C3 General General C3 Corvette Discussion not covered in Tech
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

'79 Header Bar Install

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Dec 13, 2008 | 10:53 AM
  #1  
79vetter's Avatar
79vetter
Thread Starter
Drifting
20 Year Member
Conversation Starter
All Eyes On Me
 
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,583
Likes: 5
From: Richardson Tx.
Default '79 Header Bar Install

Hi,
I removed my header bar that was bonded up before. I had a few questions about reinstalling it.

What is the best way to remove the old adhesive that is still up there?

What would be the best glue to mount it back? (metal to SMC)

I'm going to try to put it back in the exact same place as before but are there any other gotchas that I should be aware of? The headlight assemblies are completely out.

thanks
Reply
Old Dec 13, 2008 | 11:11 AM
  #2  
seventysixvette's Avatar
seventysixvette
Burning Brakes
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 845
Likes: 1
From: Columbus Indiana
Default

When I installed a new header bar in my '76 I had my headlight assemblies tore apart, so I used my empty frames to align the bar. Someone else here on the forum gave me that little hint, it worked out well.

I've read stories about the bar coming back loose, the metal not sticking to the bonding agent very well. I drilled holes in the header bar about 6" apart. When I stuck the bar back into position, a little bonding agent squeezed through the holes. When the SEM set up a little, I pushed the agent flat, kinda like riveting or mushrooming the epoxy that had oozed through.

I used a homemade chisel to seperate the old, rusted out header bar loose, and just used a 4" hand grinder to clean the old epoxy off the underside of the fiberglass.

I've always used SEM for any of my bonding, metal to 'glass or 'glass to 'glass. They make different formulations for different jobs. There's usually some on e-bay, or a local body shop.

Hope some of this helps. There's some good threads too if you do a search.

John

Oh, forgot to add have some C clamps ready to hold the bar in place once epoxyed.
Reply
Old Dec 13, 2008 | 12:00 PM
  #3  
Durango_Boy's Avatar
Durango_Boy
Team Owner
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Default

Send a PM to Road-Race Vette, he'll have some good advice for you for sure.
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To '79 Header Bar Install





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:38 AM.

story-0
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Corvettes that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 10:34:17


VIEW MORE
story-1
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

A lot of money has changed hands at the online auction house over the years.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-03 10:21:50


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: 10 great gifts Corvette enthusiasts actually want for Father's Day!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:40


VIEW MORE
story-3
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

Slideshow: These are the quirks, annoyances, and oddly lovable problems that every Corvette owner eventually learns to live with.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-28 09:31:39


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

Slideshow: 10 reasons why the C6 Z06 is still a performance benchmark after 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 17:20:09


VIEW MORE
story-5
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

Slideshow: How much horsepower every Corvette engine lost in 1972.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:54:53


VIEW MORE
story-6
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

Slideshow: The 10 most explosive Corvettes ever built based on power-to-weight ratio.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-20 07:23:03


VIEW MORE
story-8
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-9
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE