55Trucker

Hi all. I have a replacement front license plate bracket from Corvette Central. My 68 Coupe did not have one when I bought the car. The replacement does not fit the horse shoe/horse collar bracket, the top portion of the plate is about an inch too narrow to attach to the collar. Has anyone ever had this issue? Am I mounting it wrong or do I perhaps have a defectively manufactured part? Thanks!

MelWff

did you look at the diagram on their web site?


http://www.parts123.com/corvettecent...050g&ukey=9703

55Trucker

Yes, and I have the part. Mine looks like the picture. The issue is that the opening isn't quite wide enough to go over the collar where the screw holes are.

ignatz

Mine is too tight too but I don't know if it is original or not. I would have to search my stash of receipts. The only unique stamp I can find is a 'W', centered at the bottom. I suspect it is original as I've had the front license plate off for years and years and it is just a little bit rusty here and there.

Mine is 7-1/8" at the top and fits if I bend it a bit. 1" sounds way wrong.

Alan 71

Hi 55,
Here's an original center bumper brace and license plate bracket. Might you be able to spot a difference?

The bracket is a little 'snug' to slip in place but not very much.
???
Regards,
Alan



This the left side of the bracket.

ignatz

[QUOTE=Alan 71;1595812953]Hi 55,
Here's an original center bumper brace and license plate bracket. Might you be able to spot a difference?

The bracket is a little 'snug' to slip in place but not very much.
???
Regards,
Alan

Thank you Alan, that would seem to verify that mine, with the 'W', is also original. I don't have that little button above the 'W' however.

But ... what's with that grade 8 fastener in the second picture? OMG OMG.

Alan 71

Hi Ig,
The bracket does have the W you describe! You really need to know about the W to spot it from the front side!
(That makes me wonder…. are the Ws all stamped from the back side or was the piece stamped with the W and then formed ….the W could be on either side??) Life is pretty good when there's time to wonder about things like that!

That's the original bolt, nut, and split lock washer.
Actually it's 3 slashes, and a RSC head-mark.
I guess they didn't want that bracket to fall off!!!!
Regards,
Alan

Griff2002

If I recall correctly, installing mine required a rubber mallet. It had to be forced into place.

55Trucker

Thanks for the feedback everyone! My repro bracket is 6.8" wide, not 7 1/8" - ok, so I exaggerated about 1" . So if 7 1/8 is "snug", the one I have won't work. Unfortunately, I ordered it a long time ago. I guess you might say that getting my front end together took a lot longer than I originally thought

Alan 71

Hi 55,
If you look at the large tabs that the bolts go through you can see how the exact point at which the tabs are bent 90 degrees from the rest of the bracket can effect the space that's between the tabs.

Shouldn't require more than a tap with the rubber mallet as Griff suggests though!
Regards,
Alan

ignatz

55: 7-1/8" at the narrowest. It just so happens to be sitting on my workbench so it is very easy to measure. The locking tabs force you to force it into place so that the tabs engage in their slots. Possibly there is a trick to it, but the fasteners pull it in.

Alan: Sorry I doubted you on the provenance of that bolt. I should have known better. Will have to rummage through my excess to see if I've ever seen one like that.