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I discussed the reinforcement panel shown below with my husband and he suggested I cut the reinforcement panel just down from where I drew the yellow line, separate it from the top panel with a heat gun, graft the 70-73 rear on, bond on the previously removed part of the reinforcement panel back into place and then fiberglass up the cut line on the reinforcement panel - what do you think on that Dub?
In theory...it sounds plausible. But until you actually do it and see how things line up...no one knows. When you go to carefully remove the panel where it is bonded...use what I wrote below.
Originally Posted by Priya
More work than I was hoping for but perhaps a little less than I was expecting - I tried to remove a piece from the 69 rear clip I started with and it wouldn't budge at all.
I WOULD highly advise you in sued a heat gun...get eh adhesive heated up and IF you have an IR thermometer...use it to find how hot you need to get the adhesive so you can dig at it with a small screwdriver and see that it is able to come apart. I would guess about 170 degrees or so. The panel will coem off like a well cooked rack of ribs if you heat it.
Once you get it started at one point to begin.... and then transfer your heat further up the bond joint...ad slowly keep wedging stuff under your panel to put slight pressure on it and also keep it separated ...it will come off. SO...it is NOT like you have to get it all hot at one time and then do it. I can remove the entire understructure of a 1984-1996 Corvette hood and not crack a thing. AND...if you smell the fiberglass...that is fine...but do not get it to smoke if you can.
Hey Priya, looks like you are having fun separating panels. Glad to see you using the heat gun, it works well. A thin putty knife also works really well if you have not tried that yet. Keep up the good work.
RVZIO
As soon as my shop goes up 2/3 wks I will be able to sort things out and we can see what you need and what I have.
I've been using a thin putty knife. It doesn't come apart easily but I was dreading the possibility it was going to be like the 69 rear clip I started on. I heated that thing up and when I finally hammered the putty knife between the two panels it actually pulled a thin layer of fiberglass off the one panel rather than separate at the glue line. I thought "If the 79 is like this I'm in a lot of trouble", lol.
I've been using a thin putty knife. It doesn't come apart easily but I was dreading the possibility it was going to be like the 69 rear clip I started on. I heated that thing up and when I finally hammered the putty knife between the two panels it actually pulled a thin layer of fiberglass off the one panel rather than separate at the glue line. I thought "If the 79 is like this I'm in a lot of trouble", lol.
Actually it has everything to due with allowing the panel to heat up...soak into the adhesive...heat it up some more and the panel will come off with some slight resistance but not to the point that you have to beat tools in to death to get them to separate.
And depending on the bonding area and shape of the panel...slowly working wedges in between the seam will help so you can heat it up further away from where you have it already separated.
Hopefully this may help so you feeling like you may be in trouble doing what you need to may now be lessened.
With this panel off...use your heat gun and heat up some of the adhesive that is stuck to it. When it gets hot enough..it will get much softer and literally be able to be broken off or scraped off. This may help you so you knowing on how long to heat the adhesive up.
The adhesive that you are now going to try to get to come loose for your rear upper panel and understructure is a different type of adhesive...and more than likely will come off faster....but heat is your friend here also.
With this panel off...use your heat gun and heat up some of the adhesive that is stuck to it. When it gets hot enough..it will get much softer and literally be able to be broken off or scraped off. This may help you so you knowing on how long to heat the adhesive up.
The adhesive that you are now going to try to get to come loose for your rear upper panel and understructure is a different type of adhesive...and more than likely will come off faster....but heat is your friend here also.
DUB
Is the adhesive used on the front clip the same as was used on the panels I just removed?
Is the adhesive used on the front clip the same as was used on the panels I just removed?
YES....or it should be. I have yet to come across a Corvette where two different design types of adhesive were used on the same Corvette.
And YES..I am aware that the adhesive that the panel manufacturers used IS different than the red/brownish stuff you are dealing with....like I mentioned where the duel door area is and your understructure is. That adhesive IS different. And YES..I am also aware that the adhesive that GM used to hold on your door skin is NOT the same and what you just dealt with.
Hey Priya, looks like you are having fun separating panels. Glad to see you using the heat gun, it works well. A thin putty knife also works really well if you have not tried that yet. Keep up the good work.
RVZIO
As soon as my shop goes up 2/3 wks I will be able to sort things out and we can see what you need and what I have.
YES....or it should be. I have yet to come across a Corvette where two different design types of adhesive were used on the same Corvette.
And YES..I am aware that the adhesive that the panel manufacturers used IS different than the red/brownish stuff you are dealing with....like I mentioned where the duel door area is and your understructure is. That adhesive IS different. And YES..I am also aware that the adhesive that GM used to hold on your door skin is NOT the same and what you just dealt with.
the car is no where close to being finished , before i get too carried away with lowering it i need to get the interior back in it , the tires are also kind of small in diameter , thanks for the comments
Is that the car that was in the swap area at Kissimmee?
I thought "If the 79 is like this I'm in a lot of trouble", lol.
