'70 - '72 exhaust bezels

[Warren F.]

These are dated, how many of you owners are looking, or care about the proper year date.

[lyndon sharpton]

Re: '70 - '72 exhaust bezels

I Don't care.

[Bob D.]

Re: '70 - '72 exhaust bezels

Where is the date? I have the original ones from my '71 and have never seen a date on them. I don't really care either, but I have never heard of them being dated.

[Mike E.]

Re: '70 - '72 exhaust bezels

Warren--
Where and how are they dated? I'm curious!!!

[Warren F.]

Re: '70 - '72 exhaust bezels

Bob & Mike,

With the bezel off the valance, look on the top center backside of the rolled lip. The GM part # and year date are in a raised embossing. Example 3966544RH .....70 & 3966543LH ....71

As we all know, these get really pitted from the exhaust fumes, most people change them out, I have been buying the dated ones and stripping, rechroming the originals.

[Mike E.]

Re: '70 - '72 exhaust bezels

Warren--
If I understand correctly, you are disagreeing with the 70-72 judging manual?
That indicates that the tips with part numbers stamped in them are replacements and are not original. In other words, they are essentially the third type, with the first having no weld bead along the bottom (no seam) and the second having the bead (with each of the above types having no part numbers or dates) Is it possible that the ones you are finding are GM replacements with dates ending in 0,1, or 2, which would indicate 80,81,82 or 90,91,92? Are the dates you are finding actually ending in 70, 71, or 72? I'd be interested in what you're finding!
Mike

[Patrick H.]

Re: '70 - '72 exhaust bezels

Mike,

Warren is talking about the chrome bezel that rests inside the body, not the exhaust tip itself.

I would suggest (and would admit I could be incorrect) that they are dated in a similar manner to taillights. In other words, not date of manufacture, but date of part approval or die manufacture.

Patrick

[Mike E.]

Re: '70 - '72 exhaust bezels

Thanks for waking me up! Mea culpa!

[Warren F.]

Re: '70 - '72 exhaust bezels

Patrick,

The exhaust bezels have been manufactured by or for GM for a long time. I have seen many different year dates, ie: 88, 92, 78, so on. What's interesting is that some do not have LH or RH after the part #, and some dates are actually upside down from the part #, and numbers transposed also, such as 48 instead of 84. Though I have not seen these anomalies on bezels built during the '70 & '71 time frame.

I don't know how many vendors are producing this piece as reproduction, however I have seen Paragon and EC Products embossed where the GM part# and date are.

[Gregory G.]

Re: '70 - '72 exhaust bezels

Patrick,

I have an early Jan'70.My bezels are dated '69 both stamped RH and LH.Mine were badly pitted.Sent them to Frankford.Excellent repair,but show chrome quality.They do not do flash chroming.

Greg

[Warren F.]

Re: '70 - '72 exhaust bezels

Greg,

I took a pair of bezels both dated '70 that were badly pitted and rechromed, also show chrome instead of flash chrome. Have now sent one of my '71's set to do.

[Patrick H.]

Re: '70 - '72 exhaust bezels

Warren,

Do the part numbers change along with the date, or have they remained the same?
It's interesting that you've seen so many dates, but my hunch is that you would not see every year represented.

I wonder if the new date was put in place when the tooling was either re-done or updated or what. It "could" just be the year the part was cast so that they could track it for quality reasons.

Thanks for the information.

Patrick

[Warren F.]

Re: '70 - '72 exhaust bezels

Patrick,

All the "GM" bezels had the same part # 3966543 & 3966544 from 1970 thru those in the nineties, however the LH & RH designation adjacent to the part # was not present on the later versions.

The format that is seen on the back side top center of the inside lip of the rolled edge is 3966543LH ....71

[Lyle24961]

Re: '70 - '72 exhaust bezels

Patrick
I have a few sets I bought when GM discontinued them but I don't think I will open the boxs to check the dates. I know some people who like to open their own NOS parts and frown on opened boxes.

Lyle

[Patrick H.]

Re: '70 - '72 exhaust bezels

Lyle,

I have an NOS set or two as well, but the boxes are still closed.

Patrick