (tall-style) tach and the 1968–69 (short-style) tach.

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Short answer: Two well-regarded hood-tach rebuilders:

  • Randy Watson — The Tach Shop, 2201 Surry Rd, Jeffersonville, IN 47130 — 812-284-2555. Rebuilds/restores hood tachs.
  • “The Tach Man” (South Carolina) — tachman.com, 800-327-8716. Approx. $175 to rebuild/restore including silk-screening.

Both restore to an original appearance using updated components/circuitry. The current repro tach has been refined but still differs slightly (plastic “fuzzy” face and face trim); its functionality and lighting are superior to an original.

What a restoration involves:

  • Case: repair/replace case, face trim, base.
  • Face: restore, silk-screen, or replace faded/rusted faces (cheap adhesive repro faces exist but aren’t concours).
  • Circuits: repair/replace the printed circuit or its components (parts are cheap at electronics-supply shops).
  • Head/movement: where the needle resides — may need repair or recalibration.
  • Wiring: the correct rubber bulb sockets were also used on some-year taillights; a correct harness is easy and cheap to duplicate from junkyard sockets/connectors.

If you just want a working tach for under ~$200, the repro (better internals/lighting; “fuzzy” plastic face) may be the better buy; for 100% correct appearance, use a restorer.

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Short answer: A black cap with a red Aztec-style Firebird in the center sounds exactly like the 1968 Deluxe 3-spoke wheel’s center cover (not actually a “horn cap” — it covers the wheel nut, while each spoke has a thin rectangular horn button in satin-finish metal). These crack persistently around the hub, even NOS ones.

For comparison: the 1968 wood wheel used a different (pot-metal) cap with a green lucite center and Pontiac arrowhead; the 1969 wood/custom wheel used a black lucite “PMD” disc like the Rally II caps. (Trivia from the parts book: 29 different Firebird wheels were listed across 1967–69, not counting the 3 wood wheels; 1967 even had two sizes — 16″ and 16-1/2″.)

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Short answer: The original 1969 shifter was a Hurst Competition Plus — and says so on the body. Tells: the chrome handle is round except for a flat spot on each side stamped “Hurst,” and it slips into the top of the shifter arm (held by spring clips — release by slipping two feeler blades down the sides and pulling up).

Underneath, the factory shifter has molded rubber where each rod connects to the levers; aftermarket Hurst shifters use only a thin separate nylon or steel bushing, and their handles (usually flat) bolt on. The only markings are date codes and a patent number.

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Short answer: Use an original (PMD) Competition Plus shifter and it fits the console without problems. The only functional difference from the aftermarket version is that the factory linkage rods use rubber bushings and are smaller diameter.

A Hurst upgrade kit converts the linkage to the later steel-bushing style for a tighter shifter feel and control — the trade-off is more vibration through the shifter. (Pontiac’s choice to make Hurst standard was widely praised in period magazine tests.)

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Short answer: The 1967 console shell is the same for automatic or manual — only the shift bezel/plate is transmission-specific. So swap your automatic bezel for the 1967 4-speed bezel (repro available), add the stock boot and retainer plate, and a Hurst Competition Plus shifter works with or without the console.

  • From 1968 on, Firebirds came standard with Hurst shifters — the factory shifter has a round stick locked into the body; aftermarket Hurst sticks are flat and bolt on.
  • Watch out: a 1968–69 shifter hits the front of a 1967 console. (One member ran a 1967 4-speed console in a 1968 with the correct 1968 shifter and had to leave the console loose to live with it.)
  • Hurst’s “Street Super Shifter” (straight rods) won’t fit any console; the Indy shifter is uncertain.
  • The boot is almost entirely hidden by the shift plate, so any boot that covers the tunnel hole will do — handy if the tunnel was butchered.

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Short answer: The optional clock mounted on the console, ahead of the shifter — the correct opening is somewhat oblong with two mounting holes (a large round hole means a previous owner butchered it). If your build sheet calls for gauges and a clock, look for a console clock (Hemmings, Ames; working ones can be pricey).

The Rally gauge clusters are available at major parts shows (1967 and 1968 differ, and they’re not cheap). A car originally equipped with Rally gauges has additional connectors in the wiring harness. The under-dash 3-gauge set was also available and is even rarer.

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Short answer: With the key, it’s easy: insert the key, put a needle/paper clip in the pinhole, go to the Accessory position, then turn counterclockwise and the cylinder comes out.

Without a key (last resort — this destroys the tumbler, ~$25 to replace): only the face of the tumbler is steel; the rest is soft aluminum. With the key slot vertical, drill (a 3/8″ TiN bit lubed with shortening as cutting oil) just inside the outer perimeter at about the “10 o’clock” position, dead perpendicular to the face, no more than ~3/4″ deep — checking with a penlight until a spring appears. Tap with a screwdriver handle to knock out the locking mechanism; the switch then turns like it has a key. Put a flat screwdriver in the slot, turn left to Accessory, push the pinhole button with a paper clip, and turn further left to release the cylinder.
Reinstall the new tumbler with the key inserted (the Briggs & Stratton name facing roughly 7 o’clock), then turn right to click into place. While you’re at it, have a locksmith match your glovebox, trunk, and door-lock tumblers to the ignition key so you carry fewer keys (~$18).

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Short answer: Turn the key to the Accessory position, insert a stiff wire or paper clip into the small hole by the key slot to depress the spring-loaded retainer, then turn the key a bit farther counterclockwise while pulling — the lock cylinder pops out. You can then unscrew the bezel holding the switch to the dash.

To reinstall, put the cylinder back in with the key in the Accessory position, then turn to Off. This applies to 1967–68 only — the 1969 ignition switch is in the steering column.

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Short answer: Erratic readings are largely the inaccuracy of the stock sending units, not necessarily a cooling-system fault. (1969 conversions are easier than 1967–68 — no full harness redo.) Factory gauges read poorly even with correct GM senders — a member who pressure-tested six GM oil senders found none read alike.

To know your real temperature, run an accurate mechanical gauge alongside the factory one and compare (remove it once you trust the factory reading, or note the offset). Test the thermostat by heating it in a pan of water with an accurate thermometer — it should fully open within a few degrees of its rating, and the engine should run within a few degrees of that rating when everything’s right.

