For Sale Need to Know Interest in a Reproduction Rear Valence for a 1973 Dodge Polara/Monaco

[saforwardlook]

I had my body guy make up a die for a valence for my 1973 Monaco. He will use the die to make a fiberglass reproduction of the factory plastic valence for me that usually warps or cracks after all these years. The same valence is used on the 1973 Polaras as well. This is a one year only item and impossible to find in good condition. When these crack or warp, they are not possible to repair and the original plastic ones can not be painted due to the oily nature of the plastic Chrysler used for them. I was thinking that while he is making up one for me, perhaps someone else on this site might also need one. If so, I can have him make more for a very reasonable price to cover his material and time. So let me know if you need one and I will have him make one up for you as well and give you more details. They would be exact replicas ready for painting. I am expecting him to have one done for me in a week or so and I can show you a photo of it painted/mounted to my car soon if you would like. He is a perfectionist, so it would be a good reproduction.

Thanks

 

[polara71]

These were molded in color from the factory..... Correct? AND that color usually didn't match the body color very well...... Please let me know a price Steve, I know dad wanted one for his car but I don't remember why

 

[saforwardlook]

These were molded in color from the factory..... Correct? AND that color usually didn't match the body color very well...... Please let me know a price Steve, I know dad wanted one for his car but I don't remember why

Yes Dave, the color was molded in from the factory. Those valences could not be painted because paint would not stick to the oily plastic. And repairs don't work either because nothing sticks to it as far as I have tried. You are correct, the paint match was never seemingly all that great, but even today I see mismatch on bumper fascias vs. the rest of the body particularly on some new Ford vehicles.

I don't know the cost yet myself, but once my body guy has mine done, I should have a better idea. He just asked me to check whether there was anyone else that needed one and he could make some up. I told him I thought maybe a couple people might want one, but doubted that many on this site have 73 C body dodges, except maybe for some already restored police units. So I thought I would put the feeler out there. Not really looking for business, just trying to help anyone else that might need one. I will keep you updated.

Steve

 

[chry73luv]

Yes Dave, the color was molded in from the factory. Those valences could not be painted because paint would not stick to the oily plastic. And repairs don't work either because nothing sticks to it as far as I have tried. You are correct, the paint match was never seemingly all that great, but even today I see mismatch on bumper fascias vs. the rest of the body particularly on some new Ford vehicles.

I don't know the cost yet myself, but once my body guy has mine done, I should have a better idea. He just asked me to check whether there was anyone else that needed one and he could make some up. I told him I thought maybe a couple people might want one, but doubted that many on this site have 73 C body dodges, except maybe for some already restored police units. So I thought I would put the feeler out there. Not really looking for business, just trying to help anyone else that might need one. I will keep you updated.

Steve

Hi I would be interested in knowing the price of this valence. I have a 73 polara that also has a cracked valance in black that I need replaced. I did not know you could not paint them. I was just going to find another and paint. Please post what the cost would be.

 

[tbm3fan]

I would be interested in this also. Mine is not really in bad shape at all. Once I took it off and realized after examining it that it couldn't be painted I just cleaned it up.

 

[moonrunner1972]

I own two 1973 Polaras that need rear valence panels. The one I purchased from a salvage yard is molded in the yellowish green color and as previously stated, will not allow paint to adhere to it. Please let me know that cost of purchasing a pair.

 

[saforwardlook]

Gosh, after getting only one indication of interest in the last two weeks, my body/paint guy ended up just fabricating one out of steel for me alone rather than follow through with the die idea (fiberglass is kind of a messy, itchy process, so he decided to just do the metal one for me). My apologies for getting your hopes up.
Steve

 

[polara71]

Yeah, including yours there was five needed......just on this board alone. Imagine the need outside the board

 

[saforwardlook]

OK guys, I talked with my body guy again, and he said that he was willing to make steel reproductions for $400 each. He has to fabricate them from scratch so that is the price he needs to charge to make it worth his time, and then he is still making very little $ per hour at that rate. I will try to get a photo of the one he made for me once this downpour of rain lets up a little. I doubt anyone will ever make these in volume given the likely sales. It would be furnished ready to paint. Let me know if there is still interest at that price. I know how I hit a dead end with the original plastic ones so having real steel ones is the best way to go IMO. Even fiberglass was a compromise we thought.

Steve

 

[tbm3fan]

I have no issue with the cost. Hell, I just ordered a new radiator for my F100 and that will cost me $608, so this is a decent deal given low volume.

 

[chry73luv]

OK guys, I talked with my body guy again, and he said that he was willing to make steel reproductions for $400 each. He has to fabricate them from scratch so that is the price he needs to charge to make it worth his time, and then he is still making very little $ per hour at that rate. I will try to get a photo of the one he made for me once this downpour of rain lets up a little. I doubt anyone will ever make these in volume given the likely sales. It would be furnished ready to paint. Let me know if there is still interest at that price. I know how I hit a dead end with the original plastic ones so having real steel ones is the best way to go IMO. Even fiberglass was a compromise we thought.

Steve

I just want to know how your valance turned out-good fit and match to the plastic one? I know it is under the bumper but I still want it to be correct for my resto. If you can assure me of the reproduction I have no problem with 400.00.

 

[saforwardlook]

I just want to know how your valance turned out-good fit and match to the plastic one? I know it is under the bumper but I still want it to be correct for my resto. If you can assure me of the reproduction I have no problem with 400.00.

I have jury duty at this time. I will take some photos as soon as I can. It turned out perfect - an exact reproduction of the original. As I said, my body guy is a perfectionist. He got every contour right. The only difference from original is the way it mounts to the bumper. He wanted to use stainless steel carriage bolts and nuts to replace the retainer/screw setup of the originals which do not weather well, rust and break. The mounting stainless screws/nuts are included with the valence. Also, the metal valence is a little thinner than the original plastic, also a reason to mount it with different pieces.

 

[saforwardlook]

Here is the reproduction bumper that my body guy fabricated for my 1973 Monaco, as installed on the car now. It was copied exactly from the plastic one that I had but now made of metal. This one was installed with the stainless carriage bolts/nuts/washers but the ones you would receive would be a little shorter for your installation. This is the way Chrysler should have done them. Every detail was faithfully reproduced. Let me know what you think.

Steve

 

[moonrunner1972]

I would be willing to pay $400 for a hand fabricated item that looks that good. Has he considered fabricating any other body parts such as a right side trunk extension? :3gears:

 

[moonrunner1972]

BTW, your Monaco is gorgeous!!!

 

[saforwardlook]

I would be willing to pay $400 for a hand fabricated item that looks that good. Has he considered fabricating any other body parts such as a right side trunk extension? :3gears:

He really doesn't have time to do a lot of this stuff, but since I needed one and he has it fresh in his mind how best to do them (plus he made some templates for it), I thought I would make the offer for anyone else that might need one. I am, however, trying to get him to make the 70-1 Chrysler front and rear valences. He said if there was more interest in those made out of metal, he would be willing to make a metal die to craft them (he said they are easier to make than the 73 Polara/Monaco ones). It seems a lot more people need the 70-1 Chrysler, including me, but I thought I would put that question out there to gauge interest in that. It would be a little less costly than the Dodge one.