1. There are several factors to consider on the clear or amber parking lamp lens situation for 1971 and 1972 Corvettes.
2. One factor is the lens and lamp combination. Federal Regulations require that the front parking lights appear as an amber color. So, the clear parking lamp lens use was automatically coupled with amber bulbs (#1157NA). On the other hand, the amber parking light lens was automatically coupled with clear bulbs (#1157). If you look at all the documentation, including owners manuals, service manuals and parts manuals, it has always listed the amber bulb for 1971 and the clear bulb for 1972.
3. Another factor is the grille assembly itself and the actual assembly sequence. The grilles were shipped to the factory with the lens already installed and fastened to the grille assembly. The lamp harness and the bulb were installed at the factory. There were different grille assemblies used for 1971 and 1972 production; 1971 grilles had provisions for the fibre optic system and 1972 grilles did not have those provisions. To the best of my knowledge, the grille assembly with fibre optics always came to the factory with clear lenses and the ones without fibre optics always came to the factory with amber lenses.
4. It is generally accepted that the installation of the fibre optic system was discontinued very late in the 1971 Model Year run, approximately the last month of 1971 production did not have the fibre optic system installed on the car. To the best we know, the production line continued using the grille/clear lens assemlies that they had been using for the remainer of the 1971 model year, simply not installing the fibre optics stuff.
5. However, funny things have been known to happen at Model Year change over time, and the use of amber lenses on a very late 1971 car is not impossible. However, as Terry McManmon and other experts have said, no original 1971 car has been verified to have had factory installed amber lenses as of this date. That is why the Manual says what it says. My quite original 1971 (VIN 09222, Feb 71) has the clear lenses with amber bulbs. Perhaps some new information may come to light in the future to result in some change in the Manual, but until it does, I believe that the correct posture is to contine with all 1971's had clear front parking light lenses.
2. One factor is the lens and lamp combination. Federal Regulations require that the front parking lights appear as an amber color. So, the clear parking lamp lens use was automatically coupled with amber bulbs (#1157NA). On the other hand, the amber parking light lens was automatically coupled with clear bulbs (#1157). If you look at all the documentation, including owners manuals, service manuals and parts manuals, it has always listed the amber bulb for 1971 and the clear bulb for 1972.
3. Another factor is the grille assembly itself and the actual assembly sequence. The grilles were shipped to the factory with the lens already installed and fastened to the grille assembly. The lamp harness and the bulb were installed at the factory. There were different grille assemblies used for 1971 and 1972 production; 1971 grilles had provisions for the fibre optic system and 1972 grilles did not have those provisions. To the best of my knowledge, the grille assembly with fibre optics always came to the factory with clear lenses and the ones without fibre optics always came to the factory with amber lenses.
4. It is generally accepted that the installation of the fibre optic system was discontinued very late in the 1971 Model Year run, approximately the last month of 1971 production did not have the fibre optic system installed on the car. To the best we know, the production line continued using the grille/clear lens assemlies that they had been using for the remainer of the 1971 model year, simply not installing the fibre optics stuff.
5. However, funny things have been known to happen at Model Year change over time, and the use of amber lenses on a very late 1971 car is not impossible. However, as Terry McManmon and other experts have said, no original 1971 car has been verified to have had factory installed amber lenses as of this date. That is why the Manual says what it says. My quite original 1971 (VIN 09222, Feb 71) has the clear lenses with amber bulbs. Perhaps some new information may come to light in the future to result in some change in the Manual, but until it does, I believe that the correct posture is to contine with all 1971's had clear front parking light lenses.