Thinking about getting a GM Bra part #12495616

Does anybody have this bra. Does it have the C5 Logo in red and does it have a cover for the license plate. Is it easy to put on and take off and what are your thoughts about it fading your paint. Thanks or does anybody have any reccomendations on other makes of bra. Thanks!

 

I only use mine for trips when it's not raining, and only put it on when the front is clean. There is an emblem but not red, embossed in vinyl, easy on and off. Clean bugs off with warm water, I didn't use the original snaps I got marine stainless steel with matching screws so they won't rust. It serves it's purpose, function not beauty. It has saved the front-end many times. Great for trips or for going to shows. Bill

 

Mine is exactly like Bill's. I did the same thing, went to the marine store and bought all new stainless screw snaps. That way I only had to remove the existing fender well bolts (2 each side) and replace with screw-in type snaps along with the three underneath the front nose.

Worked very well on my trip.

Yes it is easy to put on takes just a few minutes. I suppose if you left the vehicle in the sun all day long with the bra on, over the years you'd see some fading.

 

I've had the same bra (as Bill) for about a year. I used the original fasteners....wish I'd thought about marine quality. Easy to install and remove, but mine stays on most of the time, no sign of abrasion on my mag red paint.

 

BTW...I did cut out for the fog lights (PIAA's) due to the heat. I took a glass and and X-acto knife and cut a circle out in front of each lamp, it's hard to see in the pic. Bill

 

I've had my GM bra a couple of years and it is great during Love Bug season and for use on trips.
Any time I remove it after it has gotten wet I let it dry, then shake it thoroughly to get rid of any sand that may have gotten in the flannel lining. I then spray the lining thoroughly with a garden hose and let it dry again before putting it back on the car. I just did the above to it yesterday and now I'm ready to put it back on the Vette and take a trip during the Love Bug season so it will do double duty this week.

 

Same as Bill... except I do not use the small piece on the edge of the hood. It does not fit tight and it is a PITA anyway.

 

My hood piece fits really tight but dang your right it's the most PITA part of installing the whole bra.

 

I am very unhandy, what is the difficulty with these fastener's. Hopefully no drilling. Thanks! Mike

 

Actually, the snap screws are EASIER!!! They thread into the existing metal clips on the fender liners.

Just bring one of the three provided by GM and match them up (buy 4 more).

Nobody can figure out what GM was thinking by not providing all snap screws to begin with!

 

It goes on really easy, might take an hour if you take a couple of breaks to read. Simple hand tools & no drilling.

I went with the marine snaps too.

I run mine on long trips. Around town I run with a Torch Red lycra bra and mirror covers.

Good Luck...

 

It is mostly the four that install on the wheel well lip, two each side. What GM gives you is three self-taping thread types with a male portion of the snap as the head. The other four are machined screws that fit into a rubber grommet and the theory is when the screw is snugged up it expands the rubber making it seal in the hole.

On the wheel well lip right now there is a 7mm hexhead screw that secures into a speed nut (the kind the slip over an edge where an open hole is and provide a secure point for the self taping screw. To remove the speed nut you would have to loosen most of those on the well lip to create enough room to slip the out of the way. And whomeever's idea it was to use the machine screw into the rubber, uh bad idea Mr engineer person. The speed nut is already there so if you go to a marine store and buy four new self taping screw type that match the three you have (like a Boater's World), then all you need to do is remove the 7mm screw in there and replace with the self taping screw snap. Poof your done. Takes like 5 minutes to install. Easiest to turn the wheel slightly one way to get a better clean access to them then reverse the wheel direction and get the other side.

The three underneath the front, just lay down remove the three existing 7mm screws and replace with the three self taping snap screws. Your done. Put the bra on.

Here is what I bought from Boaters World:

handi-man marine Powerfastners
Stainless Steel
Self-Tapping Canvas Fastener
Stud Wood Screw
Part No. 125. (comes in a package of four)

You can also find them at http://www.boatersworld.com

 

I have been running the GM bra on my car ever since I bought it - about 6.5 years now. No paint fading, no buffeting of the paint, no flapping of the bra on the car at speed. It does a very good job of protecting the paint. The factory bra has a small clear piece of plastic that allows a portion of your license plate to show through. Depending on where you live, that may or may not satisfy LEOs. Some require you to show the entire plate. I had my GM bra modified to enlarge the clear plastic covering so the entire plate shows.

Once you install the snaps in the fender wells, installation/removal is very easy and can be done in about 3 minutes. Some get marine snaps in place of the stock hardware to facilitate installation.

The logo on the stock bra is just pressed into the vinyl, but you can buy a factory bra that has the logo embroidered in it from places like Mid-America.

I highly recommend the GM bra for the car - can't beat the price and performance IMO.

 

The GM bra fits great and has an opening for the license plate with either the Z06 or regular C5 style bras. I used screw in marine snaps in the front wheel wells in place of the snaps that GM provided. The marine snaps are easier to install since they screw right in.





You can't beat the price and the fit is precise. I use it mostly for highway trips and take it off often and clean and wax the area underneath thoroughly before and after each use. My car is black and shows no signs of abrasion or fading.

 

Just so I understand correctly as I'm getting ready to buy one of these bras. Do I need a total of 4 marine snap screws or more?

Thanks for the info.

 

Package of four. See reference above in my post and picture after that one. Find that and your set.

 

I bought a Colgan bra from a forum member & love it. There is no modification needed, no screws or snaps & it fits TIGHT.......

 

Love my gm bra. also bought the marine fasteners. pia to install at first, but worth it. saved my nose during gravel truck season. mine has the gold logo and got it from West Coast Corvette. They might be still on sale and you can choose with or without logo, etc...

 

I, too, have a GM bra and agree with what has been said. Good fitment and quality. Got mine from Forum sponsor Fitchner Chev. Check the area under the unit often as dirt and sand collects even on the cleanest roads.

 

My Gm bra came from Fitchner Chevrolet too. Here is the guy to talk with: Bob Wendorff <parts@fichtnerchevrolet.com> He took good care of me and can answer questions that you might have.