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I have most of the paint stripped and I have a handle on all of the repairs except for the header bar, that one scares me a bit. I just want to make sure what I end up with is as durable as possible. I can get more pictures if that would help, but in general the header bar pulled away year ago and is very rusty all the way around. It looks like it was originally bonded right to the body without any bonding strips attached to it. Since this is an LS3 conversion I am not concerned with originality, so a better earlier or later part would be acceptable if it is better.
Any guidance on how to approach this would be appreciated!
Even though it is for a 68-72, it should fit a 73 fine and perhaps be a better quality fix than just gluing in the header bar without the bonding strip? Is that correct or would just using the header bar sans bonding strip be just as reliable a fix?
In 73 , GM stopped using a bonding strip , IMO glue technology advanced enough to make a steel /glass bond durable . So you don't need the bond strip .
I have replaced two originals with the aftermarket pieces ( from ZIP 68-82 ) and they fit fine on a 77 and a 69 , they are lighter (thinner metal) , all I did was add a tack weld to each captured nut before glueing them on . I used a Lord Fusor glue .
How to get your old one off ? It has to come off to be reglued back on properly , so if you can sandblast it once its off ,you might be able to reuse it ? A heat gun to warm the glue up and gently help it come away.. Get a straight edge under there and draw lines that continue from the edges out a fair ways. When it comes time to reglue any lines that just trace the edge will get lost under the oozing out extra glue , and you will be "lost" as to exact position.
I cut my 77 bar in quarters to reduce the effort of getting both glued edges off at the same time , but mine had big rust holes in it anyway.
1973 Header Bar Repair
