Hi everyone. I've been looking for a project vette for a little while now. I've found an 85 with 25k original miles (carfax checked out). He said it had an R title, which it does (flood damage), but that was fixed long ago. What bothers me is that on either side of the car, on the pillar behind the door, there are a series of cracks in the fiberglass. Any ideas what the cause could be? Is it resonable to think they could be fixed? Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks in advance! image is at http://www.lazyguy.net/images/vette.jpg

(sorry for the edits, new to this)

Lazy


[Modified by Lazyguy, 10:09 PM 4/28/2004]


[Modified by Lazyguy, 10:11 PM 4/28/2004]


[Modified by Lazyguy, 10:13 PM 4/28/2004]

 

Cracks on the B-pillar fiberglass or the rear quarter?
I dont know what would cause that other than some bad frame twisting.

They can be patched by a good shop, but usually its better to replace it, because the bondo they use to patch it doesnt accept paint very well.

 

I suspect when the car was floor jacked on both sides for a tire change they didn't pop the hood ! That can cause small cracks. (Found that out at Americas Tire stores)
(Corvette urban legend maybe !!!) :cheers:

 

The crack is at the bottom of pillar, just forward of the rear hatch. I linked to a picture, but it seems my host is down for the moment.

(Picture is back up)
http://www.lazyguy.net/images/vette.jpg

Lazy


[Modified by Lazyguy, 11:30 PM 4/28/2004]


[Modified by Lazyguy, 11:30 PM 4/28/2004]

 

BE VERY CAREFUL

I own a R titled Vette, I bought it wreck and rebuilt it with my step dad. Mine had an engine bay fire, but no structural damage.

That crack that your looking at might be because the body of the car is flexing and detaching itself from the frame. The car probably at some point during its life rolled over. Even if you have that fixed it will eventually start cracking again.

My step dad fixed a Vette witch rolled over and a few month down the road is started doing the exact same thing.

There is almost nothing to be done to fix that.

Try this little test, grad the rear light circle hole and pull upwards and look at the crack and look if the outside body skin is flexing or if you can feel it detaching itself from the frame, then push down on the body to see if it does the same.

If this happens, then you have a serious problem and you shouldn't buy the vette unless its a really good deal.

OR

The crack is simply because of a small accident.... but it doesn't look like that to me.

Ps: I bought my Vette witch had an engine bay fire, we rebuilt the entire engine bay, but my car has no frame or body damage. Vettes are very precise machines and buying one with body structure damage is not recommended.

Good luck!



[Modified by TheStef, 9:09 AM 4/29/2004]

 

That's not quite right...Any bodyshop or boat repair shop familiar with fiberglass repair can fix it. Bondo is NOT an option for repair. Check out the entire rear body bushing, frame assembly for any issues that CAN be corrected. I would recommend having a 4 wheel alignment check to determine if the car has any major problems that can't be corrected.
Good Luck. :thumbs:


[Modified by RUBYREDVETTECARD, 5:43 PM 4/29/2004]

 

ok... here we go... the rear 1/3rd of a C4 is some strange monocoque contruction.

The b-pillar area is a weakness in the earlier C4s. I think it was 86 that they fixed that area (metal to reinforce it) and the firewall/forward bulkheads.

I would pass on that car... if that is failing, you will be in over your head ($$$) in no time flat.

Besides, a drowned car means electrical issues out the ****.

 

Thanks for all the replies. I am going to steer clear of this one. I'm really in no hurry to aquire one, but the wife is getting tired of what she calls "nit-picking." She isn't going to be the one stuck fixing the car, though :(

Lazy

 

OK guys I'm a Budd company rep for SMC (although not for corvette I'm with the Ford account. I cant seem to open the pictures so I cant really comment on the crack. But for Minor pits an cracks, The Best thing We have found (this is on T-bird at the Wixom plant) is Superglue.