BFitz

Hi All!

My 72 Cutlass has a black headlight "frame" or casing/housing. Not sure if I am using the right description. It is the part around the round headlight which is plastic and you see it looking at the front of the vehicle. I have noticed some are chrome colored on other years. Can I buy a chrome colored one and put it on my 72, will it fit? I am going with the re-paint in royal blue and the bright chrome looks great off it. Here is a link to the color-scheme I am going for with the chrome around the headlights:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9953346@N04/2661472244/

Thanks!

Also, what is the proper name for this part-thanks!

Shizzy

headlight bezel.

they are not chrome but polished stainless. More than likely the paint on yours would strip off easily and then you could give them a good polish.

BFitz

Thank you. I have figured out the 1970 had all chrome while the 72 had a chrome trim but black interior. Here they are a fusik:

http://70.47.96.37/prodinfo.asp?number=HR7236/7 -1972

http://70.47.96.37/prodinfo.asp?number=HR7076/7 -1970

So I guess my question is will the 70 fit on my 72?

Shizzy

$119 buys me a lot of time in the garage with some paint stripper and some polish on the ones already on my car......

copper128

I don't really know about '70, but if you're set on new ones, what you should be looking at is '71 bezels. Other than the color, they're identical to '72.

BFitz

@ All. Thank you

@Copper128
BIG THANKS! Exactly the solution I need.

70Post

Nope---they are anodized aluminum---a completely different "animal" when it comes to trying to polish them (ie--you can't.... it will have little to no effect).

To do any polishing you have to first strip off the anodizing which is what kept the aluminum from deteriorating in the first place. Otherwise you are, in futile effort, going to be trying to polish the hardened (anodized) surface which won't work.

'70 bezels won't fit..they are different. If you are going to be painting them with the black insert then the only "shiny" part you need to worry about is the top edge or surface on the '72 that the factory left unpainted. Find some with the nicest edge on them and repaint the black parts.

You can strip off the anodizing or have it stripped but you are opening a can of worms there. You could possibly periodically polish the bare aluminum part with a metal polish but you'll probably end up getting it on the satin black painted part and it will likely change the look or sheen of the black painted part.

You can have them reanodized but at that point you are better off buying new repro versions.

BFitz

@70Post

They won't fit, huh? Damn. The screw holes look like they are in the same spot.

jensenracing77

the 71 set are not painted and will fit. he is just talking about the 70 year won't fit.

70Post

Give it a try..maybe they WILL fit. The '70 bezels are styled differently from the 71/2 but now that you mention it, maybe Olds kept the headlight spacing and screw spacing the same for all three years since there is so much else in common with the cars. I was thinking about the shape/styling of the bezels when I mentioned that.

It would be interesting to see how it looks if they do fit. You could easily spray the inner portions (and/or the area between the two square headlight outlines) on some '70 bezels black if you wanted the look of a '72 bezel.

Another Note: The REPRO '70 bezels typically don't fit well in terms of the screw hole location on a couple of the screws....you can get them on but you have to put one or two of the screws in at an odd angle.

texasred

I asked this a week ago, but no response...

I've read a bit on refurbing hazy anodized aluminum trim pieces, but I still have a few questions.

Will paint stripper (like Strip-Eze) remove the anodization?

After buffing, will a coat of clear paint keep it shiny?

Anyone used Boeshield T-9? How well does it work and how long does it last?

If none of the above, what worked for you?

Thanks in advance.

The world's oldest n00b,
C.J.