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Short answer: Converting a non-A/C car to factory A/C is doable but involved — the biggest job is the firewall (the holes differ between A/C and non-A/C), plus a cut for the fresh-air flapper in the passenger-side cowl, and a lot of plumbing. R-12 is gone, so plan on a 134a-capable compressor/dryer.

An aftermarket kit (Vintage Air, sold cheaper through Classic Industries) is well regarded by street-rodders — but Vintage Air says you can’t mix their kit parts with factory A/C controls, and the firewall block-off plate is specific to A/C vs. non-A/C cars, so decide up front whether you’re keeping the factory dash controls.

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Short answer: For 1968, the bumper jack and jack stand are blue (a medium blue, not light blue) — the closest off-the-shelf match is Ford Engine Blue in a Dupli-Color rattle can. The jack handle is gray.

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Short answer: If you have the PHS billing history, it lists the four-digit ignition and trunk key codes — take them to a GM dealer, who can look up the cuts in the key-code book and punch a key. If not, the four-digit codes are stamped on the original door and trunk lock cylinders (the door matches the ignition, the trunk matches the glovebox).

Keys have six cuts with five possible depths each (read head-to-tip with the head to the right). Example: a 1967 ignition/door code 7W05 = cuts 532242; trunk/glovebox 2X52 = 431132. Dealers use a punch/notch tool (not a grinder). Correct 1967 blanks: “A” blank for door/ignition (octagon head, Briggs & Stratton logo), “B” blank for trunk/glovebox (rounded scalloped head). Dealers also stock tumblers to re-key any cylinder.

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Short answer: Yes, two keys was normal: the round key worked the trunk and glovebox, and the other key worked the ignition and door locks.

The idea was convenience — the ignition key already in hand after unlocking the door. But thieves exploited it (pull the passenger door lock with a dent puller, cut a key, then unlock the driver’s door and drive off), so GM kept revising the system — moving the switch to the column with a locking steering column/shifter for 1969, and around 1972 making the round key unlock the doors with the ignition key exclusive.

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Short answer: The trick is the right leverage (A/C cars are easier). Procedure:

  1. Make sure every screw is out — some are hidden.
  2. Remove the complete emergency-brake assembly (don’t skip this).
  3. Gently pull the panel until it catches on the ribbing — that gives ~3″ between panel and cowl.
  4. Insert a length of 2×4 against the panel where the ribbing is.
  5. Push the panel toward the front of the car with the 2×4 while prying against the cowl to pop it out. The plastic panel is forgiving and springs back if you don’t overdo it.
On reinstall: lube the flapper (vent) cables, reseal the cowl-to-kick-panel joint with plenty of duct seal for a leak-proof fit, and don’t push on the grille portion (it breaks). Good time to clean leaves and dead critters out of the cowl plenum and rust-proof inside.

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Short answer: There’s little room to upgrade in the factory kick-panel location — the cowl brace gets in the way of any magnet larger than the original Delco, and no aftermarket speaker matches that magnet shape.

Workarounds: reshape the cowl brace with a hammer to fit a 4×6 (one member used ~$40 Jensens), or fabricate a spacer to fill the gap between the grille and kick panel so a larger speaker fits with the brace intact.

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Short answer: Yes — members have moved the antenna from the front fender to the rear quarter. The main work is welding in a patch where the old front-fender hole was and painting it; the rear mounting dimensions are documented in the site’s tech section.

The rear-mount antenna was a factory option, so a correct OEM unit is hard to find. A Camaro rear antenna will fit but is slightly different.

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Short answer: A jumpy needle is usually a binding speedo cable that “loads up” and releases. Pull the inner cable from its casing (disconnect one end), coat the cable and sleeve with graphite, and reinstall — a ~$1 fix worth trying before replacing the cable.

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Short answer: Firebirds could never be ordered with the console gauge package — the image you saw is an early-production photo. Camaros offered it because their factory tach sat in the dash cluster; Pontiac put the Firebird’s tach on the hood, leaving room for the other gauges in the right dash pod.

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Short answer: Trim code 260 is “Parchment” in both 1967 and 1968, but the shade differs — 1967 parchment is basic white, while 1968 parchment has a pearl look. The factory trim albums call both “Parchment”; catalog companies rename the 1968 shade “Pearl” to avoid confusion. So your tag reading Parchment is correct.

More detail in the 1968 Pontiac Sales Album.

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Short answer: No — 1968 and 1969 parchment differ in shade. The only way to get all panels to match is to spray them (the more correct term than “dye”). Check the archives for more on parchment spraying.

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Short answer: Correct — a 1968 parchment interior (seats and panels) came with black lower carpet/door trim and black nylon-blend loop-pile carpet, and (per member feedback) black dash, dash pad, visors, and kick panels. So your two-color scheme is original. Source: 1968 Pontiac Trim & Accessory Album and the 1968 Pontiac Sales Album.

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Short answer: Don’t use chemical paint stripper on plastic — it softens the plastic and melts the edges. A mix of xylene and lacquer thinner removes most paint, but apply and wipe it off quickly or it can still damage the plastic.

For the chrome trim around the bezels: a Testors silver paint marker works (press it down to wet the felt well, and don’t stop mid-stroke or you’ll see a seam). Chrome vinyl is another option for a factory look that can be applied after the dash is painted.

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Short answer: The correct “PMD” walnut knobs for a 1968 with M/T floor shift:

  • 3-speed: “Pontiac Motor Division” with red crest — pt# 9794301
  • 4-speed: “Pontiac Motor Division” with shift pattern — pt# 9794300

Custom Gearshift Knob was option code 524. There are reports of the earlier 1966–67 “GTO crest” knob on 1967/68 Firebirds — likely from dealer stock; it’s doubtful any 1968 Firebird left the factory with a GTO-crest 4-speed knob.

1968 walnut shifter knob installation drawing
Factory installation drawing for the 3- and 4-speed M/T walnut shifter knobs (dated 1-23-67).

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Short answer: The optional power antenna for the 1969 Firebird was part #9796289. The drive assembly was the same for coupe or convertible; the mast was unique to the 1969 Firebird (part #546557).

Details:

  • Empire supplied most Pontiac power antennas.
  • A code like “11 – 22 8AAXA” is the antenna’s assembly build date — here, Nov 22, 1968.
  • No power-antenna components were different on the 1969 Firebird convertible. (Only the 1968–69 Tempest used different adaptors/brackets for the convertible.)

