How does the lower filler pan fit to the under side of the car?
Does it go over the fender extentions or does it go behind them?
a picture would be great.

Thanks

'68

The picture-taking sure shows me a place I missed when I cleaned up from the Cannonbird Run.

Now I think about your question, maybe they would work either way. hmmmmmm

I think Jims pic is correct, the other way would leave edges to possibly catch air , esp. if you lose a bolt or such....

Thanks Jim!

Just to tag along with this already created thread... Does anyone know where to get the hardware to attach it? I have the lower pan for my 67, but have never gotten around to putting it on because I am not sure the proper way to attach it or where to get the hardware to use...

So now that I see how it attaches (under the body metal), where do I get the metal clips that are used?

Thanks in advance...

I think the original question was about 68's, I'm not sure....

On 1969's, the baffle pan most definitely mounts OUTSIDE the valence, not tucked inside the valence, so the u-bolts mount to the valence, not the baffle pan.

As for the u-bolts, they can be found at a good hardware store, in black oxide, and the body bolts as well (I believe Hillman is the manufacturer, not Dorman). I think most Ace Hardware stores in our area carry them in the nuts and bolts section, in the automotive 'pull out' drawers.

It's been a while but I believe I replaced all mine with hardware from our ACE hardware in town too.

That looks like one big hopper there lost his life!

That's what he got for crossing I80 to see what the corn looked like on the other side.

ACE is the place....I did the same

I hit a deer with my bird 4 days after the car was painted after 12 month restoration. Oh yah, it left some spots ... and end trails!

My friend Stacy bought those U Bolts at Loews here in town (or maybe it was Home Depot?)pretty sure it was Loews though

OUCH!

I fear that when we are driving at night in the Bird.

Is that lower pan metal, and were does one find them?

Yes, metal. Epay or this site have them from time to time. Getting harder to find every day...

I think You can also buy them in Fiberglass from Ames if you dont find a metal one...but I`d rather have metal.

Definitely get a metal one. I have bend mine to almost an unrecognizable piece of metal and was still able to straighten it out. With a fiberglass one, it would have been wasted.

I have a original 69 if that is what you need.

I found mine on ebay, cost me about $125. Had to sandblast and paint it but came out nice.

My car is a 68, do they fit the same for all three years?

no 67 ,68 have one design , 69 a little different

You guys are saying the pan attaches with U Bolts?? I dont see it.. Where are U Bolts used? From what I figured, it would be standard bolts (unknown sizes at this point), nuts, washers, and then the metal (threaded??) clips that go on the valance?

Are you guys using U-Bolts that go from hole to hole on the smaller holes?

Again, I just want to make sure I have it attached correctly and I also want to make sure it is not going to go anywhere once it is on.. lol

Thanks

I used U-bolts all around.

The nuts you guys are calling U-bolts are actually called "J" nuts. They slide over the edge of a piece of metal with an unthreaded holes and snap into place. Once in place, the "J"-nut has a threaded hole that allows one to use regular bolts.

The other option is to just use regular bolts/machine screws with regular nuts. The "J"-nuts are nice because you don't have to try and get your hand behind the panel to place a nut on the bolt.

Lowes has a great selection of automotive bolt, body bolts, "J"-nuts etc. in their pull out drawer section. I've bought a lot of them from there over the years...

Oh yeah, Lowes carries the "J"-nuts in metal and plastic. The plastic ones are nice as they do not chip or scratch the paint when you slip them over the edge of a painted metal panel. Beleive it or not, they accept a metal machince screw/bolt and hold up really well.

Thanks for clarifying that Earlybird.. I knew what a U-Bolt was and that was why I was confused. I did not know the metal clips were called J nuts which is why I kept referring to them as metal clips.. lol

Anyway, I see that I had the right idea as to what I needed. I just need to figure out the right sizes now. I will probably just take my lower baffle with me to Lowes and go from there.

Thanks for all the help and the photos!

I actually said "u-bolt", I meant "u-clip"

I think there may be a difference in the type of clip we're talking about. The J-clip doesn't have equal lengths top and bottom, the U-clip does. The 1969 Firebird lower pan calls for U-clips like the ones pictured below.

I agree about the fiberglass lower pan, it's not very good, but I think that's all that was available for many, many years for our cars. I think they also made the upper filler panels in fiberglass too, until just a few years ago, when they made them in the correct steel.

Yet another problem solved by the brain trust of first generation firebird... Pats on the back all around for the guys and girls who take the time to help others. Now if they will just get in a van and come to our houses to fix the problem...LOL

U clips is also how the "Camaro" snow plow it attached on my car...which was a blessing ...as we drove back from Colorado a guy in front of me ran over a piece of 18 wheeler tire, hit my spoiler ,tore the bracket off the spoiler, but with the U clip it was easy to remove , drill a new hole close by and replace the clip

Prior to reading the updates, I went to Lowes and looked at both J-nuts and U-nuts (U-clips). I went with the U-nuts (as they are called at Lowes) and got my Lower Baffle installed. One more project off the list. Thanks for all the info!

Here is a picture of my 68 350 bird. this pannel has never been off the car. Sorry, it's not too clean, we have not cleaned or detailed the car yet. Looks like the pan will need some cleaning up too.