Chrome glove box?

[Driv3r]

Found this chrome glove box in my spare stash. I also have a chrome ashtray. Are these from earlier models or were these 02 options?

 

Thanks

 

[jgerock]

Early car goodies - also found in European (non US) cars. Don't throw those away!

[whs.de]

Parts of the 3 piece dash -3/71

 

[Driv3r]

28 minutes ago, whs.de said:

Parts of the 3 piece dash -3/71

 

 

So that's where the ashtray is suppose to go, inside the dashboard? I was hoping it would mount to middle console same as normal ashtray. I might have to find a way to retrofit it for decoration, I'm not a smoker anyway.

[whs.de]

Jepp!

[Mike Self]

The chrome dashboard trim was discontinued on US spec cars with the beginning of 1968 model year cars--the first year Federal regulations required that no shiny chrome be in the driver's view due to sun dazzling.  At the same time the all chrome instrument surrounds and shiny wiper arms/blades were also discontinued on US cars.  

 

Since US spec 2002s didn't begin production until Jan or Feb 1968, you won't find the chrome dashboard trim on any US 2002s, and on US 1600s only in 1966 and 1967.  

 

History lesson for today.

 

mike

[TobyB]

What's really interesting on that is that, at the same time the chrome ban came in (dumb, for the trim that reflects down, but whatever)

all cars were supposed to have side marker lights.

 

And yet, the 2002 didn't get them until 1969, and even then, lighting seems to have been optional until 1970.

 

All domestics had 'em.  Datsuns had 'em.  2002's didn't seem to.

 

t

 

[Mike Self]

10 hours ago, TobyB said:

What's really interesting on that is that, at the same time the chrome ban came in (dumb, for the trim that reflects down, but whatever)

all cars were supposed to have side marker lights.

 

And yet, the 2002 didn't get them until 1969, and even then, lighting seems to have been optional until 1970.

The side marker reflectors apparently weren't actually required until 1 Jan 1969, even though other manfuacturers started fitting 'em in 1968.  And the Feds didn't require illuminated side markers; the standard was for visibility.  Dunno why BMW all of a sudden started fitting illuminated rear side markers in late 1970--perhaps to match the illuminated parking lights, which on previous cars went out when the headlights were turned on.  And the front side reflectors remained because the parking light housings didn't have built-in reflectors.

 

And BMW went a step further--they didn't start fitting those 1 Jan 1969 required bits until 1969 model year cars started rolling off the assembly line after 1 January; thus the "1st series '69s built from 1 Sept to 31 Dec '68, and "2nd series" '69s, built after 1 January.  Lots of detail differences between the two.

 

mike

[arminyack]

good stuff! rare, and I know a couple of people looking for these things!

[TobyB]

Here's what doesn't compute-

 

(I have a 1968 Datsun, a former girlfriend has a 1968 Firebird convertible, which is what made me start looking

we could always tell the exact year of another car just by looking at the markers.)

 

the 1968 Camaro/Firebird had those cute little marker lights on the front and rear fenders,

as did the Mustang and other domestics.  They were lights, they were low, but they were new for 1968.

 

In 1968 BMWs and Datsuns had nothing on the sides.

 

In 1969, the Mustang and Camaro markers moved a little, and I THINK they got bigger.

While the Datsun roadster had the cutest little lights that they stole right off of a Ferrari.

 

By 1970, all the side markers are higher, reflective, and something like 3 square inches.

 

So I've always wondered if imports got a year's grace in 1968. 

 

t

 

 

 

[JerryC]

I have a vague recollection that imported cars were given an extra year to implement some of the new Federal regulations. I remember thinking it was a bit unfair to the domestic car makers at the time, but I was a teenager then so most everything seemed pretty screwed up to me.