RBrid

I also drilled the holes for the lamps, and added 1/8" of VPA at the wheel well edges to make them stronger.
Gluing them in place is my next step, with SMC Panel Adhesive.

Thanks for taking a peek!

RBrid

Time for updates folks. First came the prepping for gluing the new rear panels with SMC Panel Adhesive. The screw holes were pre-drilled of course, the masking tape was applied, and when everything was ready to go, the SMC panel adhesive was mixed and applied quickly. You only have 10 minutes or so to get the quarter panel locked at its final position.

RBrid

Then came the gluing. Because of the masking tape, there was no mess to clean up. Just secure the panel, make sure the edges are filled and smooth with your finger, and rip off the tape. Done.

RBrid

Next came the grinding of a V shaped groove along the seam. Here are a couple of before and during pictures.

RBrid

Finally, the seams were filled with Vette Panel Adhesive, little by little, in about 5 layers over a period of two weeks. I'm not quite done. I can feel waves when passing over with my hand. I will have to address those lows and highs with VPA before spraying the epoxy.

RBrid

Once that was all done, I started to measure what kind of rim backspace I would want for a 10"x15" wheel with 295/50/15 tires. I borrowed a wheel from SBG with a 10" rim and a 295/50/15 tire and figured the tire sticks out of the rim 1/4" more than my 225/70/15 on my stock rim.
The 295 sticks out 3/4" from its rim, while the 225 sticks out 1/2" from the stock rim. That's a good piece of info to have. It's expected since the tire in 70mm wider and the rim only about 50mm wider. I couldn't get much more info out of SBG's wheel because the bolt pattern did not match the vette's.
So here's what I did: I ordered some 7/16"-20 threaded rod couplings. They are 1" long. This way it's like having an infinitely adjustable adapter that is at least one inch thick. With your stock 8" rim, you can now simulate what a 10x15 wheel with a 4.25" backspace would look like, or a 4.5" bs, or 4.75" bs, etc... by adding more or less washers alongside the coupling rods. I used old lug bolts and nuts to attach the 8" rim to the rod couplings.

At this point, I'm still not sure if I want a 10"x15" with 4.5" or 4.75" BS.
I will make my final decision after installing the flared front quarter panels and measuring again.

Thanks for taking a peek!

maj75

Read through this thread until 12:30 AM. Tanks for posting, you are doing an amazing job!

SB64

Hi Rbrid, nice job on the rear quarter. Very neat application even the underneath is clean where the VPA was applied. I was not sure what the tape you show on the inside of the quarter was for. Is that where the VPA would go as well as the bonding strips? Very good tutorial also for those (like me) who would choose to do flared wheel wells.

RVZIO

NMT1957

Wow, Great job on the body panel. Very neat and clean installation. I just learned a few things after reading this. Thanks for the pictures.

Ned

bmans vette

Thanks for the detailed pics.
VERY clean install and something I hope to duplicate later this year when I get to my body work.

RBrid

Thanks guys! Glad I can contribute even in the slightest way.

Hi Zio, I used SMC Panel Adhesive to glue the panels. The green tape separates the areas that got the adhesive applied to from the rest of the panel. The tape was actually applied precisely where the glue should end. On D-day I put adhesive on both the panel and car, then I put them together. All within 10 minutes. Then you can take off the excess adhesive and finally the tape, leaving behind a clean job.
If you look closely at the pictures, you can see that the quarter panel splash shield is missing on the passenger side. That's why there's less tape on the passenger quarter panel.

Good luck with changing your panels Dennis. Maybe yours will just fall off too

SB64

Thanks RBrid for explaining that. The job is certainly very neat. Can't wait to see the front!

ZIO

RBrid

Boys and girls, here are steps for getting rid of rattles inside your T-tops:

Step #1: Create the rattles by drilling all the rivets and removing the weather stripping. You will leave all kinds of rivet shavings and plastic snap-ins in there. Shake your T-tops for a confirmation.

Step #2: Be worried about those future rattles in your otherwise 100% rattle-free corvette. If this step does not apply to you, skip all subsequent steps.