On reproduction masts: the only mast currently reproduced is the one common to the “A” bodies and full-size Pontiacs (original #541963). The Firebird used a shorter mast than the Tempest, Grand Prix, and full-size cars, so a repro may stick out a little more than original when fully retracted — with some modification to the bottom section you can duplicate the original length.

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Short answer: No — a fan motor with a fresh-air slide is the standard heater/vent system. Power-Flo Ventilation was a separate 1969 option (also 1969–70 full-size and mid-size Pontiacs/Buicks): two small blowers in the upper cowl that push air out the lower-corner dash vents even at a standstill.

The blower motors were the same as the rear defogger; the two-speed switch was marked “AIR / HIGH / LOW” (it looked like the power-top/antenna/defogger switches and went in one of the dash switch openings — 1969 Service Manual p.15-16, fig. 15-27). It was available factory or as a dealer accessory package. Genuine Firebird examples are very scarce — it was a cheap way to move air in cars where A/C wasn’t available (Ram Air IV, Sprint).

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Short answer: Power-Flo Ventilation was a 1969-only Firebird option (also on 1969–70 full-size Pontiacs and Buicks) for non-A/C cars, about $15 — two blower assemblies mounted in the cowl that push air through the upper vents.

The Pontiac rocker switch had “AIR” in the center and “HIGH”/”LOW” on the ends. It could be factory or dealer installed (the accessory kit was sold over the counter). It most likely landed in cars where A/C wasn’t available (Ram Air IV, Sprint). It’s rare — and the blower assemblies from other GM lines don’t fit the Firebird straight up.

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Short answer: A small break in a printed circuit board can be repaired by soldering a short piece of bare stranded copper wire across the break. Use very thin rosin-core solder and a small tip on a low-wattage iron, and clean and tin both the wire ends and the foil before joining.

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Short answer: It should be a simple drop-in — on the 1967 (and the 1968 is similar) the AM and AM/FM radios share the same mechanical mountings and the same electrical connections, so the AM/FM goes right in place of the AM.

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Short answer: No — the 1967/68 dash differs from the 1969, and the radios are different in every way. (The 1967 and 1968 radios are virtually identical except face color — 1967 black, 1968 blue.)

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Short answer: Amplifier whine/pop comes from resistance in the power, ground, and signal paths acting as a noise antenna — the cure is clean, isolated power/ground and good shielding (plus quality components).

  • Buy quality (cheap amps whine); Sony has good power-supply filtering.
  • For trunk amps/CD: run heavy stranded wire from the battery (with a circuit breaker at the battery), twisted with a return line in grounded braided shielding; avoid grounding the amp to the chassis.
  • Put the head unit and EQ on their own shielded power/ground from the battery, switched via a relay triggered by the original radio power lead.
  • Use good braided-shield RCA cables (gold connectors make little measurable difference — contact quality matters); shield speaker wires that run near the firewall/doors.
  • In a convertible, put speakers in an enclosed box so the rear wave reflects forward, and mount tweeters near ear level or you’ll lose the highs.

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Short answer: Firebird radio numbers and ID notes:

Firebird Radios
Application Number
1967 Firebird AM/FM 986824
1968 Firebird AM 7305572
1968 Firebird AM/FM 7305582
1967–68 F AM die-cast face plate 7298249
1967–68 F AM/FM die-cast face plate 7298474
1969 Firebird AM/FM (model #) 92FFP1
  • Face colors: 1967 black w/white numbers, 1968 steel-blue w/green, 1969 black w/white.
  • 1967 and 1968 physically interchange; 1969 is unique.
  • Firebird and Camaro radios were physically the same with minor cosmetic differences.
  • The 1969 AM/FM Stereo has a red dot (light) in the face.
  • The most obvious distinguishing feature is the angled face plate.

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Short answer: Known Firebird radio part numbers (1968 has only a part number; 1969 adds a model number):

Firebird Radio Part Numbers
Application Part # / Model #
1968 AM 7305572
1968 AM/FM 7305582
1969 AM 7307322 (Model #92AFB1)
1969 AM/FM not confirmed in this thread

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Short answer: Before buying a generic in-dash radio, check how it mounts — the 1967–68 Firebird radio is unusual. It bolts to the dash by two tabs on the front of the radio (one each side); the volume/tuner shafts do not support it (unlike most cars of the era, which use the shafts plus a rear bracket).

Also, the dash slopes back, so the factory radio has an angled face plate to sit flush. A generic radio likely won’t fit cleanly in this dash.

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Short answer: You can’t just change the connector pin-out — at best you’d get water temp and oil pressure working, but nothing for the ammeter, whose circuit is completely different from end to end. To do the 1967–68 conversion properly you need: the under-dash main wiring harness with bulkhead connector, the forward lamp harness that mates to it at the bulkhead, and oil/water sending units specific to gauges of that era.

See the detailed 1967 stock-to-Rally conversion write-up for the full pin-outs and step-by-step.

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Short answer: The fold-down rear seat was an option on all 1967–69 Firebirds/Camaros (UPC #604/A67, ~$42.13 in 1968–69). Many components are reproduced (latch, catch, brackets, knobs, carpet, partition); used assemblies run ~$175–350 (get all the parts). Desirable but not actually rare.

It was a sales dud because it didn’t open into the trunk. Available in both body styles; the 1967 differs from 1968–69 (the 1967 used retainer clips that could release and fold on a panic stop; 1968–69 added a right-side latch notch). You’d need the latch/brackets, the cardboard backing, and the track it lays in.

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Short answer: The correct 1968 rear-mount antenna mast is a three-section, oval-shaped mast with an oval, grooved tip. There was no separate AM vs. AM/FM antenna for the Firebird — that is a Camaro/Chevy distinction.

Correct rear mast specs:

  • Multi-section (3 sections), oval profile
  • Oval tip with a groove
  • Collapsed length: 19″ tip to tip
  • Fully extended: 47¼”
  • Mounting end is a threaded stud with an exposed nut that locks the mast with the oval facing front-to-rear (a “windcheater” design that also cut wind noise)

Reproduction bases and bezels are available, but there are no known correct reproduction masts. NOS masts for 1967–68 are model-specific and hard to find. (1969 is a different story, with a power mast also available.)

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Short answer: Push the bottom cushion toward the rear of the car ~1–2″ to unhook it from the two floor brackets, then lift the front up and out — that exposes the screws holding the seat back.

