65 Parking Lamp Panel

[Donald T.]

Before I go grinding and filling, I want to make sure this is not correct for my 65. The passenger side park lamp panel has a mounting pad and hole for the earlier 63/64 style grill. Would a late 65 A.O. Smith body car have had this earlier style panel?

Thanks!




65 Park Lamp Panel

[Wayne W.]

Re: 65 Parking Lamp Panel

No. No tab and no raised pad. The innerfender would not have the relief at the raised area either.

[Donald T.]

Re: 65 Parking Lamp Panel

Thanks Wayne. I was pretty sure that was the case. Should be a pretty easy fix. Thanks!

[Wayne W.]

Re: 65 Parking Lamp Panel

Yes, the parking light panel will be easy, but the innerfender is a different story. That panel is different from the 65 in several other places which will be impossible to hide without changing it.

[Donald T.]

Re: 65 Parking Lamp Panel

Thanks Wayne. Now that I didn't know. Both inner fenders have the recess, so looks like I'll have to replace both of them How are the repo inner fender panels? I plan to have the car judged next year.

[Michael H.]

Re: 65 Parking Lamp Panel

Wayne,

I'm not 100% sure of this but I believe the recess in the skirt remained, even though the raised portion on the panel was removed for 65. In fact, I think the recess was present on the left side of a 66 also. (the right skirt for 66 was redesigned so the recess was eliminated) If I get a few minutes later, I'll go out to the garage and look. If we have some 65 owners out there with original front glass, maybe they could look and let us know? Don's scan shows the recess so it should be easy to find, if it's there.

Michael

[Wayne W.]

Re: 65 Parking Lamp Panel

No, the 65 innerfender is its own animal, not equal to any other year. The only really significant difference between the 64 and 65 is the relief at the grille screw hole. But GM did remove the indention for 65. There could have been some overlap at the extreeme begining of the year. I know of one 64, the next to last serial number, that had the 65 version. I have not located an example to study at the end of the year. There could have been some overlap either way there too. There is one thing for sure, for both sides left and right the panels are unique to every year except 66-67. They are the same except for color and maybe some holes.

The correct innerfender panels are available at Corvette Image.

[Ian S.]

Re: 65 Parking Lamp Panel

Do 66-7 have the recess. I seem to remember the Corvette image fenders having them.

[Wayne W.]

Re: 65 Parking Lamp Panel

Both innerfender panels were redesigned for 66-67. On the RH side the hood mount configuration was changed and the rear was squared off obviously to get more room for the AC. The relief was restored to the 66-67 panel because it was to be supplied over the counter as a replacement for the 63-64. On the LH side a raised pad for a LH hood mount was added, and the relief for the 63-64 application. This was the first ever provision for a hood stand on the LH side.

[Wayne W.]

Re: INNER FENDERS PICS.

Here are examples of each style reproductions. Please excuse the white color on the 64. That is and odd ball.

http://www.members.aol.com/wombvette/LHInnerFender

http://www.members.aol.com/wombvette/RHInnerFender

[Michael H.]

Re: 65 Parking Lamp Panel

Ok, that makes sense. Thanks Wayne. I knew I had the relief in my 66 so I assumed it was a carry over from 63-65. Adding the relief to the 66-67 design would make it a universal service replacement panel for all 63-67.

[Donald T.]

Re: 65 Parking Lamp Panel

Thanks guys. I removed the blackout from a section of the right inner fender and it is definitely black fiberglass. So this must be the later replacement panel as Wayne described. I removed some excess bonding adhesive and the left inner fender does not have the recess after all. So the left inner fender appears original. Here are some pics of the left inner fender. Can you confirm this is the correct panel?

Thanks!




Left Inner Fender

[Craig S.]

Re: 65 Parking Lamp Panel

Wayne - what was the rationale for moving the hood stand on BB vs SB ....just curious......Craig

[Donald T.]

Re: 65 Parking Lamp Panel

Well, it put up quite a fight, but I was able to remove the inner fender. I'll be ordering a correct replacement tomorrow. At least I'll be able to sell this one on ebay to defray some of the cost. The road to Top Flight is paved with money!

Thanks Wayne for catching the inner fender discrepancy. I'd much rather deal with it now, while the car is apart.

[Michael H.]

Re: 65 Parking Lamp Panel

Craig,

Looks like Wayne is off for a few days so I'll answer the question. In very early 66 production, the fender skirt configuration and the location of the hood support changed because of the "soon to be released" A/C option that would be added to the 427 engine. If I remember correctly, it was the routing of the A/C hoses and the location/clearance of the compressor that required the changes.

Michael