My 1979 has a plastic coated metal clip on the windshield pillar that I believe is called a "blow-out" clip. The plastic on my clip has gotten old, cracked, and is mostly gone leaving bare metal against glass and this causes some very annoying squeaking due to normal body flexing when driving. The car is otherwise solid and squeak and rattle free so if I can fix this problem it will sound as solid as it really is. The problem is that I can't find replacements or any kind of information on them. My 1980 also has the clips so they are probably common to all C3's. Does anyone know where I can get replacements? I've spent many hours poring over the C3 assembly manual, catalogs, and searching online. Nada. If someone can add to the Corvette body of knowledge in this area I would be extremely grateful.

Thanks,

Tom

 

Is this the clip? It's the only one I see on that piller that has the rubber coating so I think(?) I found something like what you're describing in the 78 AIM

(edit - URL didn't work, deleted it from post)

Search the GM part number in your AIM to see if it's the same. In the 78 AIM its on the Side Reveal Modeling and Sealing page - that's the only rubber coated clip that I see on my car's piller where it meets the glass which looking at my car in the garage.

Btw - it was GM part number 7657090 for a 78.

(added) Corvette Central has it, CC's part number 633225. $8.95 Looks like Gary (below) found the same part. Now you've got options!

 

Keen Parts, 9 bucks a pair.

Gary

http://www.keenparts.com/pages/detai...=460041&PL=110

 

Wow, thank you, thank you, thank you! 78VetteChic and Duke94 both. I'm going to replace them right away so I can enjoy a squeak free summer cruising season.

Tom

 

Hi Tom,
Now that you have the clips, the little hollow rivets could be a bit of a challenge.
I'd be interested in knowing what you end up using.
Thanks very much!
Regards,
Alan

 

I just went through this bit of agony myself on my '80. Mine were torn up and rusted like yours. To do the job "right" you have to remove the piece of trim that the clips are attached to and drill out the rivets. Ecklers has both the clips and the rivets.

You may be tempted to try to get by with just drilling out the rivets to remove the clips and attach the new ones with a screw. But I'm not advising that. If you go back in with the proper rivets you will still have the ability to adjust that bit of trim to help close air gaps with the window.

We did this in the process of repainting the car and there was a tremendous side benefit to going through all of this. When we removed the pillar trim and top molding around the windshield we found all of the bedding and glazing compound had dried out and much of it was gone. There was also some rust starting to form in its absence, but nothing too serious yet. This gave us a chance to clean out all of the old bedding and glazing compound, treat all the rust and repack with new compound.

It was one of those While You Are At It situations but I will not have to worry about it for many years now.

The bad news is that the replacement clips were not shaped exactly like my old clips which created some problems with window clearance on the driver's side. I wound up having to use some persuasion with a hammer and a board. This unfortunately ruined the rubber coating. I am going to try painting on some of the tool handle dip coating you can get at hardware stores. If that fails I'll just have to do the job again.

 

That has me wondering can't you dip the original clips a couple or more times in the plastic hand tool coating as to re-coat the originals?

Also, in the 78 AIM there's a couple pages listing the "door glass adjustment" procedure and diagram.

 

I've ordered the clips but I should have known that it would be more involved to install them than a simple screw. Nonetheless, I appreciate the heads-up, now it won't be a surprise when I start into the job and find out then.

What's involved in taking off the trim? It looks like it involves removing the molding from the trim first. Is that right? Also, is there something special about the rivets? They're not standard pop rivets?

Thanks again.

Tom

 

I haven't replaced my clips since my windows don't squeak (yet!) so I can't help you there. But this is for you guys after you replace the clips and the molding - the door glass adjustment procedure I grabbed from my AIM. A misaligned door glass could be part of that squeaking problem.

 

With the help of the diagram above and studying the car up close and personal it looks like I will have to remove the soft window gasket from the trim strip to access the screws to remove it. At this point I'm thinking that a clip replacement only job is not practical and I need to increase the scope to include new weatherstrip too. The weatherstrip still seals but the outer edges are beginning to show some wear so replacing it is not a bad thing. Is this your read on this also?

Fortunately I'm familiar with the inner workings of the door. I've replaced the power window motor and reworked all the window guides. This should be an easier job than that.

Tom