Does any one know the differance between early and late design upper windshield moldings on a 68 Corvette? Thanks AL.

 

Any ideas? Her is one.......

(1) If the part is NOS, read the PN on the packaging. No. 3912716 will be the ’68 first design molding and 3935577 will be the ‘68L-76 molding.



(2) If part isn’t NOS and lacks identifying PN, count the number of attaching clips. The early version will be set up for 6-clip mounting while the later version was installed with five clips holding it and will actually have 10 individual tabs.



If memory serves, the later version can be made to fit the early application by moving mounting clips and shaving tabs as needed…






Any more? Thanks Jack Humphrey, AL.

 

I have some very good information about early and late convertible trim. It is so complex that I can't even describe/comprehend it!

 

I think I remember the convertable trim but was all the coupe trim the same as per early and late design? AL.

 

Does anyone know about the coupes as far as the cnter windshield molding, was there only one design for that model and first and second design on the convertables? AL.

 

Al, I posted a topic on this in January 2004 (except that I was asking about a vert):

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...=early+68+trim

68rdstr submitted a reply which came from Joe Lucia at the NCRS site. I have NEVER seen such a complete description to a question in my life. This guy knows his stuff! However, since I was asking about a convertible, I never parsed his statement to figure the differences in coupe and convertible. I would suspect that all of the outer stainless trim is common to coupes and convertibles.

 

From that link

This is in the NCRS archives on the 68-69 windshield trim. Your best bet might be to rechrome your pot metal corner trim (that's what I did) and locate some more 68 guide pin brackets. Luckily, my guide pin brackets are not broken.

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Well, you may have a bit of a problem on your hands here. For 1968 there were two different designs for the windshield reveal moldings(the two side, two corner and one top "thin" moldings) and the windshield header molding("wide" upper piece).

This whole situation gets VERY complicated so I'm going to boil it down to the essential facts so you can "digest" it.

The 1st design upper windshield reveal ("thin") molding for 1968 was GM #3912716. You won't find this part number in the 68 AIM, but that's the part that was first used. This part has 6 attached clips and is very likely the one which your very early 1968 was equipped with.

The 2nd design upper winshield reveal ("thin") molding was GM #3935577. This part was also used for all 1969-76. This part has 5 attached clips.

Now is where things get complicated:

The 1st design upper windshield header("wide") molding for 1968 was GM #3912719. You won't find this part number in the 1968 AIM, either, but this is the part that was first used for 1968 and probably is what your very early 1968 was built with. This molding has slots "cut out".

The 2nd design upper windshield header("wide") molding for 1968 was GM #3935640.

In 1969, the 2nd design 1968 upper windshield header ("wide") molding was discontinued and replaced by the 69 design, GM #3966659. With modification, which includes the addition of 2 GM #3966660 clips(discontinued) and the drilling of 2 11/64" holes in each corner molding, the GM #3966659 can be used in place of the 2nd design 1968 windshield header("wide") molding GM #3935640. HOWEVER, THE GM #3966659 MOLDING CANNOT BE USED IN PLACE OF THE 1ST DESIGN 1968 WINDSHIELD HEADER MOLDING GM #3912719. That is what, I expect, you are currently attempting to do.

In order to use the GM #3966659 molding that you have, you will have to obtain a GM #3935777 upper windshield reveal("thin") molding. However, that molding will likely not fit properly with your 1st design upper corner moldings, GM #3915667 and GM #3915668. Alternatively, you could try to locate an original GM #3912719 windshield header("wide") molding. That piece would work for sure with your current upper windshield reveal("thin") molding. The second option, as difficult as it may be, is probably going to be your best bet. Otherwise, you will likely end up having to change your upper corner moldings which may, in turn, force you to change your side windshield reveal moldings. There may very well be additional installation problems encountered with any of these changes, if they can be done, at all. These are the "complications" that I spoke of at the beginning that I don't even want to get into.

ALL of these moldings are LONG SINCE GM-discontinued and are extremely difficult to locate in NOS form. Furthermore, to my knowledge, not a single one is being currently reproduced. So, you will have to scrounge in the used marketplace for the parts that you need.

Now, for anybody that doesn't think that the NCRS Board is a GREAT PLACE, show me anyplace else IN THE WORLD where a Corvette restorer could get the information which I provided above.


Wow

 

So would it be safe to asume my coupe being built on 4/29/68 and having the the second design windshield corners my coupe would have the second design center molding? AL.

 

Al

good talking to ya, sounds like weve been down a few of the same resto streets

Ill be posting pics from the half shafts job, i started a thread on this called "half shafts", also let me know the name of that vendor who stocks the 68 T top weather stripping, been looking for that fotr two years now, maybe then ill be able to use a drive through car wash

cheers


Tim

 

Tim I've sent you pictures of the correct top weather strips. The only other think other then the pin placment was the little tab that is on the very end (mine broke off a long time ago , AL.

 

Al, Never assume anything about a 68! The exact transition time for "early" 68 features to late 68 has different times for different things. Also, some things changed multiple times during the 68 model year (example: 4 different headlight cover sizes). My guess is that the windshield trim changed about the same time as when your car was built.

If anyone were to truly understand all the differences in 68 production, their head would explode. I suspect that this is the cause of unexplained cases of spontaneous human combustion.

 

I'm Hip!!! This 68 is the most diffacult car to restore I've ever owned, and being a mid production Car (4/29/68) it does have a mix of 1st and late design features. The windshield dated in 67!!! Most of the stuff is late but still have the 1st design seats and as far as wiper overide/lower dash lights lets not go there!!! As I said be for if I ever finish this 68 I will have a ton to talk about if I can get a 68 reunion set up, AL.

 

Think I was correct on this and the book said I was. The 68 Coupe only had one part number for early on late and the Convertable started production in 67 with a first design molding and later GM went to the second design that would be the same one the coupe was using, AL.

 

My '68 convertible has a time/build date of 4/20/68. That was a Saturday. I assume they were working on Saturday to make up for time lost during the work stoppage the week of 4/9/68.

Ditto on the "first design/second design" mix of things.

 

I would assume you have a late design on most of your parts on your car, AL.