Automotive Archeology - S30 Headlight Bezel Variations

[Broman]

So during a trial refit of the panels of my May 71 240Z project I had an issue getting the lower lip of the LH headlight bezel ("sugar scoop") to lay flat against the upper lip of the lower corner valance.  While researching the issue, I quickly went a rabbit hole and discovered no less that FIVE variations of the S30 bezel, and the differences all seem to be related to the number and type of holes on the lower lip that overlays the top of the lower corner valance.

 

Here is the original fiberglass bucket, with two holes (#1 and #2) that align with the two cages nuts on the valance.  These holes are the same on all the variants.

 

But here is a bezel where an additional mystery hole (#3) shows up.  I have no idea what it is for, but it does have a matching hole in SOME 240Z valances.  (Other 240Z valances do not this this hole.)  This mystery hole seems to be continued on all further variants.

 

When they switched over to a metal bezel, they appeared to keep the same hole positions.

 

With the new 260Z bumpers that use a rubber filler between the bumper and the body, this filler has a metal tab that is screwed into yet another, albeit smaller, hole (#4) in the bezel.  And this hole has a factory-installed hex (not square) nut resistively welded to the back of the bezel to accept the screw holding the rubber filler.  BUT...when this nut showed up on the back of the bezel, a corresponding notch in the top of the corner valance was added so the the valance and bezel lips would still lie flat.  (This is what caused me a problem.  Some previous owner put a 260Z bezel on my car while keeping a 240Z valance and the nut gapped the panels...no bueno.)

 

When the 280Z grew a even larger bumper, this rubber filler strip was no longer used.  While I am just speculating, it appears that they did away with the hex-nut-welding step, but  left the #4 hole (no savings to delete it from the tooling).

 

This all is just one man's observations, and I welcome other findings y'all have made.

 

 

[zKars]

And here we are again with more evidence that there is something new to learn every single day. 

Thanks for the great detective work. 

[Broman]

On 3/5/2022 at 8:41 AM, zKars said:

And here we are again with more evidence that there is something new to learn every single day. 

Thanks for the great detective work. 

Well, allow me to ask my fellow 240Z owners to help with the detective work!

Here is my ask: If you have a 240Z with original METAL headlight bezels, please check them to see if you have this third mystery hole.  Even if your bumper is bolted on, I think there is enough gap between the bumper and the body to peek in and confirm/deny this hole's existence. And if you see it, is there a matching hole in the valence behind it.  I am trying to determine approx when this hole showed up.