Rear Window Frame
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,207
Likes: 26
From: Ocean County NJ
Rear Window Frame
I have a 73 coupe and the rear window plastic frame, which does not appear to be from the factory, is damaged. In addition to the breakage from Bubba's over-tightnening of screws, the frame itself looks too small and does not cover the outter perimeter of the glass - butting upp against interior "wall" material. So, I decided to purchase a replacement from Ecklers. To my surprise, the frame I just bought is the exact same size as the previous one. Not only does it not fit properly, the pre-drilled screw holes in the plastic frame do not line up perfectly with the holes in the car. 
Has anyone else experienced this and what was the remedy? Do I need to try and find an OEM piece somewhere rather than this after-market product? Link to part below. Thanks!
http://www.ecklers.com/corvette-rear...1973-1977.html
Has anyone else experienced this and what was the remedy? Do I need to try and find an OEM piece somewhere rather than this after-market product? Link to part below. Thanks! http://www.ecklers.com/corvette-rear...1973-1977.html
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,201
Likes: 2
From: Frederick Md
I have the original window and frame that came out of my 1976 in my garage somewhere.... I removed it and converted my rear window to be removable like the rear windws in the 68-72 cars...
But to be honest your comment on the fact that the holes do not even line up is rather strange...
The rear window never changed size but the pre 72 cars used a rear window that was framed in with a bright aluminum frame...because it was removable.. the 73 thru 77 cars used a plastic interior frame that screwed into the metal roof frame on the car itself...
BUT I can tell you that the holes in my 76's metal roof frame are identical to the pre 72 cars PLUS even the 4 holes to hold the clamps and the slot for the clamps themselves that were used from 68-72 are still present in my 76... so the entire process was a direct bolt in ..which indicates to me tat GM never changed the stamping dies used to form the roof frame from 1968 thru 1977...
Bottom line is the holes should match up NO matter if you tried to attache it to a 1968 or a 1977 Corvette
I honesty can not remember if the plastic frame overlapped the original window glass or not...but I expect that it did...
Bob G.
But to be honest your comment on the fact that the holes do not even line up is rather strange...
The rear window never changed size but the pre 72 cars used a rear window that was framed in with a bright aluminum frame...because it was removable.. the 73 thru 77 cars used a plastic interior frame that screwed into the metal roof frame on the car itself...
BUT I can tell you that the holes in my 76's metal roof frame are identical to the pre 72 cars PLUS even the 4 holes to hold the clamps and the slot for the clamps themselves that were used from 68-72 are still present in my 76... so the entire process was a direct bolt in ..which indicates to me tat GM never changed the stamping dies used to form the roof frame from 1968 thru 1977...
Bottom line is the holes should match up NO matter if you tried to attache it to a 1968 or a 1977 Corvette
I honesty can not remember if the plastic frame overlapped the original window glass or not...but I expect that it did...
Bob G.
