C2 inner fender mystery

[james britt]

I'm currently restoring an original L-72 coupe I found in a garage, been there for the last 16 years. The car is completely original, though rough and requires a complete restoration. The car is a very early production (sept. '65) number 972. The left inner fender has a cutout with removable panel for battery access, however the battery is located on the right side. Additionally there are rivets for an expansion tank on the right inner fender, though the 427/450 HP car had a brass radiator with no expansion tank. I know this car is factory original but can find no documentation regarding these peculiarities. Also the hood support is on the right side, unlike later 66 cars. Can anyone help me solve the mystery?
Thanks

[Jack Layton]

Re: C2 inner fender mystery

Is the passenger side inner fender rounded where the expansion tank would attach: ala the '65 or is it a sharp edge like the '66? Maybe you got left over inner fenders from the 1965 396 but with the copper radiator and no expansion tank, thus allowing the battery to be mounted on the pass. side. The removable panel on the left side would have no negative effect. Serial # 944 a L72 was built with 396 exhaust manifolds. Maybe you got '65 inner fenders from a 396.

[Peter M.]

Re: C2 inner fender mystery

James
What is code stamp on the differential case - found on the bottom of the case- for example AZ would be a 3.55:1 4sp 427. Also - is there a rear sawy bar? Do you have U bolts or steel caps securing the differential yokes?

[Everett Ogilvie]

Re: C2 inner fender mystery

I am very interested in learning more about this car, as I recently submitted an article to Terry and the Restorer along somewhat similar lines.

First, how do you "know" the car is an original L72? Is there supporting documentation, owner history, etc.? In other words, when inconsistencies like these appear, the first inclination is to doubt the authenticity of the application/option. I am not disputing you or the car - I am just asking for more detail about why you feel certain it is an original L72 car.

The article I submitted covers a similar car with evidence where the bracket for the expansion tank was once mounted. I believe I have researched this particular oddity enough to explain it in some rare early instances. I would like to know more about the visual details of the rivets and the surrounding area. Maybe we can communicate off line in more detail, and perhaps you could even snap a photo or two if you have access to a digital camera.

I cannot explain with any certainty the driver side inner fender with the battery access panel, but I have a few thoughts. One obvious possibility is that the inner fender was replaced for some reason and that is the part they came up with. Another possibility is that it truly was a car with AC (which would preclude it being L72, but it could have been L36, or a small block). The not-so-obvious and very remote possibility is because it is such an early car it had the cutout panel installed as on 396 cars. For a brief time they WERE using up other 396 parts, which is why early L72's had the hood prop on the passenger side. I have all kinds of questions about both inner fenders and other items, and it will require some research to come up with a possible explanation, if one exists at all. This assumes that the car is not modified, pieced together, or converted from either a small block AC car or L36 AC car, etc. I would like to hear more about the specifics of this car.

[Wayne W.]

Re: C2 inner fender mystery

If it has a 65 LH innerfender, it will have no provisions on that side for a hood stand. I mean nothing, no pad, no nothing, to attach it to. It also will not have a relief (square shaped indention) where the grille trim screw goes on 63-64 cars. If it has a 65 RH innerfender, it will have a raised hood stand pad vs a flat one for 66. That should give you something to do for a while, and put me on your list for the pictures.

[james britt]

Re: C2 inner fender mystery

Thanks for the interest/response guys. I am in the process of trying to track down the previous owners, there is a story around the car but I want to validate before posting. As to originality, I have stripped the paint, and removed the body from the frame. There is no evidence of replaced panels anywhere, though there are several places where the original glass had been poorly repaired due to parking lot type mishaps. The drivetrain had all the paint marks on the pieces, and the frame has a wax pencil 9/13/65 marking on it in addition to the original stencil marks. I did not paint over these when I painted the frame. There is a rear sway bar and when removed the original small spacer plates were intact. The rear axle is AZ, and the transmission is the original with the correct S/N in the side. I recently had the radiator repaired by DeWitt and as I suspected, it too was original ( sharp bend corners on the inlet/outlet, and the rectangles on the cross pieces). The manifolds were indeed 1965 pieces. The brake calipers were rusted together but the numbers were in sequence and correct also. The car is not air, nor is there any plumbing to indicate it ever had air. I will take pics soon and post them for those of you who are interested.

[Roy S.]

Re: C2 inner fender mystery *TL*

The hood support on a early 66 L72 typically was on the right hand side. This occurred thorugh at least VIN #1836 and probably as late as #2300.

[Everett Ogilvie]

Passenger side hood support - some late numbers

Car 2836 has passenger side hood support. Car 2968 has driver side hood support. 2836 is probably one of the last to have this feature - my Restorer article goes into this in detail - it could be that A.O. Smith was the last to use up 396 hoods.