Step #3: Tape the various brackets inside the T-top so they don't rattle. You have to distinguish the expected rattles from the unwanted ones.

Step #4: Drill a pilot hole. Don't do it anywhere. There is a special place for it.

Step #5: Drill a bigger hole, about 1/2" wide. Vacuum shavings. You don't want to add to the problem. In both steps #4 and #5, it is preferable not to drill through the top of the T-top.

Step #6: Shake your T-top to let the trapped pieces fall out. Do a victory dance for each freed piece.

Step #7: Swear at the last piece that just does not want to come out no matter how much you try.

Step #8: Optionally plug the hole. A 1/2" rubber plug may be an option.

RBrid

If you are bored and happen to have a C3 handy, you may want to try this:

- buy a bottle of mold release, and I don't mean ammonia mold killer.
- apply the mold release liquid on the flange of your fiberglass bumper cover and let it dry for a day.
- bolt on your bumper cover with your new stainless retainer kit, without putting much stress on the fiberglass if there is a large gap.
- squeeze in VPA where there are gaps between your cover and the rear quarter panels & rear clip.
- once the VPA is dry, detach the cover. That's where the mold release does its magic
- sand the VPA a bit and fill the valley created with more VPA.
- spend another 10 days applying and sanding more VPA until you have a straight flange and the bumper cover fits nicely again the body.

Now you're bored again. But I have more projects in mind for you.

RBrid

Life is just better with a neat rear bumper cover. It's undeniable.
Sometimes they require a lot of work, like mine.

Before the tough work starts, here's what I did:

- apply the mold release, with which you're now familiar, onto your freshly prepped body flange.
- let dry for a day.
- bolt on your rear cover using the retainer kit, exactly like you intend to do it 39 months later when the car is finally painted.
- compared to the rear clip, the cover will have high points and low points. Just pick the cover position that globally minimizes those low and high points. They all will be taken care of in the coming month.

There, now you're ready for the tough job of making the seam as seamless as possible.

Thanks for taking a peek!

SB64

Really nice work, and you are making some very nice progress.

RVZIO

SuperBuickGuy

Don't forget the necessary step of inviting a friend over who tells you that flat spots are not okay

...and about that 39 months. You know the internet will hold you to that

RBrid

Thanks Zio. Watching your steady progress too.

That's right SBG. Before you grab your can of VPA and spreader to perform plastic surgery on your body parts, seek advise from a friend. Case in point, my '74 butt cheeks have low points (in red) that I intended to fill to end up with a flat surface. SBG stated that a flat rear would attract too much attention for an otherwise curvy body. He recommended convex curves in both horizontal and vertical directions, especially if I decide not to attach the rear '77 Corvette emblem.

I'm standing by my 39 months, as much as I'm standing by my original goal of driving the car when I turn 50.

DUB

VERY NICE WORK and I also KNOW all about getting these bumpers/flanges to be RIGHT!!!

GOOD JOB!!

Now.... knowing that you did not ask..... and I also understand that you are not done with it yet.... I am only commenting on this because doing body work as I do.

And I also understand... 'to each his/her own'...

I personally would not tape off the bottom area of the bonding seam area that is being filled with tape. I prep much further down and when I apply the VPA...I allow it to go down a bit further than I know it needs to go so when I block it out...the bottom line of the VPA will be whatever it needs to be and often times is not a straight line.







And for those whom may be doing this...when applying the VPA on your bonding seam...make sure (if possible) that when you get it close and are ready to get the VPA finally spread out....start your spreader at one end and make a continuous motion all the way down the seam to the other end.

Not meaning to 'step on any toes'...but those who have used the VPA know that any trick or way of using it to make it easier is GREAT because the stuff gets so wickedly hard.

DUB

RBrid

Thanks for jumping in DUB. Glad to get your good advice! Yes indeed, I'm not done with those seams yet - some fine tuning is required. I can feel some slight waves while passing through end-to-end with my hand. Some of the waves are below my current VPA application and come from the screws I used at the upper edge of the panel during the gluing. I suppose I should have used smaller intervals between the screws. So once I'm done, expect to see VPA further down.


Making progress with the VPA application on the rear bumper. Pictures coming next month...