maroon67

I have a couple questions for you guys about tire tubs.

Are there any differences between a 63 tub assembly and other C2 assemblies?
Is there a difference in cost to replace a 63 vs other years?
Do C2 assemblies differ from C3 assemblies?
Finally, are there any tricks to removal of the nuts on the long bolts that attach the V shaped bar on the bottom of the tub? They look like they will be difficult to reach and I assume there will be some corrosion.

Thanks in advance.

Frankie the Fink

Yes to everything except the last part - no trick required...

Its a one year only part - so yes, try to find one, with minimal damage, get out your Kleenex and checkbook when you do - the prices are eye-watering.

I use an open end wrench to take the long bolts loose up at the frame and they come out quite easily once started (May '63 car); not even close to being a problem.

What you really have to be careful on these tubs is the 4 bolts holding the tub to the frame - they are fine thread and you can strip them in an eyeblink, and, jacking up the car by the differential - its tooooo easy to get the jack saddle on the lip of the tub and destroy it in a few strokes of the jack handle...

maroon67

Right now if someone told me they were selling me a 63 tire carrier it could be from a 65 and I wouldn't know the difference.

How do tell a 63 from the pretenders?

vettebuyer6369

The 1963 only model is most easily determined by the lack of "notches" in the forward side allowing space for the brace. 63 top, 64-67 bottom:

vettebuyer6369

However, according to NCRS my research tells me that late 1963s also used the 64-67 design with the notches, after VIN approximately 14000. I have spoken to original owners who have had either design after this period. I actually wanted to get the '63 only tub (mine was missing) but my research pointed to a June car having the later design.

Also, note that the lip is there supposedly protecting from dirt entering the tub, on the later models.

Generally the '63 only design is more expensive.

Powershift

If not badly damaged, they can be repaired. Scott Sinclair does this work. He may even have the early-63 tubs repaired and in inventory.

Sermersheims makes excellent replacement tubs. There name is changed now, but if you want a reproduction tub I would contact them. You can get the new name of the company and contact info if you GOOGLE the original name.

I THINK LICS also sells a high quality reproduction. May be the same as above.

Larry

Frankie the Fink

The repros are not awful and fit the bill functionally. The forward lip on my 63 tub had slight damage and its actually not hard to make repairs ... the trickier part is to get that gray looking bare look with the threads of cream colored stringers reproduced decently. My tub was sprayed many coats of barbecue grill black and had some damage; and one of the iron lid braces was missing rivets.

It was more than a few hours to strip it, fix the issues, re-rivet the V-brace on the lid and reproduce the bare material look. It judged at Lakeland with no deducts and a nod and a "...nice tire tub" from the judges...

Before and after pics.

pop23235

Just what is your secret to reproducing the bare strands look Frankie? Readers want to know!

Frankie the Fink

You really gonna make me relive that - I'm just finishing up therapy.
Depending on the damage you first have to lay down a substrate of gray paint. I mixed up several test batches of black and white mixtures to get a good looking match. Touch up only what is required blending as best you can into undamaged areas.

I then used one of those fingernail painting brushes the gals use to gussy up their fingernails with little flowers and the like - VERY fine tipped. A bit of off-white paint lightly stroked on in a pseudo random variation of appropriately sized "stripes" going in various directions followed by a very VERY light mist of satin clear coat for durability and once the tub is mounted on the car; the fixes are invisible...

Nothing magical - just a bit tedious...

You can see the dinged up forward edge of the tub and chewed up areas on the lid and the nice tiger claw scrape on the lid in the first picture. The second pic above is the finished result.

vettebuyer6369

In my photos the top pic is original and the bottom pic is of a L63-67 repro.

MOXIE62

All I did to my 63 early tub was used a stripper to remove paint and lightly sand. No paint except for the "V" bar.

Frankie the Fink

Well, you were lucky to have a better preserved tub than most of us..

pop23235

Frankie, that looks nice. How did you fill in the missing glass? I can do glass and make it turn out well, but the color and surface texture varies a lot. If I get just the right amount of resin and glass and just the right pressure for it during the set, it looks good. That's about 1 out of 10. Either too much glass or too much resin in the finished product most of the time.

sub006

Since C2 tires got an inch wider for the '65 model year, it make sense to me that either the tub got deeper or '63 and '64 spares would thump when going over a big bump?

Frankie the Fink

Pop. Believe it or not I just used good old fashioned Bondo on the tire tub. Once cured, lightly sanded and painted it comes out fine.

vettebuyer6369

I think the bolts holding the lid changed length.

Powershift

There were three (3) different lengths.

Larry

DucatiDon

Well, I am glad to know I have the original 63 tub in excellent shape!

sub006

So the later C2s have a gap around the bottom?