C3 Nose Rivets Question
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 320
Likes: 0
From: Bedford Va.
C3 Nose Rivets Question
I just talked to a guy selling a 72 vert and he was discussing the repaint he just had done. He stated that the rivets were visible prior to painting and the problem was corrected by grinding down the rivets and glassing over them. Doesn't sound like this was done correctly but I have never seen it done. What do you guys think?
Thanks,
John
Thanks,
John
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 320
Likes: 0
From: Bedford Va.
On the nose in front of the hood there are apparently factory rivets that attach the nose section on. At least that is what I have been told and I have personally seen C3s with bubbles across the nose indicating some sort of attachment. I am told that the rivets corrode and bubble up and that this requires major work to correct.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 27
From: Boca Raton Florida
Hmm, depends on what else they did to fix it. Just gringing the rivits down and glassing them over will make the paint look nice, BUT, the headlight buckets might fall off the nose.
To properly eliminate the rivits, your supposed to put in a bonding strip (glued on the underside of the nose) and then glue the header bar to that. The headlight buckets attach to the header bar.
To properly eliminate the rivits, your supposed to put in a bonding strip (glued on the underside of the nose) and then glue the header bar to that. The headlight buckets attach to the header bar.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 370
Likes: 0
From: Rockford Michigan
Originally Posted by SIXFOOTER
Hmm, depends on what else they did to fix it. Just gringing the rivits down and glassing them over will make the paint look nice, BUT, the headlight buckets might fall off the nose.
To properly eliminate the rivits, your supposed to put in a bonding strip (glued on the underside of the nose) and then glue the header bar to that. The headlight buckets attach to the header bar.
To properly eliminate the rivits, your supposed to put in a bonding strip (glued on the underside of the nose) and then glue the header bar to that. The headlight buckets attach to the header bar.
I agree. You have to fix the cause of the problem so it doesn't come back and cause more problems later...
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 320
Likes: 0
From: Bedford Va.
Thanks. You have confirmed that this is not simply a cosmetic issue and I will question this guy more about what was done. By the way, this car is in Ft. Meyers Fl. Any chance of your being close by?
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,944
Likes: 22
From: Yooperville MI
The '68-'72 cars had about 35 rivets that held the hood surround reinforcement to the hood surround panel. The reinforcement is the main attaching point for the headlight mechanism. The rivets were aluminum and the reinforcement was made of steel. Over time galvonic corrosion took place between the disimilar metals and the expansion of the corrosion causes bumps over each rivet or lumps in the paint. The rivets are sunken into the hood surround, so I doubt the rivets were ground away, they probably ground the corrosion build up away. The '73 and later cars did away with the rivets and the reinforcement is bonded to the hood surround. To convert to the later style is best to eliminate the corrosion problem, but not an easy job.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 13
From: San Angelo TX
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 320
Likes: 0
From: Bedford Va.
I appreciate very much the offer of help. The guy told me his bodyman said that the problem would likely return in a few years which says that the work could not have been done right. This is a 72 steel cities gray vert, base engine with 4 spd and no other options. He is asking 29,000 which says to me that this should be a perfect car. Knowing that the repaint and body work is suspect tells me that I should probably leave this one alone. What do you think?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 755
Likes: 1
From: Hobart Tasmania
When I bought my '72 it had been repainted about 7 years prior and had been taken back to bare glass. It was quite good but was showing some hairline cracks in the seams on the guards so I decided on a complete repaint. The rivets on the nose had been slightly sanded down and were nearly flush with the body. After two pack primer, paint, cut and polish they are not evident. It is possible they may reappear, one in the door sill has slightly cracked the paint. I am very happy with the smooth finish, having said that orange peel effect. I took mine to an NCRS meet to have the car judged this year and one comment was that the bumps from the rivets was not visible, if that's the only thing wrong with the car I'm not fussed.
I think someone said oxidisation of the rivet was a problem, has this car lived near the sea.
I think someone said oxidisation of the rivet was a problem, has this car lived near the sea.
