Surround Lip?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 183
Likes: 1
Surround Lip?
I'll repost this dilemna since it has been a year and so far, no answers.
Our project 71 Vette was hit in the front end and we need to rpelace it. We were donated a front clip but part of the surround, the lip that goes over the cowl in front of the wipers, is broken off and missing from the new clip and is also missing from our car. What is a guy to do? I have seen pics of brand new front ends, and even they do not appear have this piece! Do we really need to buy a $800 hood surround assembly to get that little 1 1/2" wide piece of fiberglass?
If we decide to replace the front clip with new where would we get the best deal? Last year a guy tried to steer us to a good deal, but we got waylayed from the project and could not follow through. But even then, would the new front end have this piece on it? This is most discouraging.....
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Our project 71 Vette was hit in the front end and we need to rpelace it. We were donated a front clip but part of the surround, the lip that goes over the cowl in front of the wipers, is broken off and missing from the new clip and is also missing from our car. What is a guy to do? I have seen pics of brand new front ends, and even they do not appear have this piece! Do we really need to buy a $800 hood surround assembly to get that little 1 1/2" wide piece of fiberglass?
If we decide to replace the front clip with new where would we get the best deal? Last year a guy tried to steer us to a good deal, but we got waylayed from the project and could not follow through. But even then, would the new front end have this piece on it? This is most discouraging.....
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 234
Likes: 0
From: Covington, Virginia
Do you have ANY of the lip left from either front end??? make a mold of it and make some parts from the mold, You don't have to mold the whole thing, make several smaller pieces and patch them together.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 183
Likes: 1
No, Mob, we have nothing. it would seem that if every time someone removes a front end, that this piece is destroyed, it would behoove them to repop that piece by itself.
Sperkins, this is the lip that goes from side to side and glues across the top of the firewall cowl. It is a continuation of the lip that goes around the engine compartment that the hood rests on. I don't have Pics now, but may take some.
Sperkins, this is the lip that goes from side to side and glues across the top of the firewall cowl. It is a continuation of the lip that goes around the engine compartment that the hood rests on. I don't have Pics now, but may take some.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 13
From: San Angelo TX
Go to Corvette shows with swap meets. You should be able to find a partial or wrecked front end that you can cut off the part you need.
Pate is coming up in Fort Worth this month. You should be able to find one there. This is the largest swap meet I have ever been to. It is really a fun event.
http://www.pateswapmeet.com
Roger
Pate is coming up in Fort Worth this month. You should be able to find one there. This is the largest swap meet I have ever been to. It is really a fun event.
http://www.pateswapmeet.com
Roger
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 234
Likes: 0
From: Covington, Virginia
I have a 72, the piece you are referring to is really chewed up on mine, lip is damaged. I have toyed with the idea of trying to rebuild just the lip area, LOTS OF HANDWORK..... I also have a 69 shell that has a good section on it. I have considered making a mold of the section and just start with new glass there. Once the resin is fractured in the factory parts, they really crumble at the damaged site and you chase your tail trying to get back to something good enough to repair and the raised lips are so small and delicate, it will be hard to recreate that by hand....hence the mold/new part idea???? interested???
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 183
Likes: 1
Roger,
the idea of taking it off a wrecked front end seems unlikely. The most likely way it seems is to find a wrecked body and cut the cowl/firel, just below the surround, and then grind slowly away at the firewall, from underneath the lip, until just the surround lip is left.
Mobjack,
I think someone could make some money if he could repop these and sell them for around a $100, since like I said, every time someone changes a front end, this happens. If it were me, I would include at least a few inches each way of the area where it joins the fenders. Another idea would be to repop that whole lip all the way around and sell them for about $200 each. Still alot cheaper than buying the whole surround and cutting off a small piece!
the idea of taking it off a wrecked front end seems unlikely. The most likely way it seems is to find a wrecked body and cut the cowl/firel, just below the surround, and then grind slowly away at the firewall, from underneath the lip, until just the surround lip is left.
Mobjack,
I think someone could make some money if he could repop these and sell them for around a $100, since like I said, every time someone changes a front end, this happens. If it were me, I would include at least a few inches each way of the area where it joins the fenders. Another idea would be to repop that whole lip all the way around and sell them for about $200 each. Still alot cheaper than buying the whole surround and cutting off a small piece!
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,482
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
I think this is what you want. There isn't much to it and it is often not bonded completely to the cowl. Sliding a chisel or a putty knife between it and the cowl will usually break it loose.
Laying up a replacement wouldn't require too much.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 183
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When you say "laying up a replacement" what do you mean? If you mean building a new one, then how does one get that little upturned ridge into it consistently? We tried to remove ours and that is how it broke. It was basically "one with" the cowl in the literal sense of the word. We tried heat and it did nothing. it just all busted to pieces.
Drifting
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,480
Likes: 2
From: Circleville Ohio
Vader Vette
Any body could make that part get a clay mold glass it polish it gell coat the mold fiber glass the gel coat trim the edge off even (wait till
its plyable Then twist the mold and pop it out . I used to make Fiberglass sailboats in Flordia.
its plyable Then twist the mold and pop it out . I used to make Fiberglass sailboats in Flordia.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 234
Likes: 0
From: Covington, Virginia
When you say "laying up a replacement" what do you mean? If you mean building a new one, then how does one get that little upturned ridge into it consistently? We tried to remove ours and that is how it broke. It was basically "one with" the cowl in the literal sense of the word. We tried heat and it did nothing. it just all busted to pieces.
With a good original, the mold making is easy. The thickness of the part is determined by the amount of fiberglass that is laid into the mold and the thickness and consistency of the lip should be very close. If an "exact" reproduction is desired, a two part mold would be made and "squeezed" together to make a real close approximation of the factory original. (this process is called match die molding it is the same process used to make the parts by GM since about 1961 I think)
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 9,429
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From: Macon, GA
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 1
From: west babylon new york
rear lip
i just took yhe one off my 72 it is busted into 4 pieces but you can have it if you want to pay shipping it weighs about 3 or 4 lsb and all the pieces are less tha 12''call or call, artie 1631 669 1514 or email sunandsandwb@yahoo.com i am in babylon n.y. 11704