Technique: Slide the front seats forward, climb into the back facing the rear with your back against the front seats, and put your hands under the rear cushion. Push the cushion straight back ~1–2″ and, while holding that pressure, lift the front of the cushion ~1″ and ease it off — the front hook has a large lip. There are two floor brackets, one near each side. Do each side; if one side won’t release, re-seat the side you freed and do both together, or work one side at a time. If a side is rusted together, free it before forcing.

With the cushion out, two large screws (through wire loops) release the seat back. (Also shown in the Fisher Body Manual — and look for your build sheet while you’re in there.)

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Short answer: Same color as the rear package tray (black stays black, parchment/white is painted black, red stays red) — and use flat, not semi-gloss.

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Short answer: A single rear speaker goes on the right side. The assembly mounts under the top-storage well, and the grille goes on top so it’s visible through the rear window. Yes — cut a hole in the well cover at least as large as the speaker opening, then attach the grille over it.

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Short answer: No — a mesh package tray with no grilles is not correct for 1967–69 (that’s a 1970-and-up thing); that’s vendors dictating “correct.” Factory rear speakers used the cardboard tray with speaker-shaped openings cut from underneath, covered by GM speaker grilles.

Don’t try to save a 30-year-old sun-faded, brittle tray. To route wiring rearward, pull the rocker scuff plates (or use a fish tape under the carpet, or run it through the console). Stereo can use one pair of wires (grounding speakers at the rear shelf), but shielded pairs per channel sound better.

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Short answer: All 1967–69 Firebirds with the single rear-speaker option had it on the right side (coupe or convertible) — never center-mounted. Stereo cars had 4 speakers (2 kick panels + 2 rear).

In a convertible, the rear speaker hangs in a cardboard housing (same material as the glovebox) from the rear-seatback support, by two screws, under the top-storage well. A hole is cut through the well and the grille clamps the well liner between it and the housing. Look for factory indentations marking the screw locations; the service manual has install diagrams (some were dealer-installed kits).

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Short answer: You can have a glass shop cut new glass, but standard mirror glass loses the day/night (prismatic) effect. Better to find a good day/night mirror to swap in, or have your original mirror re-silvered.

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Short answer: It mounts inside the glovebox — there’s a perforation in the glovebox cardboard that marks the correct spot for the trunk-release button (good reproductions include this perforation too).

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Short answer: Pull the push button off first (wrap it in a rag and use pliers). Under the knob, around the shaft, is a small snap ring — remove it with expanding snap-ring pliers and the knob lifts off.

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Short answer: A horseshoe-shaped wire clip behind the crank locks it to the knurled shaft. Push the door panel in, look behind the crank with a flashlight, hook the clip with a thin stiff tool (a coat hanger bent ~1/4″ at 90° works, or a spring puller), and pull it — the clip pops out and the crank slides straight off.

Note the order of the coil spring and plastic spacer behind the crank. To reinstall, snap the clip back on, then push the crank onto the knurled shaft until it snaps over and locks. Go gently — don’t damage the door panel.

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Short answer: Details on replacing the dash cluster (including the wiring considerations) are collected in the Interior FAQs — Dash section: FGF Interior FAQ — Dash.

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Short answer: Leather (code 281, Saddle) became available on the 1968 Firebird on June 6, 1968, only with the Custom Trim option and only in that one Saddle color. It’s a very rare option — documented on only a few 1968 Firebirds in the Registry.

On the Firebird, the seat faces are leather with expanded-Morrokide (Madrid-grain vinyl) sides; door panels are faux leather grain; the dash and carpet are gold/tan. (For 1969, Firebird leather was code 293, gold — reportedly ~54 cars built.) Leather is one of the rarest Firebird options.
1968 saddle leather interior 1
1968 saddle leather interior 2
1968 saddle leather interior 3
1968 saddle leather interior 4
Bonus detail from a member’s parts book: some 1968 Custom interiors without knit-weave inserts came in “first type (grained vinyl)” vs “second type (knitted vinyl)” — only on a few colors: Teal (255), Turquoise (256), Gold (257), Parchment (260, and 275 bench).

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Short answer: The option books generally listed Rally Gauges and the Safeguard “Speed-minder” speedo as not available combined — though a few documented cars (PHS-verified) did come with both, so it happened. To merge the two yourself you’d change the speedo face from the standard style to the rally style (a speedo shop quoted ~$65 and about an hour).

Option Group 44 codes: Safeguard Speedo = 442, Rally gauges = 444; having both would show as group number 446. Factory speedminder + rally-gauge sets exist but are very hard to find.

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Short answer: The plastic buckle cover just snaps on — gently pry it off from the sides (pry the rear portion first, not the end where the male latch enters, or you’ll snap a retaining tab). Then you can feed the belt up through the metal bar to make a big loop for cleaning.

Inside, the knurled bar should have tab ends that slide in side slots; if they’re seized, free them with detergent soaking or light oil and clean off the rust. Soaking the loosened belts (some even use a dishwasher) loosens old dirt; finish by scrubbing and sun-drying so they come out soft. You can repaint the plastic buckle covers before reassembly. Keep the white date tags near the anchor if you want originality.

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Short answer: Soak and scrub the belts, then sun-dry them:

  1. Remove the belts from the car.
  2. Fill a bucket with scalding-hot water and add quality car-wash soap.
  3. Soak the belts (don’t let the water go cold).
  4. Scrub each belt end to end, front and back, with a soft brush — change the water once or twice if dirty.
  5. Rinse with a hose and lay flat in the sun to dry — this is key: air-drying out of the sun leaves them stiff, while sun-drying makes them soft and brings the color back.
  6. Blow water out of the buckle mechanism with compressed air (or a vacuum run in reverse).

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Short answer: The Fisher Coach emblem was last used on 1967 belts. For 1968 (and later), the latch button reads “GM Mark of Excellence.” So a Fisher Coach emblem is correct for a 1967, not a 1968.

On 1968 belts, the latch housing was metal on Custom belts and plastic on Standard. (As always, expect exceptions from production errors, shortages, running changes, and carry-over builds.)

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Short answer: 1968 and 1969 belts are the same except the date stamp on the white manufacture label at the belt end (only matters for 100% originality). Note 1969 coupes used shoulder belts with extra buckles on the tunnel side.

