Over the years I've tried to collect a few original door strikers, found that there's often been 2 variations for these vehicles. Sellers often group these together and list all the models they might fit. Or send you a completely different one to that shown in their ad, frustrating and expensive.
This is a random pic of a few I had out at the time, but shows the longer 'standard' GM 70's and 80's striker for many models, #20151275. It features Torx head and nickel collar with a black nylon sleeve. These are blackened in this pic as awaiting plating. The 76-81 GM Parts books also list this same part number for Firebird models. And yet, on the right is the shorter #8770193 striker, original to my car and original to others in the late 70's. Often these have had the year stamped into the head. Others are plain, production vs service spare parts, who knows. The point is, these are not even mention in the later parts book as being used. The earlier 67-76 Part book still mentions this version for Firebirds.
Apart from the length when compared, easiest way to identify them on their own is the size of the shoulder vs the collar, roughly 1/2 vs roughly 2/3. The other thing this allows is closer door adjustment, or as was more common, extending by way of extra spacer to match the longer version.
I have 2 short strikers with 1978 stamping, 2 short that are plain with no stamping, and 2 of the longer strikers with 1980 stamping, several more that are plain. Seems in later years stamping the year was less important, if it ever was.
GM GN Corvette long door striker bolts short Firebird (1) by
Ben Noakes, on Flickr
GM GN Corvette long door striker bolts short Firebird (4) by
Ben Noakes, on Flickr
Original finish appears to have been a very thin gold plating, over a thin silver zinc plating, and usually painted over on the production line. Decades later, most have original paint long gone, which also means very little sign of either of the plating, just a gloomy grey finish, showing that the plating did it's job for some time.
NOS standard length #20151275, faded gold plating, plain heads.
NOS GM 20151275 Firebird door striker by
Ben Noakes, on Flickr
Here's a silver reproduction with allen-key hex insert and original replated 1978 #8770193. At the time these came out the repros didn't have a torx option, they might now, have had them for years. But they feature the correct length and the collar, albeit they mention wrong part numbers as a replacement, buy extra washers. Unlikely that hey have the nylon sleeve, not visible.
Firebird door strikers repro and replated gold 1978 GM (2) by
Ben Noakes, on Flickr
Firebird door strikers repro and replated gold 1978 GM (1) by
Ben Noakes, on Flickr
2 original Firebird short #8770193 strikers, blackened vs plated.
Firebird door strikers blackened vs gold plated (1) by
Ben Noakes, on Flickr
Short Firebird #8770193 vs used late 80's solid non-collar striker #7978459. These also reverted back to allen-key heads, similar length.
Firebird used original GM door striker 8770193 20151275 with 7978459 replacement (1) by
Ben Noakes, on Flickr
Firebird used original GM door striker 8770193 20151275 with 7978459 replacement (3) by
Ben Noakes, on Flickr
An earlier version of the #20151275 was the #20151274 striker. These were solid, no collar and featured either Torx or allen-key hex insert, for late-60's when changed over gradually. They were effectively an earlier version of the #7978459, but not sure how lengths compared. I have many of these variations, sold some, the rest are still turning up in boxes lost for years, often not the type I want.
NOS GM 20151274 Firebird door striker (1) by
Ben Noakes, on Flickr
NOS GM 20151274 Firebird door striker (2) by
Ben Noakes, on Flickr
