Screw finish for headlight buckets

[Steve B.]

Re: Screw finish for headlight buckets

I was looking at Corvette Centrals and theirs appear to be dark and Long Islands are a plated finish. which ones should I go with? Thanks in advance.

[Ronald L.]

Re: Screw finish for headlight buckets

..and Paragon's kit has both, some for the sides and a couple for the bottom.

Usually a good idea to compare part numbers in the AIM. In 66 they were different and maybe Joe Lucia knows...

[Scott S.]

Re: Screw finish for headlight buckets

So, I read the TIM/JG, and it says that the 6 screws per headlight bucket that hold the trim piece to the bucket itself should be plated.

When the buckets are open, the ones on the bottom for me are plated, but the ones on the side are black.

Should I fix that?

[Scott S.]

Re: Screw finish for headlight buckets

Chris --

I checked the headlight bezel screws form the '67 coupe (January 11 build date) that I'm restoring. I only have 5 of the original 8 screws, some removed from the sides and some removed from the top of the bezel on Wednesday (they were taped into the holes when the car was disassembled in 2008).

All of the screws (both side and top) were the same, and appear to be black phosphate or oxide. They are corroded, but the underside of the screw heads were relatively well-preserved. The pictures aren't great, but they are clearly black. I can't say for sure that they're original, but they were all the same (both side and top screws), and they have been there for a long time.

[Loren L.]

Re: Screw finish for headlight buckets

Get the part #s from the AIM; find the parts book for that year and look up the specs for that part # in Group 8.900; beginning in later years (1970?) you'll have to seek out what GM called the Standard Parts parts book and see what the specs are....

[Michael M.]

Re: Screw finish for headlight buckets

Chris, my headlight bezels are attached the same way yours are. Sides with two black oxide flat-head Phillips screws and the bottom with two cadmium or zinc plated flat-head Phillips screws. This combination has passed a Regional Event.

[Alan D.]

Re: Screw finish for headlight buckets

Perhaps these will help some;

My 64AIM shows #17 as 9420683 while #19 is 9420684 So from 3/27/64 till 1967 it would appear the screws were the same.

As for finish 9420684 appeared to be cad however not able to tell what finish is on 9420683 Note the 683 is more like a regular style screw except it has a little self cutting edge in it.

[Steve B.]

Re: Screw finish for headlight buckets

The screws on my 67 are very much like the ones that Scott posted and I received a deduct for their shape and color. FWI, I just spoke with the judge and was told that on 67s, the screws should be flat head with a cad finish.

[Alan D.]

Re: Screw finish for headlight buckets

So as John posted (#12) - "the JG calls for zinc or cad plating, not chrome."
And the guess at what was left on my original 9420684 appearing to be cad would seem to be correct without a copy of the print to verify.

Now the 9420683 is still an open question as to finish. Mine look close to brown but after 45 years . . .