I did and the license plate bezel fits very nicely. Apparently its crooked.






I'm thinking maybe I can get away with lowering the left character line a bit and not make the license plate bezel look too mismatched. My husband figures I should just leave it.

 

Hi P,
Remember this area is down fairly low and tipped inwards when mounted. So you don't see it from eye level.
From close up you're looking down at it, and from a distance the alignment/detail begins to be not quite so important.
Perhaps you need to bear this in mind while you decide what to do and how much you'll do. Do the modification based to a degree on the angle you view it when installed.
I forget… what are you going to do for exhaust on this car…. will there be tips showing?
Regards,
Alan

I think is the view of that area that will most often be see.



Not this one.

 

That's a good point Alan. I'll take a look from a more normal angle before I make any further decision on this.

The car will have factory style 70-73 exhaust tips.

 

Before you purchase your tips check and see which ones fit your setup best. 73 tips are different from 70-72. If I remember correctly, the 73 tips have the tailpipe centered and the earlier tailpipes are offset to the outside of the tip.

 

Hi,
I believe 70L46 is correct.
What tip you use depends on where the pipe exits the muffler.
Tooch1 will know for sure, but I too 'think' it's the 73 tip that's different.
Regards,
Alan

 

So many unapparent little things to trip a person up.

 

Hi P,
Here's an example of an offset tip. Because of the offset there are right and left tips.
There might be a reason to use the 73 tip…. I don't know if that would help you with the exhaust system or not.
Regards,
Alan

This car is believed to have just 300 miles on it.

 

Just a thought:

The exhaust will have to be hung from something solid. A good exhaust shop can fabricate the hangers and bends if needed. You can probably do it also - but it may not really save much money..

I would think about side exhaust or a CHAMBERED system. The Chambered system has no mufflers and sounds like side exhaust - easier to hang + much lighter.

The work looks great don't fret about small irregularities. When I have my 71 next to my 72 I think I need new glasses as they sit different, and the trim is off on both. Not Much - but it is.

 

My husband built the exhaust for my eagle from straight pipes and various angle joints. He wants to do the same for the Corvette. It was pretty cheap to do it that way.

 

IF you can't live with the mismatch, rework it. Like Alan said about the angle the car will be viewed from/With the rear bumpers installed I don't think it will be noticeable. Besides....it gives your car character!

too bad you couldn't put a temporty peel-off glossy vinyl "sticker" over each side of the license plate bezel to see if a "paint job" makes it more noticeable pr less noticeable

 

After I did the license plate area I was tempted to spray it with some cheap black paint to get a better idea of how it looked and if the transitions were smooth enough. I figured I'd remove it afterwards with some paint gun wash.

 

In those situations you can primer it and then hit it with prepsall.

 

Prepsall?

 

FOR WHAT THIS IS WORTH.

IF you are going to apply a primer or rattle can paint on a part so that is is a consistent color....KNOWING that you are going to remove it.

IF I were to use a solvent to get that paint off.....it would be lacquer thinner...and that is because I would only apply enough color to get it to the point where it is going to give me the 'look' I need for inspection and NOT pounding the product on the panel that I know I just have to get all off again.

Now as I wrote above.... I started it off withIF. Normally I do not use this practice. Mainly because I just do not like to have my VPA get wet with anything for long periods of time. YES..I use acetone...but as we all know...acetone does no linger on a panel...it flashes off very quickly.

IF I have to check my work because I am suspect about it. I use the DRY GUIDE POWDER from 3M and apply it and get it to a very dark black and check it. Then I can scuff it off. I am not bragging (trust me)...but doing this for so long I have acquired the ability to see my work and get it close enough so that when I apply gelcoat or whatever primer I need...I generally do not have to back track and take it off. BUT...WAAAAAAY back in the day...I used to use red oxide lacquer primer and dust it on....and then either leave it due to I was painting lacquer...or take it off with lacquer thinner and be careful around my repair areas when doing so.

Once again...THIS is when TESTING a procedure is PARAMOUNT. Not knowing what the end result can be dangerous. So setting up a test panel to see how 'whatever' solvent is being used is WISE. So if it softens your work or damages something...or deeply saturates something...at least you did not do it to your car and NOW have another issue to deal with.

