67 vs 68 Trim Differences

[rymanrph]

I am looking at purchasing a '68 with '67 parts.

If I were to purchase this vehicle, at some point, I would like to return the front and rear end to the correct '68 parts. What parts are needed for the front and rear?

For the front, I know the grills are different, but is the rest of the trim different too? Some one else pointed out that the P L Y M O U T H across the front is from a '67, but is the header different too, or is it just the letter placement?

My main concern is the rear since the '67 reverse lights were separate. Obviously, the tail lights themselves are different (and I assume the bezels as well) and the trim on the trunk, but what about the trunk itself?

Someone mentioned that I would be looking at around $1000 (front and rear to get the correct parts). All said and done, what value do the '67 parts have that I can recoup by selling? I want to use this as a bargaining tool if I decided to negotiate a price on this car.

Here are a couple pictures:

 

[airwoofer]

I can't see your pictures but if the trunk lid rear trim is any good and you price is fair I would be interested in the set. I ruined my perfect set unloading my parts car off the trailer by myself!

Dooh!

 

[ESP47]

I'd be interested in the driver side tail light and possibly the Plymouth emblem lettering on the front.

I'll take that rear bumper off your hands too ;)

 

[RedFish]

The positive part is no one piece is more sought after than another. You could probably trade what you have for what you want.

 

[Rocky_JS]

^^ what Red said^^ while it might be 1k in parts to change. you still have parts worth money to recoup some of that back.

67 header panel sans letters is the same as 68. The 68 said Plymouth in a script on the left side.

grilles are different mostly the center insert, vertical lines instead of a "boxed" type design. the surrounds are nearly the same with 3 vertical supports for 67 and 2 for 68. headlight bezels 68 had an extra screw on the outer lip.
The 68 trunk trim was wide top and bottom trim while the 67 had top and bottom thinner moldings and a center molding.
tail lights as noted, no one added the external back up lights so nothing to change there. In 68 they were part of the tail light assy.

 

[rymanrph]

All great information guys - thanks! From the big pictures I have on my computer, I can see that the extra screw is visible on the head light surrounds.

I've read that the parking lights are different as well. I've seen pictures of some that appear to sit almost flush with the grills while these clearly do not.

I'm not a purist (this car has a 360 in it), but I don't want glaring differences like the tails if that makes sense.

 

[airwoofer]

I am switching my 68 rear to the 67 style so I can have larger surface area for the tail lights / brake lights. More surface area = less chance of getting rear ended and totalling the car. Would also like to figure out how to get a third light in the rear fastback window somehow and make it look clean. Probably at the top and hide the wires under the headliner.

 

[Wheels]

are you sure it is a 68 and not a 67 - does it have side markers on it, I did notice the lack of back up lights.

 

[Rocky_JS]

in an earlier set of pictures he posted of this car the VIN plate was not on the A-pillar door post so it is a 68.

 

[cosgig]

someone decoded the fendertag in the other thread and it codes out to a 68. Hard to change that rear valence just to get rid of the reverse light holes. Trunk lid must be drilled for the 67 trim though, so it's probably a 67 lid!!Looks like someone found a 67 parts car to rebuild their racecar for the street!! Never say always though!! geof

 

[rymanrph]

someone decoded the fendertag in the other thread and it codes out to a 68. Hard to change that rear valence just to get rid of the reverse light holes. Trunk lid must be drilled for the 67 trim though, so it's probably a 67 lid!!Looks like someone found a 67 parts car to rebuild their racecar for the street!! Never say always though!! geof

You're probably right. I talked to the owner today and he wasn't even aware that the lights and trim were from a different year. I asked him what he was using for reverse lights and he had no idea.

There appears to be something below the bumper between the exhaust pipe and the license plate, but I can't quite make it out.

 

[mvh]

I think the upper and lower trim strips on the trunklid are swapped. The top one looks like it is upside-down, but since you can't actually do that, it is probably the bottom piece.

The fact that it has stainless trim around the front and rear glass also indicates that the body is a 68.

The trunk lid and nose panel are probably 67, since the drilled holes would be different on a 68.

 

[cosgig]

I think the upper and lower trim strips on the trunklid are swapped. The top one looks like it is upside-down, but since you can't actually do that, it is probably the bottom piece.

The fact that it has stainless trim around the front and rear glass also indicates that the body is a 68.

The trunk lid and nose panel are probably 67, since the drilled holes would be different on a 68.

