Anyone else have this problem?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 192
Likes: 0
From: Windermere Fl
Anyone else have this problem?
Last night when my wife got home from work she looked at our Crystal Red Z-51 and said "there's a dent in the fender". Now having owned fiberglass Corvettes for almost 40 years, I have never even heard of a dent in the fiberglass. I thought she must have been looking at one of the angles above the air extractor under the left front fender. But on closer inspection there is what looks like a dent. It is about 2 inches long and is very hard to see except under the bright lights of the garage. It is clearly a flaw in the way the panel was constructed. I have been advised to take it to the dealer and have the body shop look at it to determine a course of action. Has anyone else noticed such a thing? You can actually feel the indentation in the fiberglass, though the paint is perfect. I am going to request that the factory send a prepainted panel for the dealer to bolt on as a replacement. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
I know that in an accident, the panels can be unbolted and replaced. I tried to take a picture, but was unable to get the blemish to show up.
I know that in an accident, the panels can be unbolted and replaced. I tried to take a picture, but was unable to get the blemish to show up.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 988
Likes: 81
From: Danville California
I am able to see some imperfections in the body panels (they are not as smooth as I think they should be). The imperfections are VERY minor, but I'm a bit **** about the car, so notice everything. I don't plan on doing anything about them because they are so minor, and figure most all of the C7's have the same imperfections since the body panels all come from the same molds.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 192
Likes: 0
From: Windermere Fl
I am able to see some imperfections in the body panels (they are not as smooth as I think they should be). The imperfections are VERY minor, but I'm a bit **** about the car, so notice everything. I don't plan on doing anything about them because they are so minor, and figure most all of the C7's have the same imperfections since the body panels all come from the same molds.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,966
Likes: 1,295
From: SouthEast PA
Unmodified C8 of the Year 2021 Finalist
2018 C7 of Year Finalist
While I would expect and accept some imperfections, what I see here is beyound that. If you have looked very closely and it seems that you have, the area of concern is on the left front fender just above the air extractor and it really does look like a dent. I would have accepted this in my 1973, but I can't believe that this is on all of the C7s.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 325
Likes: 128
From: Pflugerville TX
I saw some "dent" like imperfections, albeit small ones, on the hood. Since it's CF, it's just a layup issue I guess. The car is too beautiful for those small blemishes to be a problem for me. I just step back and take it all in and smile... 
Racer
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 331
Likes: 2
Last night when my wife got home from work she looked at our Crystal Red Z-51 and said "there's a dent in the fender". Now having owned fiberglass Corvettes for almost 40 years, I have never even heard of a dent in the fiberglass. I thought she must have been looking at one of the angles above the air extractor under the left front fender. But on closer inspection there is what looks like a dent. It is about 2 inches long and is very hard to see except under the bright lights of the garage. It is clearly a flaw in the way the panel was constructed. I have been advised to take it to the dealer and have the body shop look at it to determine a course of action. Has anyone else noticed such a thing? You can actually feel the indentation in the fiberglass, though the paint is perfect. I am going to request that the factory send a prepainted panel for the dealer to bolt on as a replacement. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
I know that in an accident, the panels can be unbolted and replaced. I tried to take a picture, but was unable to get the blemish to show up.
I know that in an accident, the panels can be unbolted and replaced. I tried to take a picture, but was unable to get the blemish to show up.
LEAVE IT ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Haymarket Virginia
You have to look at just the right angle at just he right light. In other words don't stress about it and stop staring at that angle! LOL
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
From: Astoria NY
Trust me. They are there. Some are just more **** and notice them. Like me! I wasn't concerned when I saw mine because all the ones I have seen have them.
You have to look at just the right angle at just he right light. In other words don't stress about it and stop staring at that angle! LOL
You have to look at just the right angle at just he right light. In other words don't stress about it and stop staring at that angle! LOL
lol jk.Just because you saw them on everyone you've looked at, does not mean it's necessarily a system-wide problem. It could just be within a certain VIN. Of course this is an assumption on it's own because we will never know exactly how many cars have said flaws. You are correct, some are definitely much more "eagle-eyed" than others, so they'll definitely see such flaws (if they're really there). Others will never know. But, we can't assume they all have them.
To the OP: if it's really evident, no doubt that's gonna eat away at you. So if that's the case, indeed see what the dealer can do for you. Otherwise, I'd leave it alone.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,158
Likes: 77
From: Forsyth GA
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 1,888
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From: Livingston County, Michigan
Saturn fenders and doors were injection molded out of thermoplastic material. I believe that they would have had a low amount of chopped glass or filler compounded into the thermoplastic. Typical thermoplastic pellets are about 4 mm in length, so you can imagine that the glass reinforcement property increase is minimized because of the short discontinuous fiber length.
C7 doors, quarters, fenders, and rear decklid are made of sheet molded compound (SMC), just like C5 and C6 (Z06/ZR1 had carbon front fenders).
The two suppliers of the SMC parts are Magna and Continental Structural Plastics. The innovation on C7's sheet molding compound is that the compound is approximately 20% lower in density (lighter) than previous SMC materials.
C7 doors, quarters, fenders, and rear decklid are made of sheet molded compound (SMC), just like C5 and C6 (Z06/ZR1 had carbon front fenders).
The two suppliers of the SMC parts are Magna and Continental Structural Plastics. The innovation on C7's sheet molding compound is that the compound is approximately 20% lower in density (lighter) than previous SMC materials.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 11,825
Likes: 2,474
From: Ft Lauderdale
Tech Contributor
I am not going to worry about things that normal people will never see. I have a small 1/4 in hair underneath my stinger spoiler only I can see in the right light. Not gonna stress about it, used to , and I've learned how much more stress free my life is when let it go.
Otherwise, with a stethoscope , a mag glass ad the right lights I can find 20 things wrong with my car....seriously, at least 20....
Otherwise, with a stethoscope , a mag glass ad the right lights I can find 20 things wrong with my car....seriously, at least 20....
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 15,996
Likes: 824
Last night when my wife got home from work she looked at our Crystal Red Z-51 and said "there's a dent in the fender". Now having owned fiberglass Corvettes for almost 40 years, I have never even heard of a dent in the fiberglass. I thought she must have been looking at one of the angles above the air extractor under the left front fender. But on closer inspection there is what looks like a dent. It is about 2 inches long and is very hard to see except under the bright lights of the garage. It is clearly a flaw in the way the panel was constructed. I have been advised to take it to the dealer and have the body shop look at it to determine a course of action. Has anyone else noticed such a thing? You can actually feel the indentation in the fiberglass, though the paint is perfect. I am going to request that the factory send a prepainted panel for the dealer to bolt on as a replacement. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
I know that in an accident, the panels can be unbolted and replaced. I tried to take a picture, but was unable to get the blemish to show up.
I know that in an accident, the panels can be unbolted and replaced. I tried to take a picture, but was unable to get the blemish to show up.
I am very sorry for the dent in your C7! I would like to get a case started for you in my system. Will you please PM me with your VIN, mileage, address, phone number, name and the name of your dealership? I would like to help out in any way that I can.
Thank you and have a great Thanksgiving to everyone!
Kelly J.
Chevrolet Customer Care