So, last night, after work, I went to take a look at a 1969 RS. It is Silver, and the body work was done really well. Tag shows that it was a Cortez silver car, but, that it was to have a vinyl top on it, which it didn't. The missing black top didn't concern me, because these can be re-applied to a car through just about any competent resto shop.

But, what had me curious was this: The car has its antenna on the rear quarter, on the passenger side. Why is it that most cars had front fender antennas, and this one (and another one he had) both had them on the rear fender? It would hit the rear air spoiler when I would open and close the trunk lid. Did some get front, and other get rear mounted antennas? What would have been the deciding factor? It was built 09E, so, maybe the later cars had rear antennas?

Another concern was that when the body shop replaced the rear lower body panel under the bumper, they didn't install a panel for an RS, so, it has no backup lights at all. The backup lights are basically sitting in the trunk. Can the lower panel be cut for the lights, or, was there a pre-cut RS panel that should have been installed?

Last curiosity was that the car is tagged as an X11, but, and has the RS options, and chrome trim (maybe I am confusing this with the X44.) Should the X11 RS have chrome trim on the bottom, but not on the drip rails? It has a 10 bolt, and 5 leaf springs.

-Ted

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6161&item=2491594052&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

This one...

-Ted

You can easily cut the tail panel for the RS backup lights. Check to see if the wires are correct for RS or standard. Also, RS taillight
housings do not have the center socket hole.

All RS that have the X codes are X11 (X22 or X33 for b/b or Z/28 RS). X11 style trim package, which was part of the RS package, included drip rail brightwork, wheel well opening trim, and chrome trim around the headlights. In addition to the above, RS included hidden headlights, lower backup lights, and bright trim around the front turn signal lenses.

All 69s had the brightwork on the rockers.

Did you look the car over real close? I don't see any of the stuff for the RS headlights. Did you see hoses or a vacuum canister? Is there a 2 hole grommet in the firewall for the vacuum hoses that come from the headlight switch?
How about headlight washers? Did you see them? Also the wiper motor will have a pump for the headlight washers.
Is that all of the RS stuff in the trunk?
Rear antenna was an option but not with a rear spoiler.
What is the X code on the tag? It is unreadable on the auction.
What is up with the badging? RS on the front and SS on the rear???
To be honest I would keep looking.

Rick

The rear antenna was an option RPO U73, its a 3 peice mast and it was available only with an AM radio. Ordering the rear antenna means the car could NOT have a spoiler from the factory, the two were mutually exclusive because the spoiler would hit the antenna.

An X11 could be an RS but doesn't have to be. X44 is the base car without exterior trim. An RS could not be an X44 car.

If it's that one referenced on Ebay, it's not an SS, I doubt it's an RS (No RS headlight washer solenoid, and can't see the vacuum canister or lines in the engine compartment) Is the dark spot on the inner fenderwell the a marking left from the windsheild washer bottle mount of a sticker of some kind. There is no windsheild washer bottle in the engine compartment. The Antenna is in the wrong spot, it's about 4 inches to far back on the fender and it looks like an AM?FM mast.

I dont see the headlight washer solenoid on top of the wiper motor housing. Its not a pump as much as an extra solenoid to divert fluid using existing pump. Those are $350 or more to find since they are not repo'd. The taillights are for an RS (horizontal chrome across center) but the lower panel needs to be cut out as mentioned. There was no RS panel for that, it had to be cut out by a body shop if replaced.
Replacing vinyl can be costly and will require drilling holes for chrome trim mounting.
Someone 'might' have cloned an RS here.