To find the anchor points after a floor-pan replacement: look under the car at the driveshaft tunnel for the seat-belt nut (welded to a large oval plate) and push a small nail (not a drill — a drill can snag and unravel the carpet) up through the carpet to mark it; the door-jamb anchor is under the sill plate with the carpet rolled back. Note: sometime in 1968 the buckles switched from plastic to metal (once thought to be standard vs. Custom trim).

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Short answer: Not the same. 1967 used the same seats (dielectrically molded panels with 1″ ribs) for both Standard and Custom trim. For 1968–69, Custom trim used knit-weave vinyl, while 1968 Standard reused the 1967-style molded seats; 1969 Standard used the molded panels but with wider side bolsters.

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Short answer: The seat-mount pedestal is two spot-welded pieces (an outer pedestal and a smaller inner brace, which also welds to the floor) — remove them separately, since you can’t reach the inner brace’s welds with the big piece on.

  • Drill the spot welds on the upper rocker by the door jamb first (minimizes damage where the new floor pan welds in), then unbolt the rear subframe bolts (soak the bolt top through the pedestal opening with penetrant overnight) and cut around the pedestal to pull it.
  • The frame-mount bolt’s nut is captured in the inner brace — you’ll eventually need it out (soak in penetrating oil a couple of days), but not to remove the upper piece.
  • Fit the new pan, cut the frame-bolt hole, bolt the pedestal down to spread the load and ensure a tight fit, scribe the pan, trim ~1/2″ below the line, weld solid, and caulk underneath. An Eastwood spot-weld cutter leaves half the weld for alignment when you MIG it back.

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Short answer: Firebird seat belts are the same coupe or convertible — the only difference is Standard vs. Custom (plastic vs. die-cast latch cover).

Some very early 1968s with Standard belts used the die-cast latch. Sources: used belts, restoration services (not cheap), or swap meets (repros were coming). Originals have a date code.

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Short answer: No 1968s are known to have left the factory with the white 4-speed knob — possibly an early carry-over using leftover 1967 stock. Even very early 1968s are seen with the black knob, never white.

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Short answer: The correct 1969 console shifter has a brown woodgrain knob with a black push button (the bird emblem is on the end). When released, the button sticks up about 1/4″ above the knob.

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Short answer: A member produced an actual-size template for the 1968 4-speed shifter hole (for a column-to-floor conversion). Print it at actual size and follow the notes below.

1968 4-speed shifter hole template
Actual-size 4-speed shifter mounting-hole template.
  1. Remove the seam sealer along the top of the tunnel (under the dash) — that sheet-metal edge is the reference for all “Y” coordinates. A second reference line aligns with a rolled crease in the tunnel; check both lines agree before trusting them.
  2. Draw a centerline down the middle of the tunnel for all “X” coordinates (mark the center in ~10 spots and connect them — the soft tunnel radius makes this tricky).
  3. The hole is offset to the left, not centered — the shifter mounts on the side of the transmission.
  4. GM cut the factory hole very sloppily (looks torch-cut); to mimic it, cut ~3/16″ smaller all around and melt the edges randomly with a torch.
  5. After cutting, use the boot bezel itself — not the template — to locate the bezel/boot screw holes.

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Short answer: One member’s photos of an original-style front shoulder-belt install in a 1969 convertible (note: the Fisher Service Manual shows the factory-correct locations — this member used a stronger location he preferred):

Shoulder strap, outside view
Outside view of the shoulder strap.
Shoulder strap, inside view
Inside view of the shoulder strap.
Shoulder strap, closer inside view
Closer inside view.
Shoulder strap mounting
The strap mounting.

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Short answer: It depends on the radio. AM and AM/FM (monaural) came with one dash-center speaker; you could add a single rear-seat speaker (right side in convertibles, hung on the seatback support facing the window, grille in the top-well). AM/FM Stereo or 8-track got the 4-speaker system with kick-panel fronts (convertibles had two rear speakers through the top-well, left and right).

With AM/8-track combos, the radio played the dash speaker and the four speakers played the tape. (Note: 1969 A-body stereos — LeMans/Tempest/GTO, and the Grand Prix — oddly used only one front and one rear speaker.)

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Short answer: The Speed-minder was an option, and the tach was not part of it — no first-gen F-body had a tach in the dash cluster (that’s what the hood tach was for; Rally gauges gave water temp and oil pressure only).

Year tells: 1967 used a 120 MPH speedo (black face, chrome ring); 1968–69 used a 160 MPH speedo, and 1968 changed to a greenish-gray face with off-white lettering. So a 160 speedo with that face is a 1968 Speed-minder setup.

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Short answer: Pull the cable from the housing, clean the cable with solvent and flush the housing (brake cleaner), then re-grease the cable with white assembly grease (or a good graphite lube) as you slide it back in. That stops the minor needle jumping.

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Short answer: There are three ways to recalibrate, and they work well together.

  1. Measure & compute. Find how far off you are (e.g., read the odometer over a 10-mile measured stretch — say it reads 1.4× high). Pull the speedo gear/housing from the trans and count teeth on the driven gear and the drive gear it meshes with. New ratio needed = (driven teeth ÷ drive teeth) × your error factor. Driven gears only come ~35–45 teeth, and a big change also needs a different housing (each houses a range, e.g. 36–39, 40–43), so aim to stay within your current housing range (housings ~$25, gears ~$7).
  2. Formula (use as a sanity check):
    Drive Gear = (.0495835 × Tire Dia × Driven Gear) ÷ Gear Ratio
    Driven Gear = (20.168 × Gear Ratio × Drive Gear) ÷ Tire Dia
  3. Call a specialist for GM part numbers — Ronnie Redd at Jerry Brown Chevrolet, Buford, GA, 770-945-4981 (have your gear ratio, tire size, and trans type ready).
GM Speedometer Gear & Housing Part Numbers
Teeth / Color GM Part #
Drive gear, 17 tooth 1246221
Driven 36 (white) 1359270
Driven 37 (red) 1359271
Driven 38 (blue) 1359272
Driven 39 (brown) 1359273
Driven 40 (black) 1342048
Driven 41 (yellow) 1362195
Driven 42 (green) 1362049
Driven 43 (purple) 1362196
Driven 44 (gray) 9780470
Driven 45 (light blue) 9775187
Housing, 40–43 tooth 25512339

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Short answer: A speedo that reads off after a rear-end swap or a tire-size change usually just needs the correct speedo driven gear (the colored plastic gear on the cable at the transmission) to match the new ratio/tire size. It’s an easy, ~$8 part at a GM dealer (Classic Industries sells them too — give your trans type and rear ratio), or a shop can recalibrate. If originality matters, fitting reproduction original-size tires is the other route.

