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looking at possbly purchasing a 1976 C3. Interior, exterior and engine all in great shape. Asking 9k. My area of concern is below the front windshield near the wiper mounts. Can anyone shed light if it looks like a birdcage issue or a repairable panel forward of the birdcage. The rest of the birdcage was in pretty good shape and has been treated with POR 15. The previous owner passed away and his wife is looking to sell.
I am new to this so any knowledge would be appreciated .
I honestly don't see any issue. If that black crackly stuff is what you are talking about it was a coating GM put on the firewall and wiper arm transmission cover plates... it always cracked. When new this gooey stuff was almost like a tar coating and cracked with age. You can clean it off and re-spray it if you like. If I missed something or don't understand what you see just post back.
thanks for the knowledge on the black cracking. I’m posting another picture where I circled another area. Looks as though the lady’s husband may have sanded previous rust and also there seems to be separation of some sort but do you suppose that is also the black goo used by Chevy? I wasn’t 100 percent sure if this area was considered part of the birdcage.
Picture won’t post for some reason but the area concern is the bottom right of the photo with the windshield. Where it seems to be some separation. But this may just be the same goo you were speaking of.
i wasn’t sure if this was birdcage or not. Thanks again!
My awesome internet speed wont let me download your picture , but I see what you are concerned about. Its a gap between the edge of the steel birdcage and the fibreglass firewall / plenum chamber piece .That firewall piece was original pop rivetted on with an added sealer for obvious reasons . Over time the sealer dries and cracks (not the black stuff ) my 69 had a white sealer in there . Later years they might have changed the colour of the sealer. What I see there is the sealer has cracked and split off ,POSSIBLY letting water in when car is washed or rain.
What you need to do is kinda follow that crack line across the front , Most of the join will be under the windscreen . Other side will mirror drivers side . Look as best you can for another separation .
THEN get in under the dash with a torch and look up and see if you can see the steel bird cage (it would probably be a green colour ) later I think they got painted a black colour . look for rust .
Then go to the sticky at the top of the forum and read that (actually do that first) and see where the other rust traps can be on these old cars.
Fish773, just want to make sure you understand when bazza77 said to look under the dash with a torch. On the other side of the world down under that means a light. Don't want you to burn your car up. F.Y.I.
Good info from bazza77 & Willcox. .
Originally Posted by bazza77
My awesome internet speed wont let me download your picture , but I see what you are concerned about. Its a gap between the edge of the steel birdcage and the fibreglass firewall / plenum chamber piece .That firewall piece was original pop rivetted on with an added sealer for obvious reasons . Over time the sealer dries and cracks (not the black stuff ) my 69 had a white sealer in there . Later years they might have changed the colour of the sealer. What I see there is the sealer has cracked and split off ,POSSIBLY letting water in when car is washed or rain.
What you need to do is kinda follow that crack line across the front , Most of the join will be under the windscreen . Other side will mirror drivers side . Look as best you can for another separation .
THEN get in under the dash with a torch and look up and see if you can see the steel bird cage (it would probably be a green colour ) later I think they got painted a black colour . look for rust .
Then go to the sticky at the top of the forum and read that (actually do that first) and see where the other rust traps can be on these old cars.
Last edited by JETS C3-C4; Oct 23, 2018 at 10:48 PM.
Possible birdcage issue
