general ike

Hello all looking for some help restoring my 1972 Corvette. I am detailing the car and have moved on to the rear. I have searched my research books and tried to look on the forum and the internet but have come up short, in determining what is restored and what is original.


I would greatly appreciate some photos of a pristine unrestored (Survivor car) rear. I am looking for the diff, half shafts, control arms, torsion bars, spring, cross member etc. original finish. I have collected some great photos of beautifully restored cars, but I would like to see what the original finishes looked like. Trying to do this as best as I can.

Here is what I am looking at:









The black finish you see is in the last photo is a rust encapsulator I tried.

Greatly Appreciated!!!!!! Ike

redrdstr72

general ike

Don, Alan's car is a thing of beauty!!!! His attention to detail is incredible. So this comment is in no way a statement demeaning Alan"s absolutely gorgeous and incredible car. I have saved a multitude of his pics to use as a comparison.

But my goal is to find some original UNRESTORED photos. Alan's is a spectacular restoration. I would love to see the car as it came directly from the factory. That's the goal of this post.

Ike

Jebbysan

What would be the difference other than the condition my friend?

Jebby

general ike

The originality of the finish???? Ike

Jebbysan

So is Alan's car "over-restored"? I thought his 71' was to letter as GM intended it.......I could be wrong.......I know he mentioned about taking some liberties with the headlight mechanisms and brackets.....

Jebby

general ike

Jebby I will let Alan respond to that one if he chooses. His car is a work of art, I have used it as a reference many times. If you like there are many posts which he discusses his restoration.

This not meant to be a restored vs. original bashing post. I plan on cleaning up and restoring my car. Cannot stand that rust even though its on the surface only. I simply am looking for some original finish photos to compare to the restoration photos I have.

For example I have seen beautifully restored rear ends with the half shafts in black in one and a gray in another. trying to decide what I should do. I am too much a novice to know the answer.
Ike

Jebbysan

Not meant to be an original vs. restored bashing post.......you read into this too hard. I am just trying to understand what you are trying to achieve. I am under the impression that his car represents an original car......are you looking for "survivor" photos?
My point is that if a car is restored 100% to factory spec.....to the letter....is that not an ample comparison to go by? I guess I do not understand.

Jebby

GTR1999

Just some thoughts on looking over the pictures.The differential was bare iron, not painted. The pictures show an aftermarket spring and the cover looks like a later or aftermarket one. The spring bolts appear to be 7/16 not 9/16 which would be the wrong cover for a 72. I don't recall seeing the casting numbers in that location as well. Not uncommon to find things changed 45 years later. "HD" axles indicative of a BB or SB automatic car- if original to the car. A simple casting date check and stamping check would tell.

general ike

Jebby no big deal. My comment was not necessarily meant for you but just in general terms. I have seen these posts get ugly sometimes. Yes a Survivor car would have been a better term to use in my post and yes a car restored to 100% factory original would make a great reference. I am looking for some survivor photos to compare to.

Gary, yes good eyes, it was explained in a earlier post that the rear cover is a later 77,78 cover and the springs are aftermarket as you have pointed out. It is a small block with an auto and the code for the actual axle seems to be correct, so perhaps the cover and spring were changed out. For now they will nee to stay ($$$)

Where the half shafts painted black??? Thanks all Ike

SB64

Please be reminded that Alan's car is no longer driven. Not sure if that is what you are going for.

RVZIO

Alan 71

Hi Ike,
Wow!

"original 72 rear end photos???"

Here are some photos of a 72 ZR-1 car that had about 300 miles on it when the photos were taken. It had been stored 'almost' it's entire life, and appeared to be quite untouched.
It is quite a wealth of information.
Here are a few of the 'back-half' photos. Perhaps you'll find them helpful.
I don't know just what you're looking for specifically....so ask and there may be a photo.
Regards,
Alan

GTR1999

You can see the cheap black paint used on the arms and the white ink date stamp on them. The supports were bare iron I believe although some say they were black, 1/2 shafts were not painted.

derekderek

An original untouched car with 300 miles. Stored indoors for 45 years. Surface rust on everything. Even the painted trailing arms. Maybe that's why we paint everything, correct or not...

Alan 71

Hi Ike,
I separated this post from the other since it about restoration rather than originality... although for me the two are intertwined.

I've been working on the back-half of my car.... from the transmission back.
It had been about 20 years since I had restored the chassis and running gear and there is a lot more information available.

My goal has been to have all the parts appear to be finished as they were originally... painted, plated, or natural. I believe I can now do a pretty good job on the finishes except for the 'as forged' scale that the strut rods typically exhibit.
Oddly it's the cotter pins that are one of the few things that have needed to be replaced because I ruined too many of them when I removed them for the first time 25 years ago! Next time I'll be more careful.
Also I've not tried to duplicate the look of the finish on a part that was 'dip' painted. I'll try that the NEXT time too.

I've started to put it back together and have begun to generate new photos which I'll begin using in replies to folk's questions.

Here're a couple of photos.
Regards,
Alan






46,000 miles.

general ike

Alan excellent as always, exactly what I was hoping for. Wow the finish did not hold up very well. Mine doesn't look so bad for it's mileage. Possibly a unheated damp garage?

You pretty much showed all that I needed. Are their any other pics of the spring, I quite cannot make out the color. Interesting alot of parts that I thought were painted were actually left raw. I love the blue paint on the shafts!!
Do you have any other pics of this car or a link to them? I am curious as to what the rest of the car looked like Looking for the appearance of the whole undercarriage, the front, front suspension lower splash shielding etc.

Thanks again Alan helps me immensely in deciding how to clean and detail my car!!!!!!! Ike

Alan We are posting at the same time. I see the pic of your restored spring. I has quite a "blue" tinge to it. Correct? I have bought a few Dove Grays but they don't seem to gave that tinge to them. Thanks again Ike

Alan 71

Hi Ike,
The rear spring:
"The original coating was a 200 L weld thru primer that was supplied from Ionoklad that is no longer available."
It was described as a zinc rich coating.
Many people use a Rustoleum paint now.
Regards,
Alan

general ike

Alan I have a "zinc rich" paint but it is a light gray I can best describe as galvanized color. I also have a rustoleum dove gray but again it no "bluish" hue. Interesting the second photo of the spring mounted doesn't seem to have the hue either so it could just be the way its photographed.

Greatly appreciated !!!!!!! Ike

Alan 71

Hi Ike,
I would describe the spring as a light to medium gray while the shock absorbers were a medium gray with some hint of blue.
Regards,
Alan

Here are a couple of photos from a 6500 mile 72.
Notice the scale on the strut rod too.

general ike

Thanks Alan Much different then I imagines them!!!! How does one reproduce scale?? I am surprised at some of these finishes or lack there of. Also they certainty did not hold up to the elements very well!!

I have one more,(until I think of something else) sorry, the calipers, my reference book says black, but I have seen quite a few gray colored, or perhaps cast. What were they? If black what sheen? Thanks again Ike