Body work experts?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 1,433
Likes: 351
If you look at the edge of the housing that the egg crate grill sits in, on the top edge, near the right hand corner the line looks uneven and like its been subject to a bondo repair that has not been correctly sanded and finished. If not, this is a moulding error from the factory. Or a moulding error on a replacement fender - I'm trying to establish which it is. I don't have access to the car to do further checks and the seller doesn't really have a clue what he's looking at.
Here is a highlight of the area to hopefully make it look more clear. I'm not hugely familiar with body moulding finesse with these, but suspect they didn't leave the factory like that?
Just looking for thoughts and opinions in the absense of being able to find someone to inspect it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,399
Likes: 1,226
From: Tampa Florida
Sure.... I'm trying to establish whether this front fender is indeed original paint and not been hit/repaired or not.
If you look at the edge of the housing that the egg crate grill sits in, on the top edge, near the right hand corner the line looks uneven and like its been subject to a bondo repair that has not been correctly sanded and finished. If not, this is a moulding error from the factory. Or a moulding error on a replacement fender - I'm trying to establish which it is. I don't have access to the car to do further checks and the seller doesn't really have a clue what he's looking at.
Here is a highlight of the area to hopefully make it look more clear. I'm not hugely familiar with body moulding finesse with these, but suspect they didn't leave the factory like that?
Just looking for thoughts and opinions in the absense of being able to find someone to inspect it.
If you look at the edge of the housing that the egg crate grill sits in, on the top edge, near the right hand corner the line looks uneven and like its been subject to a bondo repair that has not been correctly sanded and finished. If not, this is a moulding error from the factory. Or a moulding error on a replacement fender - I'm trying to establish which it is. I don't have access to the car to do further checks and the seller doesn't really have a clue what he's looking at.
Here is a highlight of the area to hopefully make it look more clear. I'm not hugely familiar with body moulding finesse with these, but suspect they didn't leave the factory like that?
Just looking for thoughts and opinions in the absense of being able to find someone to inspect it.
Have you asked the seller to remove the egg crate and take photos of the surrounding area? One nut and two screws and it comes right out. The fit on these cars weren't that great when they were built, saw lots of C3's in paint shops getting rid of body seams and flaws back in the late 60's, early 70's.
Here's my drivers side '71 egg crate for comparison. Original 50 year old lacquer.
Last edited by 71 Green 454; Jan 19, 2021 at 09:28 AM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 1,433
Likes: 351
Yeah, yours look how I would expect them to look - straight, uniform and even, where the red one looks like bad body filler work. I've seen plenty of poor (cheap) body work enter and then leave paint shops from all ends of the price spectrum so cannot let workman's pride be an influential factor.
No go on the seller removing screws and inspecting. Without going in to details, whilst attempting to be helpful, they really don't have much of a clue.
Yours have cemented in my head not to proceed with this car without eyes on the ground - which is proving very difficult due to location....https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...est-ny-pa.html
No go on the seller removing screws and inspecting. Without going in to details, whilst attempting to be helpful, they really don't have much of a clue.
Yours have cemented in my head not to proceed with this car without eyes on the ground - which is proving very difficult due to location....https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...est-ny-pa.html
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 38
Likes: 12
From: DFW
For many, many years my employer and myself were the only ones in our area that would work on a fiberglass car. People didn't appreciate the fiberglass dust and the pains it took to do a proper repair. Anyway ... without actually putting my hands on the car I would lean towards saying that you are looking at a repaired fender. Whether it was repaired properly and what I am seeing is just a mixture of polish/compound or something else is impossible to say.
I've seen very few Vettes over the years that were flat and had proper gaps, etc. Most all looked like ocean waves down the sides.
I've seen very few Vettes over the years that were flat and had proper gaps, etc. Most all looked like ocean waves down the sides.
Last edited by TXSteve; Jan 19, 2021 at 08:00 PM.
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 1,433
Likes: 351
I know the lines and gaps on these things were not Lexus standard from new to put it mildly, but there's a difference between tolerance and bubba - and my eyes spy bubba, but wanted to make sure.
Not in itself a massive issue, bur when you're searching for a no hit body and or original paint, this stuff matters - as who knows the extend of other damage.
Without eyes on the ground, that's not a car to take a chance on.