Tweet
I was looking at a pic. Of a 55 Bloomington gold, NCRS Duntov Corvette that stated it was never hit perfect body . Count the rivets around the fenders hood opening #30 total,#10 on each fender and best I can tell #10 at the fire wall area plus #4 at the radiator area,bring the total to #34 // when the originals were #24 plus #4 more at the front radiator area, a total of #28. Is something wrong with this pic.!
-
-
Re: 53-55 rivet question
Roy, May be an optical illusion, but I think I estimate 8 at the firewall, 4 at each side I think. Appears the 4th from the side is slightly off center, maybe making 4 on other side too??? I know nothing about the early C1's, just an observation of the picture.
Rich -
Re: 53-55 rivet question
Along the fender there should be 7 rivets on each side , then starting at the back near the curve along the vent area 7 more making a total of 24 rivets .That is if the original body has never been hit. In the pic. You count 10 along the fender plus there location is way off from original. Some replaced front ends, people don't take count of how many original rivets or location like this Corvette, that said it never was hit!Comment
-
Re: 53-55 rivet question
You make a great point, Roy. Looking at the rivets in the engine compartment of a 53 - 55 car is a great way to tell if a car has been hit in the front. My 54 was missing some rivets in the front right side, and sure enough the car had been hit on that side decades before.
I have never seen a rivet pattern on a 53 - 55 car like your pic shows in this thread. I have not seen the engine compartments of many 55's, however.
One thing to consider. The car must have gone thru a high quality restoration job to garner the awards it has. Hard to believe that a high quality restorer would have whiffed on the unusual rivet pattern. I suspect the restorer was convinced the rivets were original, and left them as is.Comment
-
Re: 53-55 rivet question
Hi guys. Having had many of these cars apart and also working on many, I would say that the rivets are not GM normal placement. The front radiator surrounding glass IS trimmed correctly at the hood block areas on both sides. Most restorers miss this detail when puting on a new front end. The center area is longer between the outer parts of the hood blocks and in the middle. It is trimmed narrower toward the outer hood openings. If the hood ledge is trimmed too short, and I didn't look before typing this response, it would most likely be a replacement front end. I have seen many rear hood ledges trimmed without the ledge rounding downward toward the ground. It should be rounded to the horizontal position. Not a vertical a ledge. It would be nice to actually inspect the car under the dash area. Evevn if the rear hood ledge is correct, it could have been pieced at the outer windshield areas. Some restorers take the easy way out and leave the upper dash and cowl areas bonded and splice the front end at the door jamb upper areas, just along the windshield posts. The rivets along the hood ledge do seem like too many and not placed in the correct places though.Comment
-
Re: 53-55 rivet question
IU mis-spoke. The rear hood ledge should be vertical. Not horizontal. I meant vertical.
Sorry.Comment
-
Re: 53-55 rivet question
7 rivets on each side, then starting at the back near the curve along the vent area 7 more making a total of 24 rivets Doesn't that equal 21?Comment
-
Re: 53-55 rivet question Randy!!
You must be a mathematician? Your quite right 21 plus the four up front =(25), glad you could add better then me Thanks
But also add four more is a total of 25 , now I'm I right he! he!Comment
-
Re: 53-55 rivet question
Here is a picture of a dash top where someone took the easy way out when puting on a front upper surround panel by splicing at the outer ends of the windshield posts.
Comment
Comment