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In 1977, the Luggage and Roof Panel Carrier (V54) was listed as an option that could be ordered from the factory for the first time. I bought my '77 as a left over at the end of the year and the window sticker listed the Luggage & Roof Panel Carrier as a $73 option.
I do agree that these racks and many of the aftermarket ones were a challenge to keep rust free. A stainless steel luggage rack is the only way to go today if you decide you want one. Be sure that it comes with the stainless screws as well, some in the past didn't.
In 1977, the Luggage and Roof Panel Carrier (V54) was listed as an option that could be ordered from the factory for the first time. I bought my '77 as a left over at the end of the year and the window sticker listed the Luggage & Roof Panel Carrier as a $73 option.
I do agree that these racks and many of the aftermarket ones were a challenge to keep rust free. A stainless steel luggage rack is the only way to go today if you decide you want one. Be sure that it comes with the stainless screws as well, some in the past didn't.
Good luck... GUSTO
Love the pic Gusto, and even though it was an option... it was still installed at the dealership. Crazy huh.
Love the look, and I think the rack balances out the rear end if the car. Makes it seem more proportional. With out the rack the rear of the car slopes down to much. Hope the images are the right way up. LOL.
Since our cars are the same I will reply to your post. 1971 War Bonnet Yellow Convertible. Mine came with a rack. It was the only thing that made me think if I wanted this car or not when I bought it. I've used it a few times at the beach on beer runs. Strapped the ice bags on it to keep them from melting in the car. I also used it to haul beach gear up to the shore for the day. Comes in handy.
The other day I took it off to really clean under it and get a good wax job and while I had it off it looked as if something was missing on the back deck. I can say it's grown on me. Now I'll really have a decision when I get my car painted someday.
Love the pic Gusto, and even though it was an option... it was still installed at the dealership. Crazy huh.
Willcox
Not so much. Actually after I posted the picture, I thought that might be a possibility as I didn't order the car or see it come in. I just knew it was on the car and also on the window sticker when I bought it.
That would certainly explain any confusion. A lot of things back in the day could be ordered and yet installed by the dealer. The cross ram on the Z-28 comes to mind.
Car junkie, isnt it odd that i have personally owned or worked on cars, corvettes, with added flares, panels, scoops, all kinds of repairs, holes cracks etc, that never show ghosts like the repaired holes left by a rack, its like bodywork physics stops on the rear deck of these cars, ( big smile, )
No, just kidding a little a good bodyman can exorcise those demons off there,
Prime example, vettebuyers pristine 69 had a rack, now none and no ghosts, and its a black car.
Gusto and Ernie,
I saw in a past reply in a thread like this easy mike posted the 77 rack, the holes were drilled at the factory....
You're right of course Bats, it's his car, but man, the thought of that drill bit coming down on pristine fiberglass sends shivers up my spine even if it's not my car. I cannot think of a modification to a vette that changes or transforms the character of the car more than a rack.
Not trying to start an argument, I'm out here struggling with restoration work like everyone else. Seems no repair is permanent when it comes to fiberglass. These cars have warped horribly over the years and I see no reason why that will stop. I'm sure most of us by now have seen that ultra low mileage untouched survivor and noticed some hideous panel gaps that could not have possibly come from the factory that way. I've come to the conclusion if you want any lasting success for fiberglass repairs on these cars, repairs should sit at least a couple of years before painting and the paint itself should sit a year before cutting and buffing on any car. High quality is very subjective and the appearance of minute waves in shrinking body work is inevitable to some degree. I wish I could say I found that person who saw things the way I did that actually had an example of perfection in body work as I measure it. I do not consider fresh restorations as an indicator of perfect body work by any stretch, let me see the car in a few years.
I'm sure most of us by now have seen that ultra low mileage untouched survivor and noticed some hideous panel gaps that could not have possibly come from the factory that way.
I don't know about that, even the steel cars of the era had panel fitment and gap problems. It was Lexus's ball bearing on the hood gap commercial in 1992 that was really the first call out to Detroit's lousy fitment issues. They have come a long way since then.
The fiberglass does move around though. I continues to cure for years then starts to deteriorate.
Oh, and personally, I think the racks spoil the look and line of our cars.
I see some people get upset too much so over the top when others do something to their own car,
In this case a rack, no, i dont like the rack to me its just as ugly and tackly on a c3 to me as some of the mods i do like appear to some people,
My only peeve is hack jobs,
i deeply respect the idea of a person building their car to suit themselves
not do or not do something because someone on a forum or at a car show tells them how it should be done,
Lifes too short to settle, i always feel badly for example when a tried and true stock purists wishes their car was a different color but wont change their factory color, because they feel like it is some sacrilege, its not, its just a car.
So yeah, if someone wants a rack they should add it,
I don't know about that, even the steel cars of the era had panel fitment and gap problems. It was Lexus's ball bearing on the hood gap commercial in 1992 that was really the first call out to Detroit's lousy fitment issues. They have come a long way since then.
The fiberglass does move around though. I continues to cure for years then starts to deteriorate.
Oh, and personally, I think the racks spoil the look and line of our cars.
Mike
What I was referring to or thinking about was where the hood meets the headlight surround panel. I'm not sure why, maybe engine compartment heat, but this area seems to suffer terrible warping over time on a lot of cars. I know it doesn't make sense but it seems to be a bigger problem on drop tops, coincidence I suppose. There was one particular Bloomington low mile big block, reportedly untouched survivor that made a permanent impression on me, it was shockingly bad and the car had like 12K on it. When Vette shopping, this was an area of great concern for me. Found a decent example but it was not perfect but close enough to be fixed without too much work.
I like them on certain types of C3s. I have one on my red '70 auto small block driver which I bought for wife. Fits nicely for that car. Lady's or gentleman's cream puff auto cruiser I'd roll with one on no problem.
But, if I was to buy or build a C3 for myself it would have to be a lot more bad *** and no way would I have a luggage rack on it.
I had the luggage rack on my first 77. It was on there when I bought it and I used them to store T Tops etc. When I purchased my current 77, it didn't have them. I had mixed emotions about adding them, but when I added my stereo system and speakers that took up some room behind the seats, I no longer had room for the T Tops. I added a stainless rack to the car. I love being able to store the T Tops back there and also use them to haul fold up chairs when going to car shows etc.
I know this is kinda late but I have a 73, currently being restored, will paint it flat green with flat satin black accents, rear view mirror, side pipes basically anything that is chrome in black, That includes the luggage rack makes it look more inconspicuous. When I bought the car it didn't have the rack but you could tell it came with it due to cheap bad labor done previously. You could see where they plug the holes and repainted it, anyways I think that early c3 looks good with the t tops mounted on the rack. 74 and up looks weird. But the rack with the t tops kinda gives the illusion of a spoiler of some sort. I wouldn't really use the rack for anything else just for the t tops.
Last edited by amandico82; 01-02-2021 at 02:40 AM.
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06-14-2017, 10:21 PM
