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The holes for the rear Letters. Is it just holes in fiberglass or is there tiny "grommets' for them? While I was sanding I found plastic rings in them. Thoughts?
I think someone is attempting to use the retainers that will hold the letters in place without using the correct acorn nuts. Those plastic inserts are not factory.
The choice is yours on what you want to do in this area.
I think someone is attempting to use the retainers that will hold the letters in place without using the correct acorn nuts. Those plastic inserts are not factory.
The choice is yours on what you want to do in this area.
DUB
Guess I'll need to get them out and see how oversized the holes are. Ive got some letters to gauge. I'd hate to fill and redrill and have em be crooked.
Much thanks to Duffeball for inspiring me to get back and FINISH getting the paint off of my 72 LT-1! Also much thanks to DUB and PorchDog for the advice shared.
My 72 is a collection of repairs too. I glued a new press molded hood surround on awhile back but the rest is original press molded I think (no SMC?). I know the rear RH fender has been repaired as I found the left over dry wall screws on the inside, ah ha!
Basis the question of "how hot is too hot", I got my trusty HF heat gauge gun and checked the surface temp as I was scrapping paint. I found in the places where I was scrapping the old lacquer off the press molded, looked like 130-140F was working good. Get up to 180 190 and the old lacquer became gummy and not good. I did notice on the hood, I was scrapping the lacquer and the white (assume primer) off in one move, but the heat was more like 170 180. Also around the RH rear fender, I found the "window glazing" putty under the paint and gave up trying the scrap the paint off there. 170 180 just made the putty gooey and a mess.
There is a technique to this as PorchDog and DUB say. I found if you use the heat gun moving about 2 or 3" ahead of the scrapper in unison you can remove a long strip which is a rewarding thing. Too hot or too cold and only a short piece. You can also move the heat gun in closer or farther away to control the heat.
I am thinking 130 to 180 likely does not hurt the fiberglass. I would guess fiberglass starts to deteriorate maybe 300 350F?
Also found using fresh razor blades often is good. Bought a 100 pack and installed a new one frequently.
Did most of this in 4 or 5 days, section at a time, working with Led Zeppelin. Also stayed away from edges and incurred a number of nicks which I think the VPA and primer to follow will remedy.
Hope sharing this helps and thanks again to all for the info and inspiration!
Guess I'll need to get them out and see how oversized the holes are. Ive got some letters to gauge. I'd hate to fill and redrill and have em be crooked.
I guess we will know how well the emblems fit when you test fit them.
And like I used to tell the guys I have trained in the past. "If you get the holes drilled correctly the first time...GREAT...if you have to do it twenty times...then that is what it takes." Then then soon realized that I did mention that they should spend the time making a very good master template that they could drill through.... so after the fifth time that they had to fill and re-drill.
I was able to successfully get the car out of my garage and on a trailer up to a body shop that has done some work for another Corvette guy I know.
The Jig and the car held together very well with new incidents. And he's now sent me some pictures as an update. The funny thing is with the car completely sand it down to fiberglass it looks less terrible and a lot of cases. It did also confirm some things I already thought I knew about it. But it is kind of nice to be at work all day and know that something's happening with your car hopefully it's a good positive step.
It is definitely moving right along. Seems that what is shown for previous damage and repairs is not that bad. Because I have seen much worse than that.
It is definitely moving right along. Seems that what is shown for previous damage and repairs is not that bad. Because I have seen much worse than that.
DUB
There's definitely still some things that need worked on. But I'm pretty comfortable too things are going the way they're supposed to.
The one thing that I like seeing in the past photos of the front end is that the rivets that hold the front metal reinforcement/retainer have been removed so all of the repairs at the very front of the clip can be performed correctly.
The one thing that I like seeing in the past photos of the front end is that the rivets that hold the front metal reinforcement/retainer have been removed so all of the repairs at the very front of the clip can be performed correctly.
DUB
So so I understand, would your approach to that front end be to remove that metal reinforcement and do the repairs and then reinstall the reinforcements when the body is back on the frame?