Why it’s off: a rear-axle swap changes the gear ratio, or a taller/shorter tire changes the rolling distance, but the trans speedo drive gear wasn’t changed to match. Quick tire-diameter estimate: error = 1 − (new dia ÷ old dia). Going 225/70-15 (27.4″) to 245/50-16 (25.6″): error ≈ 6.6%, and the speedo reads faster than you’re going (shows ~70 at ~65.5). Tire-size decode: 225/70-15 = 225 mm tread width, 70 = sidewall as % of width, 15 = rim diameter.

Original tire size was E70-14 or F70-14 (probably F70-14). Comparable sizes:
Comparable Tire Sizes
Size Diameter
E70-14 25.8″
F70-14 26.2″
195/75R14 25.5″ (5.1″ tread)
205/75R14 26.1″ (5.3″ tread)
215/70R14 25.9″ (6.0″ tread)
225/70R14 26.4″ (6.3″ tread)
Since 215/70-14 is close to original, a ~5% over-read more likely reflects a ratio mismatch (e.g., 3.23 vs 3.08). To dial it in: measure the actual error over a 10-mile measured stretch, then compute the needed gear, or use the formulas: Drive Gear = (.0495835 × Tire Dia × Driven Gear) ÷ Gear Ratio; Driven Gear = (20.168 × Gear Ratio × Drive Gear) ÷ Tire Dia. A GM parts supplier can give the gear/housing part numbers from your ratio, tire size, and trans.

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Short answer: That extra white needle (with the under-dash reset knob) is the Speed-minder — a rare option. You set the maximum speed you want; when the speedo needle reaches the speed-minder needle, a buzzer sounds from the dash (on some cars only with the lights on).

Most literature says it couldn’t be ordered with other gauge options — though a documented 1969 with Rallye gauges and Speedminder exists (per its PHS invoice).

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Short answer: The wheel has nothing to do with the column — tilt vs. standard makes no difference. A 1969 wheel will physically fit a 1968 (just won’t be correct); wheels interchange physically across many years.

There is a difference in the canceling cam, and watch the wheel-hub diameter vs. the column diameter where they meet.

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Short answer: The cracking wheel with the “Bird” horn button is the Deluxe (colored) wheel; the simulated-woodgrain plastic one is the Custom Sport wheel. Nearly all the plastic wheels crack/split over time (the plastic shrinks) — the wood wheels crack less, but mint/NOS ones command big money (NOS Deluxe wheels ~$500 each).

Repair options: shops remold “wood” rims and re-tint them (~$300–400); many Hemmings advertisers do crack repairs (~$150–400); or do it yourself with an Eastwood kit or PC-11 epoxy — with patience for a show finish, you save hundreds.

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Short answer: Yes, these wheels are prone to cracking (the Custom/wood ones survive better than the Deluxe or Standard). You can repair cracks yourself for under ~$20 with PC-11 epoxy (Eastwood sells a kit) plus patience sanding/filling/painting — resto shops charge $100–400. Matching the woodgrain tint is the hardest part (even pros don’t always nail it).

The DIY sand-and-paint approach only works on solid-color wheels — the Deluxe wheel has a clear plastic upper half, so sanding/painting ruins the original look.

For the clear top half, members shared two tricks:

  • Tinting the clear acrylic (the clear is actually green): bring water to a rolling boil, add liquid RIT dye (green + blue + yellow to taste), submerge the polished part a few seconds, then quench in cold water; repeat to deepen. Test on a polished acrylic sample first (the surface must be polished to take the tint).
  • Recreating a missing top half (one overseas member): mold the lower half in a casting material and use it to cast a new top in resin, then trim, wet-sand, and buff to gloss. Research the green tint first — and note the lower rim is sectioned, not a mirror image of the top.

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Short answer: The 1967 and 1968 steering wheels are completely different. The 1967 standard wheel is a solid-color 3-spoke with brushed-aluminum spoke caps and a brushed center cap with a turquoise Pontiac-V emblem; the 1967 Deluxe is similar but with a clear-plastic upper half (and is smaller and a bit thicker than the standard wheel). For 1968 the spokes got wider, the horn buttons went from brushed aluminum to color-keyed plastic, and the center cap changed to the early Firebird emblem.

There were three wheels per year:

  • Standard: 1967 = 3-spoke color-keyed plastic with die-cast horn button; 1968 = 3-spoke color-keyed plastic with brushed horn button (green insert) and brushed spoke trim.
  • Deluxe: 1968 = 3-spoke color-keyed plastic with a rubber “Bird”-emblem horn button (ivory or black).
  • Custom (Sport, simulated wood): 1967 and 1968 = simulated-wood plastic rim, 3 brushed spokes, die-cast horn button (the 1968 isn’t as deep as the 1967).
1968 standard steering wheel
1968 Standard steering wheel.
1968 deluxe ivory steering wheel
1968 Deluxe (ivory) steering wheel.
1968 deluxe black steering wheel
1968 Deluxe (black) steering wheel.
1967 custom wood steering wheel
1967 Custom (wood) steering wheel.

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Short answer: A 1967 Rally Gauge cluster is NOT a drop-in for the idiot-light cluster — the connector pin-out is completely different, and the volt (ALT) gauge needs two heavier wires the idiot-light harness doesn’t have. You can re-pin the existing connector and add wiring (Option II below), or replace both harnesses (Option I). You’ll also need gauge-type oil-pressure and coolant-temperature sending units. Budget a full weekend. (Verified using two bone-stock 1967 Firebirds; originally by Tony, converted by Al.)

