I started disassembling my 73 Comet for painting and I noticed that my front valance is a little mangled. I went home a got another one but it did not fit (I thought I must have grabbed one for an earlier year), then I went back home and got an nos one from a buddy that said it was for a 73 Comet and it does not fit. I have attached pictures of the one that came off of my car and it has tabs that coincide with a place to bolt them to near the bumper mounts, They look like they are factory spot welded on. Has anyone else come across anything like this?
Yeah....I started a thread about this topic this summer. I don't think we ever came to a conclusion as to why they are there. So are you saying there were bolts thru these brackets bolting it to your car?
Yes, They were bolted to a bracket near the bumper brackets. When I get off work today I will get some pictures of where they bolt up to.
Here's the thread ... http://mmb.maverick.to/showthread.php?t=94382&highlight=valance+bracket+factory We had a few theories. Is your car a late-73 build date? Wondering if this wasn't some mid-year change. That is an awfully big opening in that valance, potentially could act a lot more like a wing than the earlier ones.
here are some pictures of the mounting locations just below the bumper mounting location on the same brackets. I guess I will have to try and fix the valance that I have because it looks like it may be a little difficult finding another like it.
D34B would translate to 1973 Comet. For those who haven't seen this, I posted a parts number translator and it is a sticky in the Parts Interchange section ... http://mmb.maverick.to/showthread.php?t=42973 It is interesting that is is showing a Comet number because these have been found on 1973 Mavs as well. If used on multiple models, the part numbers are typically listed for whatever they were used on first. Maybe this was developed for Comets due to different aero on the front ends, and then accepted later as good idea for both cars. .... maybe it was developed as attempt to keep roadkill from ripping them off the cars. That design did become more scoop-like ... lol. (boy, do I ever have a bad roadkill story ... wasn't a valance that got it) .... maybe it was to help keep bad drivers from murdering the valance on parking stops and curbs. I doubt we will ever know the reason why this was done unless we find documentation somewhere.
Maybe you should tell the roadkill story sometime...I'm always up for a good laugh... ...and by the way Jeff...you have the coolest quote in your signature...luv it! ...and as far as this 73 Valance mystery...I read through both threads about this...and I personally believe you guys have have figured this out, with all your theories....makes sense to me.
