BRIANGOAD

Hi all ! Brian here and just got a 1968 Convertible. Was in Connecticut then Ohio and now in Lompoc California. Its the one car I said I may trade my 1967 Mustang GT Fastback high school car Ive owned since 1981. Fortunately for me with a good buy and decent credit I can make monthly payments and keep the Stang too . Girlfriend loves it but would also love to be driving her 1980 Trans Am Pace car I got her last year but hey I got a bit of A.D.D when it comes to cars

Back to Topic I have the 327/350HT 4 speed car. Lots of questions and yes I do now have the manuals but hard to tell what is correct. And now with so many broken links from Photo***ket I can not find my answer.

I got a lower plastic front spoiler that said 1968 as I didnt have one. Looks to attach to the two lower bumper bolts but there are two more that would seem bolts run through the fiberglass air dam. If that is the case I may not want to drill and have bolts showing just to have this on. Anyone have some good installed pics?





Thanks, Brian

jhudec

I am sure Alan will chime in with pics, but I can confirm that the bolts do pass thru the fiberglass lip at 2 different locations, horizontal and vertical. Someone may have filled the holes or replaced the lower valance at some point.
Joe

Rescue Rogers

If I remember correctly the 2 center holes bolt to the fiberglass using the bumper bolts and you just have to drill the 2 outside holes

Alan 71

Hi Brian,
Very nice looking 68 convertible!!!
All 68 cars were equipped with a black plastic 'extension' that attached to the fiberglass spoiler that was part of the lower valance.

It was attached using 4 bolts.
One bolt at each end that are installed vertically with the bolt running up from the bottom.
And two bolts spaced across the face of the spoiler. (If your car has the original fiberglass valance/spoiler still in place there should be signs where there were. The bolts were inserted from the rear of the spoiler and the nuts appear on the front of the spoiler.
All 4 nuts have a integral flat washer as part of them so the paint on the spoiler isn't damaged when the nut is tightened.

In addition the 2 bolts that secure the lower bumper-ettes run through the spoiler and extension but aren't actually a part of securing the extension to the spoiler.

The extension is a critical part of the engine cooling system.

Regards,
Alan

The locations for the 2 horizontal bolts.


One of the two bumper-ette bolts that pass through the spoiler and extension.

GUSTO14

Welcome to the Corvette Forum...

That's a very nice looking '68.

The Stingray emblems look very much in place there.

Good luck... GUSTO

20mercury

Agree with above.

I just got a 327/350 HT project. Yours looks Great! Congratulations on a great find!

If you look through your AIM, you can find a detailed dwg of how this spoiler attaches. Also, after installing 2 spoilers on 2 different 68's, I have yet to find a spoiler that fits the lower valence curves on the ends. If your spoiler fits great, please let me know your source.

Enjoy!!

Alan 71

Hi 20,
The reproduction black plastic extensions don't fit the shape of the valance spoiler.
This has made original extensions in VERY good condition very costly.
Regards,
Alan

Original extension fit:


Reproduction extension fit:

doorgunner

Have fun with the car!

BRIANGOAD

Thanks guys for the info and pics. No holes in the upper valance on mine right now. Ill have it back on lift tomorrow and look to see if they have been filled. Car was originally British racing green. Have to finish cutting out frozen rear shock mounts and adding adjustable replacement for the camber rods and all new shocks. Ill see if I can snap some photos.

bkvette3

Welcome to the '68 club - nice car you have there. You are at the right place - lots of knowledgeable members here. Your questions answered instantly. Enjoy your ride.

20mercury

Thanks Alan, great photo of the problem. Likely a Bubba fix, but I just filled in the gap with black RTV, with tape on the front side to hopefully provide a smooth uniform finish after the RTV cured. Maybe, only Bubba and I will know about this!

theandies

My repop fit perfectly. I forgot where I got it.. I did buy it a long time ago though.

Rescue Rogers

heres my 68 valance
Pay no attention to the rag hanging under the motor. i was cleaning the stamp pad and must have dropped it

I have mine bolted in 3 places. the bumperette, that bolt through the valance and in the corner

bolt number 2 and the corner gap

bumperette bolts

sticker from the vender

corner bolts

corner bolt

68blvert

Hi Alan,
Awesome pictures as usual. I have a question though. You say all 68's had the plastic spoiler but mine does not and has no evidence of it ever having one. I am 100% sure this is how it came as my Dad, the original owner, took delivery of it in January of 68. He says he never removed it. He did say it would run hot, 200*-210*, but never overheat. I'm not questioning your expertise, so please don't take offense but I've always wondered about this.
Thanks, Chris

BRIANGOAD

I did see the bolts holes that were filled in last paint job. This flimsy replacement plastic looks loke it may take some fitting work. Ill keep you posted

On a side note took the car to a local show today and although just one other 62 vetted in class we wound up take a home a nice plaque!

Alan 71

Hi Chris,
I would expect to see the black plastic extension on all 68 cars… right from the start of production. I'm not doubting what you're seeing, just relaying what is thought to be typical of production.

That area of the body (the front valance) WAS subject to a change though during 68 production.
Early cars didn't have any 'cut-out' areas in the valance and so early cars, especially 427 equipped cars, experienced over heating problems. The 2 cut out areas were added to the valance to increase air flow to the radiator. The Service Technical Bulletin for this work states that the change occurred on the production line with car S400720…so quite early in production.
The valances with cut-out areas were installed on ALL cars I believe right from the beginning of the change, not just 427 cars.

Dealers were advised that those valance modifications could be made to existing cars as owners brought them in for service or because of over heating problems.

Having your Dad's car to enjoy must be pretty special for you!!!
Regards,
Alan

Alan 71

Hi Brian,
Your photo seems to imply that all Corvettes were WHITE, I've always thought that "All Corvettes Are RED!"
???
Regards,
Alan

NRAROX

Chris, that is very interesting. This is the first I've heard of a car being delivered in '68 without a valance. I cannot tell from the AIM if the holes were drilled before the valance was applied or if that drilling was part of the valance installation procedure. I wonder if it was simply 'missed' during assembly. Is your car a small block or a big block? I can't imagine a big block surviving without that valance. It's an integral part of the cooling system.

NRAROX

This is the page from AIM where the 'Extension' (Valance) is described. No mention of drilling which is normally included if the procedure was required.

Alan 71

Hi N,
I was just looking at that sheet in the AIM too.
I'd think drilling the 4 holes in the valance would be a pretty straight forward process when the valance was still not part of the body.
And I guess the hole in each fender could be done before the parts of the clip were bonded together.
Regards,
Alan

Notice the 2 rectangular areas cut out of the lip on the valance beneath each of the bumper-ette bolts. The AIM doesn't appear to show that the notch extended up the face of the spoiler, but RR's photo shows it. I wonder how typical that was?