richardgharris

Thank You for passing on your years of knowledge and experience!

All the parts I received are definitely original except for the plastic face. The face is clear plastic, has the corvette stingray logo in the mold. To your knowledge does this piece have a chance of being from either a trim parts mold or a GM mold? I can provide more pictures if needed?.

Thank You,
Rich Harris

Blue Ridge 67

If Gm and Trim never sold the plastic face as a legal part, then there is only one way the part left either factory.
I cannot identify the part as a GM part or a Trim part
Sorry

inspectorudy

If this plastic piece is a mold, why would it have the Corvette script in it? That was an add-on piece and is not part of the door. The '60s was a period of plastic covers for everything and I believe this was someone's idea for a protective cover for the door face. It may have been produced as a concept product that no one wanted and was never mass produced. With the lock cutout and the screw dimples at the bottom, it indicates that it fits over an existing door.

Blue Ridge 67

With due respect!!!
1963 glove box doors have the word "corvette" molded into the plastic piece as the pic have shown. Separate chrome emblems started in 1964 and was attached to the aluminum insert.
This cover is correct in all ways for a 1963 . This is not your grandmothers seat covers

inspectorudy

I didn't know '63 had a different door but is the original door a plastic overlay? It would have had to be used over the original door because it's plastic and would not have the rigidity needed for the black band that surrounds the face piece. I mean without the original door how would this have been used? If it is a mold then was the original door molded? If not what would anyone do with a mold? Plus I don't understand the "With due respect!!!" comment. I'm just trying to find an answer and am not contradicting anyone. If it's not my grandmother's seat cover then you tell me what it is.

63driver

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I've never seen this part. I've been around C2's for 60 years. An earlier post suggested that it was a glove box door protector, I kind of think that is what it is. That's it.

leif.anderson93

From Zip's description of the Trim Part '63 glove box door that they sell:

"New reproduction 1963 Corvette glove box door front - manufactured to original factory specifications. Includes correct grain face and aluminum insert w/clear cover over the front emblem."

63driver

I just looked at the original door from my 63 that I replaced in 1999. There is nothing magnetic in the door. I'm not sure the GM bean counters would let them use non-magnetic stainless or aluminum in 1963 for a door. I believe it's all plastic.

richardgharris

Hi All,

Thanks for all the responses and interests in this topic. I am bringing the 83 glove box door to corvette Carlisle next week. It will be a conversation piece!

Rich Harris

2KREDVert

My 63 door cracked where the looped end of the return spring contacts the door. I used the spring from a 65 which doesn't exert the same pressure on the plastic. I bought the metal reinforcement piece to go along the bottom but never used it because I couldn't see how that would help. I put a piece of felt between the spring looped end and the plastic to cushion the stress. Bought a new door from Trim Parts. Took almost a year to get it.

1963GrayGray

While restoring my 63 air conditioned convertible in the mid-80s I wanted to retain the inside fiberglass part of my glove box door. The door had a C 60 decal that I did not want to lose. I found that the owner of trim parts also owned a 63 air condition convertible. He said that he did not sell separate parts for the door. However while discussing this with him he agreed to sell me the face only and I installed the new face to my inner fiberglass so that I could retain the C 60 decal.

Vipermike

I am surprised no one has offered up better information on these '63 Corvette glove box doors before now.

I have a few answers for you.

First, the '63 glove box door is made entirely of plastic, fiberglass, paint, and glue. No metal was used (other than attaching screws and rivets).

The face of the '63 door is a molded piece of clear plastic exactly as pictured by Richard Harris.

From the factory, this clear plastic face was painted/coated on the back side to simulate a chrome emblem and trim, brushed aluminum backing, and black border.

After the paint was applied, the plastic face was epoxied to the fiberglass back to form the assembly.

Second, I am quite certain the reproduction glove box doors were released in the mid 1990's, as I was restoring a '63 Vette from 1993 through 1999, and I do not believe the reproduction door was available when I began my restoration, but the door became available before I had finished the car.

Third, I suspect that the clear face that R.Harris has pictured either walked out of the Trim Parts factory before any paint was applied, or was later soaked in brake fluid (this a plastic modeler's trick for removing paint) to remove any previously applied paint.

BWT

The repro 1963 glove box doors came about as a collaboration between Jerry Pings of LaPlata MD. And Richard Miller the founder of Custom Mold Dynamics (Trim Parts). Jerry had a lot of cars and parts. Richard had come out with those beautiful gas doors and was approached on the glove box door. I know the tooling was very expensive. They demonstrated it with one standing on the door to show its durability. This was maybe 1980, possibly earlier.
They are a really good part. I suspect the unpainted part, in this thread, was in fact “pilfered” as described. The door was sold from GM as an assembly, with the back attached. I’ve had one or more (NOS) in the past. Interesting indeed!

Blue Ridge 67

Your reply was spot on. Great memory and yes this is how it happened.
As an aside I have not heard the name Jerry Pings for 45+ years. He owned the Belle Aire Motel in LaPlate Md. and had a huge inventory of Corvette parts. I attempted to buy his inventory when he decided to move to California. We never could decide what was for sale and what he was keeping. The inventory ultimately was moved by him to California via several trips' cross country by trailer. I bought out his Fall Carlisle spots that were on the old racetrack infield at Carlisle in the 70's. Now a thing of the past.
Never heard from him again or heard his name until now.
Most likely not with us anymore.
Thanks for the memory. You must have gray hair like mine.
Dick Barron

richardgharris

Could it be an original that was soaked to remove the paint? I would like to restore this piece. What I gather from this discussion is the silver was painted on the back of the original plastic door? As well as the black on the molded in logo? There is no metal piece as with the later glove box doors and no rivets, the glove box door was just glued together to assemble? Whatever the case I really appreciate the knowledge you all brought to this discussion!

Thank You,
Rich Harris

richardgharris

The glove box door went to Carlisle and it was, as inteneded, a conversation piece. After much discussion, laughs and fun I decided to give it to a very good friend who has a 1963 corvette, His glove box is original but in poor condition. He is very into originality and will find out how this part came about and if he can use it, I will try to let the forum know what he finds out.

Rich harris