My car was originally a RS. When I bought it I had a RS grille and headlight buckets but no other hardware. So I purchased a standard grille, headlight buckets, bezels, etc to convert it. I just removed the old grille and buckets. I have RS inner fenderwells and RS fenders with the tabs at the curves of the fender. My problem is the standard buckets bolt to the radiator support ok but there is a large gap where they are suppose to bolt to the inner fender support at the side and a large gap at the bottom where it should bolt to the lower fenderwell pan. Like an inch or more. Plus the holes for the bolts wouldn't line up even if I bent the buckets. Has anyone run into this problem or am I stuck and this won't work? I have the same problem on both sides. The assembly manual isn't giving me much detail so I walked away for awhile before I start breaking things (LOL).

Thanks I need to get this grille in soon for the paint shop

------------------
69 Camaro
350 4sp
Daytona Yellow

I think this is a first, going from an RS setup to a standard grille. Usually its the otherway around.

------------------
Mark Canning
1969 Indy Pace Car
350/300HP RPO Z11

Dsimoni,

You are the first person I have ever heard of doing this. If you are serious, I would suggest you trade your RS front clip for a standard one. This would be a fair trade since you are missing most of the RS parts. Still, I would trade you in a minute. Those orginal RS Fenders if in good shape will command a good price. Good luck

The fenders are not original, but are GM replacements. When I bought the car both fenders and the cowl hood were replaced. The only RS pieces on the front were the grill and headlight buckets. Everything else was gone, hoses, valves, vacuum tanks and the rear tail panel was also replace with a standard one. The car also has new GM full quarters replaced. This is why I bought it along with no rust underneath. It was a 1/4 mile car from mid 70's to around 1990 and then was restored. It is originally a 350 4 spd RS original Dayatona Yellow/Black vinyl top (76 B) code early 10B Norwood. I decided to go with the standard look since I bought a 69 SS350 yellow/black top off the showroom floor in April of 69. i bought this one for the correct color code I wanted except it was an RS, but since it the RS stuff was 3/4 gone it was an easy decision to change.

Now can anyone help me on my headlight buckets not fitting. Are the RS fenders that much different or do I have standard buckets for a 67/68. I bought them as 69's off EBAY, but ???.

PS I do have the RS doors and headlight buckets along with some hardware and the RS grille going on EBAy soon........

------------------
69 Camaro
350 4sp
Daytona Yellow

Headlight housings are different for each of the three first generation years, although 67 and 68 look pretty similar. Part numbers are 67: 3891653/654, 68: 3919175/176, 69: 3937541/542.

The 67 and 68s only have two holes for screws on the front face that accept screws coming from the grille. The 69s have two screws that come from the grille and 4 holes that are in a lip that circles the outside edge of each housing. Two of these 4 holes are for bolts that attach the headlight bezel to the headlight housing.

If you have a housing that looks like the RS housing without the hinge, then you probably have a 67 or 68 housing.


------------------
Mark Canning
1969 Indy Pace Car
350/300HP RPO Z11

MArk C

thanks for the reply. I looked at the buckets again and they are stamped "69". They just don't fit right. They attach with the 2 bolts to the radiator support ok. There is one weld nut on the bottom (at 6 o'clock) that appears to attach to the inner fender tray but it has a gap of at least 1". The other attachment is at 9 o'clock and attches to the fender/front panel but there is also a 1" gap. If I try to pull it closer it distorts the bucket to the point that the grille does't fit.

Can anyone send me a picture from their car that shows the headlight bucket attachment on a standard front grille. i would really appreciate it.

My email address dsimoni@snet.net

Thanks

------------------
69 Camaro
350 4sp
Daytona Yellow

The tabs on RS fenders are located about 1" farther back into the fender opening than a standard fender. That's why there is a difference in standard and RS fenders. Sounds like your going to have to fabricate a 1" spaced to place between the tab on the fender and the headlight housing.


------------------
Mark Canning
1969 Indy Pace Car
350/300HP RPO Z11

Thanks Mark C.
That is what I'm thinking. Since the bucket has the weld nut, I'll get a longer bolt with a metal collar/sleeve cut to the right length. Paint it semi-gloss and it will blend right in. The length of the collar will determine the positioning in the grille opening. I may have to drill a new hole at the 6 o'clock position on the inner fender panel since it doesn't line up with the existing hole/bolt. I'll just have to do the old trial and error to make it look original.....

------------------
69 Camaro
350 4sp
Daytona Yellow

I would think this would be pretty common since only the RS fenders are available from GM. I know I also have to deal with this on my restoration since I bought new GM fenders. I was wondering if you could just get the little bolt on adapters that are made to convert the std to RS mod. I would think these would also work going the other way. From what I can see, none of the holes will line up. They are a deeper and in different locations. I figured I'd build something to adapt the locations if the adapters don't work. I thought about doing the full RS conversion but it seemed like it would be about $800 more than standard & I didn't want to do all of the other RS stuff.

Kris Kanack
'67 SS conv. w/2000 LS1/6 speed