So I bought a set of coolant overflow and windshield washer bottles for my '83 Crossfire.

The pictured windshield washer bottle is the same one which is sold as an 82-87 replacement by various sources. Obviously it's not the same as the original. What gives? And where can you get a correct one?

 

The bottles changed in 1987, and then again a few years later. It's not unusual for late model parts to supercede the older parts. It'll function the same, even though it's not correct. Your best bet would be to find a good used original. It might not look 100% but it'll be authentic.

 

I'll put it on and keep the old one. Wonder where I'd get a new correct one though?

 

The older style bottle has probably been purged from the inventory. If you can find a vintage part number that's different from the number on your new bottle, you might be able to have your GM dealer do a search in the system to see if another dealership has an old one on the shelf. Your parts counter people might know of some obsolete parts houses too.

 

Sooo, today it's almost above freezing and I decide to install the bottles. The windshield one's attaching holes are slightly offset from the holes on the inner fender. Close, but just off enough where one or the other but not both screws go through.

Anyway, I've got the old bottle soaking in a bleach solution right now, I'll let you guys know how it turns out..

 

I've tried several cleaning agents, and never found any that would turn those bottles from brown back to white.
As for the holes not lining up, sometimes they can be a pain... It seems like the tabs get bent shuffling through the system of they're removed from the mold while they're still soft... I remember one of my replacements being like that, eventually it lined up enough to get the pins in.

 

Yeah, I've never had much luck with cleaning them either. I did a google search and some say that Oxyclean can restore yellowed plastic. I'm in the process of doing that right now...