The rear trim pieces could BOTH be uppers...the old trick when the lowers wern't being repopped, and were going for $400-500 a piece!! Even now with the repopped one, it is patterned after a lower piece, and thus has the wrong profile for the upper. When put against a used upper, that repopped lower really sticks out!!n

Got a pic of the different profiles of each piece side by side if needed!!

Even now, an original lower in undented, undamaged condition can easily fetch $250!!!

 

[Hersbird]

The hood inserts are 68s at least! I have found the 68 grilles seem to cost more, but they are reproduced. They seem more prone to breakage being plastic then the metal 67s. If the surrounds are attached firmly to the header panel I would consider just leaving it whole and buying the 68 stuff separate. The studs will likely break off if they have never been off and it just turns into a big pain. Plus filling and refinishing all the letter holes is a bunch of work. Keep those headlight surrounds and I bet you could get $600 or more for the header, turn signals, grille, and surrounds as one piece.

Personally I would have to say although I like the 68 trim better I would just leave what you have there and spend the time and money somewhere else on that car.

 

[0ld school]

hey cosgig, who re-pops the trunk mouldings for a 68? i need some.

 

[Rocky_JS]

I didn't know they were re-popping the grille surrounds for the 67-8, only the 69's in the last year or so? Also the upper/ lower trunk trim for the 67 are repopped, but not the center . I know nothing or heard nothing about 68 trim except from hersbird above. I believe cosig was referring to the 67 upper/ lower trunk trim.

 

[cosgig]

hey cosgig, who re-pops the trunk mouldings for a 68? i need some.

Metro Parts does the 67 trim piece, but I'm not sure if they do the 68, but I'm sure they're doin the 69!! Contact Joel and see!!

http://www.buymetroparts.com/item/a-body-barracuda-67-69/1967-barracuda-deck-lid-moldin/lid=10723270

 

[Mupoo]

are you sure it is a 68 and not a 67 - does it have side markers on it, I did notice the lack of back up lights.

This is what I was thinking as well

 

[mvh]

I didn't know they were re-popping the grille surrounds for the 67-8, only the 69's in the last year or so? Also the upper/ lower trunk trim for the 67 are repopped, but not the center . I know nothing or heard nothing about 68 trim except from hersbird above. I believe cosig was referring to the 67 upper/ lower trunk trim.

The "repop" 67 trunk trim, as noted above, is really only one of the two pieces, slightly modified so it fits in both positions. This royally pisses me off. If they can repop both pieces of the much more elaborate 68 trim, why can't they just do both pieces properly? But you talk to Metro, and they say "oh, this is factory original -- it was the same top and bottom", which is frankly bullshit -- they have separate part numbers, for one thing. And because they have this bullshit piece on the market, other people are starting to carry it (like Layson's), which means nobody is EVER going to make the right parts. Grrr.

Sorry, but this really bugs me (I guess you can tell that)... :wack:

 

[Rocky_JS]

LOL max! I have them on mine the top is a tight fit you have to push it around the deck lid and attach. But 99% wouldn't know the difference.
I have both nice originals that need to be restored light pitting and the anodizing is discolored.

 

[cosgig]

Actually MVH, I have been friends with Joel for some time now, and when i inquired about which piece he was repopping, he informed me that when in pre-production he didn't know there was a difference, and just remade the item from the best example he could find. It just so happened that it was a lower, which is pretty lucky and probably helps sell the piece a lot better!!

You'd be in awe of his story on how he came about to have enough capital to do parts at all, and it was also a chance purchase of some NOS antennae assemblies, namely 7 semi trailers full of NOS OE antennaes for all makes of cars!! He told me that early on he mistakenly sold an entire semi trailer load of the oval masted antennaes correct for 60's GM products. I believe he said he bought all the antennaes for $5 a piece, and sold that truckload for $12 a piece, not knowing that he would be able to sell them now for $150 a piece. That one trailer load did give him the capital to start Metro, although a fire at his warehouse destroyed thousands of pieces of his stock, and I believe most of what everybody sells now is repopped, patterned after NOS originals provided by him!! If I'm not mistaken, the fire was started by an employee BBQing steaks on a grille!!

Just some fun facts form the cosgig files...

 

[michformulaS]

I am thinking good 68 grills, nice or repop 68 tail lights and trunk trim alone are going to be way more than $1000. Unless somebody is finally making them cheaper the tail lights alone are $700 or so. Good grills close to that as well. Trunk trim $500+. Not sure of all this as I am OK with the stuff on my car but this stuff seems to be gold.