Lakeland and 63 fiberglass

[Frank D.]

I was examining a Sebring Silver '63 coupe outside the judging hanger when the judging class gathered around and an early topic was the white vs gray fiberglass. The instructor clearly stated that gray fiberglass wasn't used until 65. I quickly left as I wasn't registered for the class but checked and the latest JG says the glass could be mixed even in the later '63 cars, citing a VIN range....

I know of two relatively early 63s (one coupe and one convertible) with gray glass that sure looks original to me...the convertible has been here in Winter Garden, Fl since it was sold by the Chevy dealer (now defunct) in this very same town...

My May '63 car has a gray glass rear valence and white glass everywhere else... Quite confusing..

[Don H.]

Re: Lakeland and 63 fiberglass

You absolutely DID NOT have to leave the class in progress because you were not registered for it.
You could have listened in just like a registered attendee, but you would not receive judging point credit without meet registration.

[Harry S.]

Re: Lakeland and 63 fiberglass

This is an my April 63, all original glass. A bit of gray I would say. The only small repair was on the nose.

[Mike M.]

Re: Lakeland and 63 fiberglass

LIGHT GRAY fiberglass panels were definitely used on late 63 corvettes. yellow or light tan on early 63's. not sure of when the gray came on board. mike

[Bob W.]

Re: Lakeland and 63 fiberglass

My Jan 63 has all tan glass.

[Duke W.]

Re: Lakeland and 63 fiberglass

My March-built SWC, sequence no. 109xx is a mixture of gray and tan body panels.

Duke

[Edward J.]

Re: Lakeland and 63 fiberglass

I have a 63 convert. that was build in the transition period between the two fiberglass colors ,mid March (10674), It basicly looks like about 40%w/60%g,

Frank, I have a friend that has a convert. mid may car and his car I think is just about all gray, So really there was no logic when assembling the 63 maybe the couples had many white panels left over and the convert. was more gray??

[Frank D.]

Re: Lakeland and 63 fiberglass

I have a 63 convert. that was build in the transition period between the two fiberglass colors ,mid March (10674), It basicly looks like about 40%w/60%g,

Frank, I have a friend that has a convert. mid may car and his car I think is just about all gray, So really there was no logic when assembling the 63 maybe the couples had many white panels left over and the convert. was more gray??

You all confirm most of what I have seen and the way my car is configured.....I just thought it strange the judging class instructor stated what he did with such aplomb. I actually thought I misheard but another person confirmed what was said later on...other than that attendees told me the guy really 'knew his stuff'.

I prob could have 'hung out' at length and crashed the judging class (some others did); I just figure I'll register next year and assuage my guilt..

[Joseph S.]

Re: Lakeland and 63 fiberglass

Frank, I have seen Light Gray glass on 63's as early as serial number 7000 range. Funny, but I have seen White or Bone glass panels on cars as late as 1965, Most of these white parts are rear deck panels and 1/4 panels. There is no exact science to when the Light Gray starts and the White/Bone color ends. Once the gray was introduced it was a crap shoot as to which panels were bonded onto a car.

[Gary B.]

Re: Lakeland and 63 fiberglass

I was examining a Sebring Silver '63 coupe outside the judging hanger when the judging class gathered around and an early topic was the white vs gray fiberglass. The instructor clearly stated that gray fiberglass wasn't used until 65. I quickly left as I wasn't registered for the class but checked and the latest JG says the glass could be mixed even in the later '63 cars, citing a VIN range....

Frank,

Could it be a simple question of what the instructor was referring to when he said gray? Maybe he was making a distinction with light colors vs. the dark gray that is used on later mid-years.

Gary

[Frank D.]

Re: Lakeland and 63 fiberglass

Frank,

Could it be a simple question of what the instructor was referring to when he said gray? Maybe he was making a distinction with light colors vs. the dark gray that is used on later mid-years.

Gary

That may well have been his intent but it sure didn't come out that way.
Nobody else asked for a clarification and, since I wasn't registered, I didn't feel it my place to do so...

[Patrick T.]

Re: Lakeland and 63 fiberglass

Sounds to me that the '63 Judging Chairman should weigh in on this thread.

[Wayne M.]

Re: Lakeland and 63 fiberglass

Here's 2 pics, taken in 1978, of my '63 F.I. VIN 07055. I stripped it completely. Nowadays, restorers would remove the rear quarter panels to use on wannabe tankers





x

[Frank D.]

Re: Lakeland and 63 fiberglass

That is a whole lot of blonde fiberglass....a beautiful example...
I guess I never realized the fuel injection emblem's top script's upper edge was dead along the hood surround bonding line...interesting..

[Joe R.]

Re: Lakeland and 63 fiberglass

Here some of the colors I have found on my C-2's

1963

87XX All White
10,XXX All White
14,XXX All Gray
19,XXX All Gray

1964 All Gray

1965 All White

1966 All Gray

1967 All Dark Gray

JR