Quick question.
Who sells the most correct repro shift plate of our sponsors?

I bought one for my 82 from one of our sponsors, & it is not right.
The ashtray door would not close & I found it was about 3/16" too narrow & I was told by the sponsor to cut it, so I filed it ever so carefully.
Now, 2nd issue, when the door is closed it does not sit flush, but about 1/8" too high, as if the mounting tabs on the other side were molded to short.

So, who has had the best luck with a repro piece?

Oh, & it seems a bit too long as well.

And, not the sponsors fault, I know they buy elsewhere, but I do find it hard to believe when they say no one else has mentioned these things.

Thanks

 

Try Paragon or Corvette America.
You also might want to find an original and restore it yourself. I have done some of the earlier C3's. It is a bit of work but you know it is going to fit.
Here is a pic of one I did.

 

I believe they are all made by the same manufacturer, regardless of who sells them. Sponsors please chime in if this is not correct. I bought the shift plate and upper console bezel for my '81 from two different sellers on Ebay. Both are made in Taiwan and were packaged in blank white boxes. I ran in to the exact same issue you had with the ash tray door plus getting the power mirror joystick seat correctly. A little time with my Dremel tool fixed most of my problems but I actually used a few small washers as spacers when I installed my ash tray door. If you tighten the screws for the door it distorts the mounts for the door hinge. My ash tray door was an original from Ebay that was stripped and repainted, by the seller. Since all my new parts were reproductions everything in my interior had to be trimmed, finessed, and at times motivated to get in to place. However the end result was a better fit than factory as the pictures below speak for themselves.

BTW, great job Sarge on the console plate you restored.

 

I got my shift plate and shifter console from Ecklers. The plate fit in with just a bit (maybe 0.030) interference. Perfect. Ash tray door works fine.

 

I've long forgotten who I bought my center console and shift plate from (both repro). It was a process to get the shift plate inserted. It was really a long tedious process of slowly pushing and shoving. I finally got it in. I think there's a tiny crack at the edge of the console where I finally pushed the plate in.

68/70Vette's Law of Repro Parts:

1) If it fits, it's of poor quality
2) If it's of good quality, it won't fit

There are a few exceptions. A microscopic minority of repro parts manufacturers haven't got the message. Occasionally, you will find a repro part of good quality and will fit.

I have repro passenger and driver side dash panels, repro, to install. At first attempt they don't seem easy to install...easy? Don't know.

I installed repro rear quarter panels on my 68 Corvette convertible. At first attempt, they didn't look like they would fit at all. Actually, pushing and shoving and grinding some into the fiberglass supports got them mounted looking really great. Later, when Al Knoch and his merry men went to install a new convertible top, they removed these quarter panels and my first thought was these guys have just stepped in *hit because it's going to be hard to get the quarter panels back on. Wrong. they effortlessly installed the panels. Obviously when you have a lot of experience (read a career of experience), working with interior parts is a lot easier than what you or me will experience.