I am looking into buy a set of reproduction date coded spark plug wires for a 72 455. I've seen them in various configurations.

1. Grey wire with straight orange/brown spark plug boot
2. Black wire with straight black spark plug boot
3. Black wire with black spark plug boot having various angles

Which is the correct? Why are there so many different type?

Warren

 

I can't say for sure about 1972. I'm fairly positive say 1968-70 had long black boots at different angles. The short boots don't look right to me. I didn't think anybody repro'ed those.
I'm not near my car, but I think my dist boots are 90 degrees, and I think originals are about 45 degrees (or vice-versa). There was something about the dist boots that was off. I bought my repro wires about 20 years ago when they made more "quarters". They were just another one of those repro parts that worked but weren't right.
Look at the NOS set on here now for sale, that's how I remember the plug boots looking back then.

 

I have a factory, date coded wire set from a 68, I bought a repro set of date coded wires. The repro set is an excellent reproduction of the original set. I could not say this about a few other reproduction parts I picked up thru the years.They did nice job with these repro wire sets. Both the factory set and the repro set have the short plug boots, and the dist. cap boots are at 90 Deg.