Stock (idiot-light) cluster — 12-pin connector (pin numbers are molded into the connector; ordering is 1–6 top row, 12–7 bottom row):

Stock Cluster Connector Pin-Out (Idiot Lights)
Pin Wire Color Usage
1 Light Tan Fuel Gauge
2 Green (2 wires) Water Temp Light
3 Gray Illumination Lights
4–6 N/A
7 Pink (2 wires) Ground
8 Blue/White stripe Oil Pressure Light
9 Light Blue Left Turn Light
10 Dark Tan Brake Light
11 Brown Generator Light
12 Medium Blue Right Turn Light

The TEMP, OIL, GEN, and BRAKE wires connect under the hood through two 10-pin firewall connectors (just below/right of the brake master cylinder — facing the firewall, left = Engine Harness, right = Forward Lamp Harness):

Engine Harness        Forward Lamp Harness
+---+---+             +---+---+
|   | * | Dark Tan    |   |   |
+---+---+             +---+---+
|   |   |             |   |   |
+---+---+             +---+---+
| * |   | Dark Green  |   |   |
+---+---+             +---+---+
| * |   | Dark Blue   |   | * | Brown
+---+---+             +---+---+
|   |   |             |   |   |
+---+---+             +---+---+
  • Dark Tan to the brake master-cylinder pressure switch (BRAKE light on low pressure).
  • Dark Green to the coolant temperature switch (TEMP light above ~210°).
  • Dark Blue to the oil pressure switch (OIL light on low pressure).
  • Brown to the voltage regulator (GEN light on low output).
Why pin 2 has two green wires: turning the key to RUN (engine off) naturally lights OIL and GEN so you can verify those circuits. TEMP can’t self-test that way, so GM added a second green wire from the ignition switch that lights the TEMP bulb in the START position — a bulb-test “cheat” (it does not verify the temp switch or its wiring).

Rally Gauge cluster — 12-pin connector (same connector body, different pin-out):

Rally Gauge Cluster Connector Pin-Out
Pin Wire Color Usage
1 Blue/White stripe Oil Pressure Gauge
2 Green Water Temp Gauge
3 Light Tan Fuel Gauge
4 Gray Illumination Lights
5 N/A
6 Gray Illumination Lights
7 Light Blue Left Turn Light
8 Dark Tan Brake Light
9 Medium Blue Right Turn Light
10 Pink (2 wires) Ground — but see correction below: actually +12VDC
11 White Volt Gauge
12 Black Volt Gauge

Firewall connector positions/colors for the Rally cluster:

Engine Harness        Forward Lamp Harness
+---+---+             +---+---+
|   | * | Dark Tan    |   |   |
+---+---+             +---+---+
|   |   |             |   |   |
+---+---+             +---+---+
| * |   | Dark Green  |   |   |
+---+---+             +---+---+
| * |   | Dark Blue   |   | * | Brown
+---+---+             +---+---+
|   |   |             | * | * | Black (L) / Black-White stripe (R)
+---+---+             +---+---+

The BLACK and BLACK-with-WHITE-stripe wires feed the ALT gauge and are a heavier gauge (higher current). The Black/White-stripe wire ties via a fuse link to the power-distribution splice near the voltage regulator and lands on the cluster’s White wire (pin 11); the Black wire ties via a fuse link to the junction block by the battery and lands on the cluster’s Black wire (pin 12).

Sending units needed (gauge-type):

Gauge Sending Units
Sending Unit GM p/n Classic Industries Niehoff / Borg Warner
Water Temp 12334869 ($17.43) G1872 ($17.68) DR134A ($5.33)
Oil Pressure 14039612 ($57.00) DR135T ($17.22)

Option I — Replace the harnesses (easiest, costly): Classic Industries and Year One sell “for Rally Gauge cluster” harnesses. Replace both the Forward Lamp harness (~$199) and the Instrument Panel harness (~$399). No rewiring — just remove the old and fit the new.

Option II — Modify existing harnesses (affordable). The Rally cluster needs three wires the stock one lacks (a Black, a White, and a second Gray) and does not use the Brown (generator) wire. Steps:

  1. Print both connector pin-outs; disconnect/remove the battery; replace the cluster bulbs while accessible.
  2. Remove the stock cluster, then pull every wire/pin from the connector — slip a tiny flat screwdriver between the wire and the connector center to release each pin’s tab.
  3. Clip and tape off the extra Green wire (the one to the ignition switch — the START-position bulb test; not needed).
  4. Remove the Brown wire and splice it (with its pin) into the Gray wire to supply the Rally cluster’s second Gray (illumination); leave ~6″ of wire.
  5. Reinsert all wires into the connector per the Rally pin-out (your Brown is now one of the two Grays).

Volt-gauge wiring (the gauge stays dead until you add two wires; connector pins are scarce, so wire it directly to the gauge):

  1. Use ~20 ft of exterior-grade 2-conductor cord (Black/White, heavy enough for 120V). Attach round eyelets and fasten White to the left screw and Black to the right screw on the back of the cluster (at the volt gauge).
  2. Drill a firewall hole (above the fuse block), file it smooth, install a grommet.
  3. Fish the cord through (a little water-soluble lube helps) and up the left fender alongside the forward lamp harness to the voltage regulator; expose the two wires.
  4. Connect the White wire via an orange fuse link to the power-distribution splice near the voltage regulator (solder both joints).
  5. Route the Black wire along the radiator support to the battery power-junction block.
  6. Connect the Black wire via the second orange fuse link (with an eyelet) to the power-junction block.
  7. Reinstall the battery and test.

Member corrections & tips:

  • Pin 10 (pink) is +12VDC, not ground — the cluster grounds through the speedo-cable shield. Add a ground wire from the speedo housing to bare metal on the column.
  • You may not need to cut the Brown (generator) wire at all — the Rally cluster’s circuit card has a built-in jumper between pin 4 and pin 6 for illumination, so just tape off the unused Brown wire.
  • Use a proper connector-pin removal tool (~$10) rather than a screwdriver to avoid damaging pins/connector. Don’t cut unused pins — heat-shrink and tape them back.

1968 note: the 1968 Rally gauge uses GM circuit numbers — 8=illumination, 14=left signal, 15=right signal, 30=fuel sender, 31=oil pressure, 33=brake warning, 35=water temp, 39=ign(batt), 105=ammeter(batt), 106=ammeter(gen/alt). Connector positions: pins 1/3 jumpered to circuit 8, pin 4=30, pin 5=35, pin 6=31, pin 7=14, pin 8=33, pin 9=15, pin 10=39, pin 11=105, pin 12=106. For 1968 (and 1967) the member stresses all three harnesses must be changed — you cannot just change pin locations.

1968 Rally gauge circuit board diagram
1968 Rally gauge circuit-board diagram (from the 1968 Diagnostics service manual).

