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72 Vette Information Needed

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Old Nov 9, 2013 | 10:09 AM
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Default 72 Vette Information Needed

I'm a C5 guy so please excuse my ignorance about C3s.I have found a 72 vette in a barn on the Oregon coast and it needs a drivers side T top.Are these available and are they expensive.Another thing I need to know is what is the Bird cage I have seen mentioned on the forum.This is a original owner vette with 48k on the clock all # matching.Any opinions or information will be appreciated.What is a survivor?
Fred

Last edited by memmer; Nov 9, 2013 at 10:32 AM.
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Old Nov 9, 2013 | 11:37 AM
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You can find them fairly easily. A used one on Ebay might be about $100, but will need painting. If the bird cage is very rusty, it will be expensive to repair. The bird cage is the frame around the windshield that extends down to the frame and the t-top center pillar that goes down the rear on both sides. You can pull the front kick panels off and check for rust in there.
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Old Nov 9, 2013 | 09:04 PM
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Yes Sir, I have a project 77 I am working on for the last couple of years. Pull the kick panels like Miccar said; then the driver's & pass. in- side window trim & look at the pillars going up the sides. The bird cage is Metal & it can be wasted. Also, Look under the floor boards & check the areas where the frame goes up in the back & holds your Trailing Arms, a lot of these get rusted. Lots of Luck Gene
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Old Nov 10, 2013 | 10:26 AM
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Hi m,
You asked "What is a survivor?
It's a term that has been used to describe cars that have remained essentially original (not restored) in 4 areas.... Exterior, Interior, Mechanical, Chassis. That is they still have the parts on them that were there when the car left St.Louis.
The term has grown into general usage but has it's roots in a judging award that the Bloomington Gold organization gives; Survivor. In that case it's a capital 'S'. Used to describe any car that is original to some degree, or maybe even to a high degree, the word would have a small 's'.
It's a word that's become over used and almost meaningless in the same way that 'matching numbers' has become a trite phrase when used to describe a car.
Regards,
Alan
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Old Nov 10, 2013 | 12:34 PM
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Fred: why would the car be missing the driver's side top? Ask the seller what the story is on that.

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Old Nov 10, 2013 | 04:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Miccar
The bird cage is the frame around the windshield that extends down to the frame and the t-top center pillar that goes down the rear on both sides.
Here ya go.....

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Old Nov 11, 2013 | 08:04 AM
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Easy Mike! the top is not missing,it is cracked and might have a chipped piece missing.It looks like to me that it is a tinted plastic top.By the way this vette is for sure a survivor.
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Old Nov 11, 2013 | 10:01 AM
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Originally Posted by memmer
...It looks like to me that it is a tinted plastic top. By the way this vette is for sure a survivor...
Not with a tinted plastic top. Fiberglass tops painted body color were all you could get in 72. Ask the seller if he/she has the original tops.

Free advice: take someone with you who knows C3s the next time you see the car.
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Old Nov 11, 2013 | 11:51 AM
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Thanks Mike.By the way what do you think of a vette that has lived it's entire life on the SALTY coast.
Fred
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Old Nov 11, 2013 | 01:38 PM
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My 69 came from Portland and only had a little service rust. It all depends on how it was stored.

I paid one of the local NCRS judges in Portland to look at mine before I bought it from thechevystore.com. His name was Jim Lucia.
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