First Generation Firebird
Posted By: Gus68 OEM part? 68 vert header chrome - 11/29/19 10:07 PM
Does this look like a OEM and/or header chrome? Don't want repro again!

Thanks

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Posted By: Firebob Re: OEM part? 68 vert header chrome - 11/30/19 06:05 AM
I don't know the answer but I'm wondering what is wrong with the repop? I'm going to need one at some point.
Posted By: Gus68 Re: OEM part? 68 vert header chrome - 11/30/19 06:28 AM
They do not fit ... at all!
Posted By: Bronze Bird Re: OEM part? 68 vert header chrome - 11/30/19 02:34 PM
Looks like a repro to me. ‘68 came with a dull finish. The repops have a dull paint applied over typical chrome.

I replaced mine with the repops from from Classic Ind. They are an absolute BIOTCH to install. I also thought they wouldn’t fit, but with great effort and patience, they did. I scratched them up pretty good, so polished the rest of the dull coating off.
Posted By: Firebob Re: OEM part? 68 vert header chrome - 12/01/19 02:55 AM
Great! More good news.
Posted By: ramair68 Re: OEM part? 68 vert header chrome - 12/01/19 04:19 AM
Strange, I was looking at 2 different sets of 68 header moldings on eBay. They are asking $1000 for a set! I was curious if the 68 dull finish was plated or painted and asked both sellers who are classic car part dealers. The answer I got from both was....... painted! They are OEM in original GM boxes....
Posted By: Jimc2002 Re: OEM part? 68 vert header chrome - 12/01/19 05:43 AM
All these years and apparently no correct "brushed chrome" and correct fitting reproduction header chrome has been produced for '68 Firebirds and Camaros.

For comparison, below is a photo of the end of my original '68 header chrome showing the finish and non-brushed ear. I gave up trying to find correct originals long ago so I periodically refinish the "brushed" area with a silver paint to make it look somewhat better. I still cannot tell if the dull "brushed" area is a different plating, roughed up, or a very robust sprayed-on coating.

I recalled this discussion of the issue from a few years back: re chrome topic



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Posted By: ramair68 Re: OEM part? 68 vert header chrome - 12/01/19 02:43 PM
I would think the Rally II Argent silver would be a close match for touch ups?






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Posted By: Bronze Bird Re: OEM part? 68 vert header chrome - 12/03/19 11:28 PM
The original headers I removed from my ‘68 ‘vert were not painted.
Posted By: Gus68 Re: OEM part? 68 vert header chrome - 12/04/19 01:21 AM
Originally Posted by Bronze Bird
The original headers I removed from my ‘68 ‘vert were not painted.


Are they shinny chrome? I saw those NOS ones on ebay...drooling. They look correct. Maybe the restorer guys are using a brush to simulate the look as best they can. Harold knows quite a lot about this piece. I can't seem to search on this site lately. It returns the same data for any query. Anyone else notice that?
Posted By: Geoff Re: OEM part? 68 vert header chrome - 12/06/19 05:01 AM
Originally Posted by Gus68
I can't seem to search on this site lately. It returns the same data for any query. Anyone else notice that?


Thank you. Fixed it. I had to renew the license for the search plugin I use.

Thank you again - Geoff
Posted By: HaroldB Re: OEM part? 68 vert header chrome - 12/06/19 05:09 PM
If the paint is really thick it could be a later NOS part. All the later made NOS parts after 69 where painted and not finished. The paint is really thick unlike the repop.

The OEM header was a dull finish not paint. The aftermarket repops, have CCH stamped on the end (at least the ones I've seen) where the bracket mounts.

I had mine refinished. It is not exact but will hold up better then paint.

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