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Short answer: Yes. 1967 automatics (including the 400) used a T-handle with the button inside the T. 1968 automatics used a T-handle with a button that wraps around the top and sides. For 1969, THM-equipped cars switched to a simulated-walnut round knob (button on top), and a T-handle was used only on the 2-speed automatic.

The differences between automatic types were in the linkage mechanism, not the handles. All years had the early “bird” emblem in the pushbutton. The 1969 2-speed shifter was new — it let you speed-shift without skipping a gear (lean the knob right and it detents at the next position, a poor-man’s Dual-Gate).

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Short answer: A temp gauge that jumps/pegs on start-up and then reads cold is usually the old idiot-light “test” wire left connected — the wire from the ignition that lit the temp warning light at start. It’s the harness connection with two wires going to one point (often green). Disconnecting it (per the rally-gauge install FAQ) cures the pegging.

Also clean all the gauge wiring connections and check/replace the temperature sending unit with a correct gauge-type unit — that combination got one member’s gauge reading a steady 190–200°.

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Short answer: Bumper-jack part numbers (sampled from the 1967–73 Firebird parts catalog):

Bumper Jack Part Numbers (group 8.820)
Part # Year / Description
Base Assembly, Bumper Jack
9783363 1967 all — 6×6 rounded keystone rack
9781295 1967 all — 6×6 squared keystone rack
9775045 1967 all — 6-1/ x 7-1/2 squared
9793349 1968 all — keystone rack 1-1/4 x 1-5/32, blue
9793540 1968 all — keystone rack 1-1/4 x 1-1/4, blue (sup. 9793542)
9794470 1968–70 all — square rack (sup. 9793334)
9794472 1968–70 all — T-type
484803 1969–72 all — keystone rack (sup. 9794471)
Handle, Jack
9775167 1967–70 all — also used as wheel wrench
Jack Assembly, Bumper
9793539 1967–70 all
484805 1968–71 all

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Short answer: Trunk floors vary in size — the larger (pricier) ones run all the way up the hump between the shock towers, which avoids a weld across the reinforcing ribs on the incline (easier to hide). A “kit” typically includes the trunk floor, floor extension, and two reinforcement ribs (the pieces under the floor above the gas tank), because the factory one-piece floor is too big to fit through the trunk opening.

Depending on rust severity you may also need the trunk “drop-offs” and shock towers. If you only need the floor, you may still need new reinforcing ribs — compare a kit’s contents against buying pieces separately.

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Short answer: The trunk used GM spatter (spackle) paint, not a rubberized coating — and it needs a clear coat over it.

Tips: the surface must be a little rough or the (water-based) spatter paint sags and shows the smooth area; get it super clean; allow cure time between coats, especially the clear. Plan on ~4 cans of spatter and 1 of clear. Mask well (the clear goes everywhere), and be careful around the wheel wells/rear-window mechanisms. The marker-light assembly should show a little overspray.

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Short answer: A turn signal that won’t self-cancel usually needs the turn-signal switch (cam + harness) inside the column. You don’t have to remove the column, but you do dismantle the top to get the harness plug out — you’ll need a steering-wheel puller and a hub/lock-plate puller.

  • Which switch: 1967–68 columns used either Delco (white) or Boyne (blue/red) switches. Tell them apart by the hazard-knob hole — Delco is a “D”-shaped hole, Boyne is round. The Delco is still available in a superseded form with a later (post-1969) pigtail plus an adapter for the pre-1969 connector.
  • Install tip: cut the old harness ~1/2″ from the connector, tie a string to it as a pull line, feed the new harness through (bend the connector 90° to pass the hole, then straighten and plug into the adapter). Straight columns are easy; tilts are harder. Practice on a 1967/68 donor column — not 1969 (totally different) — and watch the three little springs once the “C” clip is off.
  • Quality warning: some “service replacement” Delco switches are inferior orange-plastic units with a cheap snap action — seek the better white-backed version (members report good Delco replacements with the flat 1969-style connector + a half-moon adapter pigtail).
  • Note: a switch that won’t cancel isn’t always bad — the internal cam alignment may just be off (re-clock the wheel a tooth and re-center via toe adjustment at alignment).

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Short answer: Fast flashing usually means a heavy-duty flasher is installed (HD flashers are for extra bulbs, e.g., towing) — swap in a regular-duty flasher (e.g., NAPA #552).

Note there are two flashers: the one on the fuse box (near the left kick panel) is the emergency/hazard flasher; the turn-signal flasher is up under the dash between the heater controls and the ignition switch (held in a spring clip, just over the lip of the lower dash).

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Short answer: Vinyl dye works well on seats too (the ads omit them, but it’s fine), and going from faded parchment to white is easy since you’re not covering a dark color.

Skip the spray cans — have an auto paint-supply store mix the dye (by code or matched to a sample) and shoot it with a conventional spray gun. It’s heavily pigmented and covers in two coats. Follow the pre-clean/prep instructions carefully; the result looks like-new.

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Short answer: Good foam padding and an air hog-ring gun make the job easier (especially one-person). Heat the vinyl first — set it in the sun or tumble it in a dryer (in a pillowcase) for a few minutes, and keep a hair dryer handy for spot-heating.

Put plastic trash bags over the seat foam so the covers slide on easier, then reach up and rip the bags out when you’re done.

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Short answer: 1968 and 1969 window cranks are the same, but there are two shaft lengths where the handle attaches — short for Standard trim, longer for Custom trim (to clear the thick padded door panels). The rears are the same Standard or Custom. (1967 fronts may differ.)

The 1968–69 regulators are the same (fronts in the two lengths for standard/custom; rears 1967–69 the same). Tip: since the chrome is usually what goes bad, buy replacement cranks from the parts-store “Help” line and swap your colored knobs onto them — or dye clear/white knobs with Rit heated to boiling, dipping until the color matches.

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Short answer: At the time of this discussion, there was no truly correct reproduction woodgrain for the 1968–69 console, dash trim, radio face, and ashtray — only options ranging from cheap “contact paper” to die-cut pieces that miss on grain/texture, edge and recess forming, and durable adhesive.

The original was woodgrain bonded to thin sheet metal (the metal backing itself is a good repro candidate after 30+ years). The key element is sourcing the correct embossed material for the right appearance, grain, texture, and wear; once that’s found, the dies and forming process are relatively straightforward. The hobby would pay for a properly done part — not another “best we can do” quick fix.

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