C3 lower backside
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 303
Likes: 33
From: Anarchist Mt. BC
C3 lower backside
I'm refurbishing my 81 body. The new paint will look great form all side except the back, I never really did like the car's lower backside view with the exhaust etc. I plan to clean up the spare tire bucket and exhaust, but I'd love to hear of any ideas to make the C3's lower backside more pretty...
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,172
Likes: 4,250
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Peter,
Welcome!
Looks like you're going about the repaint in a serious way. I liked seeing the photos you posted!
Often the spare tire tub cleans up very well with some scrubbing and it's support strap can be prepared and repainted with semi-flat black paint.
Along with the paint that MW suggested that should be quite an improvement.
Regards,
Alan
Perhaps something like this?
Welcome!
Looks like you're going about the repaint in a serious way. I liked seeing the photos you posted!
Often the spare tire tub cleans up very well with some scrubbing and it's support strap can be prepared and repainted with semi-flat black paint.
Along with the paint that MW suggested that should be quite an improvement.
Regards,
Alan
Perhaps something like this?
Last edited by Alan 71; Feb 9, 2017 at 04:32 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 303
Likes: 33
From: Anarchist Mt. BC
I was entertaining the notion of the dropping the exhaust and having a local company give it a hi temp chrome type finish. But my body guy also suggested the black header paint as the entire exhaust system is all welded together - a pain to get it off. The previous owner had the catalytic converter removed - absolutely no emission control.
It was suggested to me not to get tooo carried away with the refurb, as one can get to paranoid to drive it.
It was suggested to me not to get tooo carried away with the refurb, as one can get to paranoid to drive it.
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 52
Likes: 7
From: Des Moines WA
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
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How it would look
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 303
Likes: 33
From: Anarchist Mt. BC
I purchased my car from the original owner last fall. With it came a bunch of magazines from 1980/81. There was an article about the 1981 cars, the engineer interviewed said they were the most aerodynamically clean of the all the previous C3s. And I was surprised to read that the wind tunnel testing was done in Ottawa ON Canada to keep the work secret. It's probably best to leave the tub/tire in place for aerodynamics, originality and possibly to prevent a lot of road crude from getting up into the body.
The paint job on the body will look fantastic, I just want the car's underwear to be sexy looking too. :-)
The paint job on the body will look fantastic, I just want the car's underwear to be sexy looking too. :-)
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 52
Likes: 7
From: Des Moines WA
A thread on how it would look
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...pare-tire.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...pare-tire.html
Not to hijack the thread but removing the spare tire cover would expose the gas tank. I have no idea the risk but the tank is directly over the mufflers.
Likely would be simple to fab an aluminum sheet to armor the tank.
I don't plan to have a spare in mine.
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 53,972
Likes: 6,197
From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
Removing the carrier is a very individualized personal preference. Some people love the look. Some people (me included) hate it. No matter how pretty, painted or chrome it is back there, there's a big gaping hole where something should be. Be sure if you go that route.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 433
From: Denver CO
Thank you sir!
Not to hijack the thread but removing the spare tire cover would expose the gas tank. I have no idea the risk but the tank is directly over the mufflers.
Likely would be simple to fab an aluminum sheet to armor the tank.
I don't plan to have a spare in mine.
Not to hijack the thread but removing the spare tire cover would expose the gas tank. I have no idea the risk but the tank is directly over the mufflers.
Likely would be simple to fab an aluminum sheet to armor the tank.
I don't plan to have a spare in mine.
Last edited by gjohnson; Feb 11, 2017 at 02:38 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
For me the best look is seeing that cool irs spinning, i have driven corvettes over 35 years dd etc never once changed a tire on one out somewhere,
Now if i get tire trouble my roadside handles it, carring that ugly spare i just dont have to do...however, the look i like also requires side pipes, unless the rear exhust can be made super pretty,
So if i had a stock car with under car exhaust i would just detail the heck out of it, alan made that ugly carrier look good....not my favorite look but likable,
In the case of your car just detail the rear....
Now if i get tire trouble my roadside handles it, carring that ugly spare i just dont have to do...however, the look i like also requires side pipes, unless the rear exhust can be made super pretty,
So if i had a stock car with under car exhaust i would just detail the heck out of it, alan made that ugly carrier look good....not my favorite look but likable,
In the case of your car just detail the rear....
Last edited by The13Bats; Feb 11, 2017 at 06:25 PM.