I can say this FROM EXPERIENCE. The longer an applied liquid can linger on the bare surface of your car. The GREATER the chances that THAT product can come back and haunt you. SO...OIL, WATER, SOAP, DETERGENTS, PENETRATING OILS, SOLVENTS, SILICONE, TEFLON, BRAKE FLUID, BATTERY ACID or whatever...can cause for problems if they are not removed.

DUB

 

Wax and grease remover. That is a brand name.

 

Okay.

I have some of that.

 

It's about understanding the English language. I said if weight is applied to the rear of the clip it moves independently of the frame. Push down it moves down, pull up it moves up. Not a lot but it moves. Hit a bump or pothole at speed and who knows how much it could move without support. I never said the body would drop if the bumper supports were removed.

What is the purpose of the radiator core support? Besides holding and supporting the radiator, it is a major component that SUPPORTS the entire front clip. Does the body drop when you remove it, it doesn't but yet it is understood that it supports the body. How about the support rod from the core support to the nose of the front clip. Does the body drop when you remove it, it doesn't but yet GM decided to add this support to eliminate body flexing while driving because this area needed additional support and they very cleverly named it a SUPPORT rod. How about dash support rods for AC cars, does the dash drop when you remove the support rods, shocker it doesn't. There are "supports" all over these cars that serve dual function and one of them being supporting the body and other components while the car is being driven down the road.

For the heck of it I went out and measured the distance from the rear most body/frame mount to the farthest edge of the rear clip, it's about 24" give or take. If I am being told that this much body overhang is not being supported by the only thing that can support the body at this farthest point, the bumper mounts and supports, then we have a case of logic and common sense that I will never understand.

 

I have a 67 GTO that I had to repair the quarters on. They are long quarters. I would block sand then hit it with primer then I had spray bottle with the prepsall in it and after I sprayed it I could see if the quarter needed more work. After block sanding them for a few months they are straight.

 

Quick reminder....this is Priya's build and her thread.... lets respect that. Or start your own thread.

 

Clearly....I read what you wrote correctly....and responded accordingly...and now you feel differently.


So it no longer is 'bouncing all over the place'.

Logic would tell us that if someone applied a lot of pressure on the end of the rear clip and it barely moves...then it will barely moves when it is on the road. Because physics is physics and 'Force= mass X acceleration'. And due to the rigidity of this area ...which is completely different than the front clip...the fiberglass is NOT going to bend...even with it hanging out 2 feet past the #4 mount. That area is stout.

Actually ...depending on the year model ( some do it more than others)...the front clip will drop if the radiator support and all other brackets are not in place ..and that is also assuming that the headlight assemblies are still installed.

Keep in mind my initial reply was due to you saying that the rear clip would be 'bouncing all over the place....when clearly...it will not. DEPENDING on what your definition or meaning of 'bouncing all around is?' Just like the front end 'support rod' if it is not in place....due to the redundancy of other bracketry.

as long as it has been primed first. Applying wax and grease remover on VPA or bare SMC or fiberglass can be dangerous especially it is it allowed to sit there and dry on its own.

I myself...only apply wax and grease remover on a sprayed on products that are applied on bare fiberglass or SMC. Steel or pot metal it does not matter due to it will not soak in BUT it still needs to be wiped off an NOT allowed to dry on its own. Which defeats its purpose.

But this discussion is RELATIVE to what she is doing, NOW..if she does not are about it and just wants to slap her car back together.. I will not comment any further. But knowing that many people do not know this stuff and just MIGHT be helpful to Priya or others.

Many people may not work on Corvettes for a living and do not know about the areas where MAJOR concern MUST be taken or FAILURE of a repair can occur. I know this because I have paid dearly for knowing this stuff.

Inaccurate information is just as bad as bad advice. I will comment on both...and those care to read and consider my explanations...fine...those that feel that I am nothing but a bag of hot air...that is fine also.

SO...sorry for making you feel that this was not worth commenting on. But when I feel that something is not right...would you not want to make sure you are informed???

DUB