C4 Corvette Targa Top Roof Storage Release Latch Handle. Smooth or Textured

[John M.]

Re: C4 Corvette Targa Top Roof Storage Release Latch Handle. Smooth or Textured

😊

[Colton S.]

Re: C4 Corvette Targa Top Roof Storage Release Latch Handle. Smooth or Textured

I agree. I think this issue even though slight is a finnish issue. On the earlier cars a deduction can be made for bolts/part finish that is painted black instead of the black phosphate coating. Same reasoning should be applied to finish of plastics components on the newer vehicles.

[Eric P.]

Re: C4 Corvette Targa Top Roof Storage Release Latch Handle. Smooth or Textured

After posting the pictures of the '93 model year handle, I looked at the one on my '90 carefully. The cars are just a few feet apart, and I was immediately aware of the difference in the color and shape even though both are the smooth handles. One car has 490 miles, the other 658 miles, and I can say with an extremely high level of confidence, they are the original handles.

[Colton S.]

Re: C4 Corvette Targa Top Roof Storage Release Latch Handle. Smooth or Textured

Awesome! Thanks for the information and pictures
Thanks,
Colton

[Dave P.]

Re: C4 Corvette Targa Top Roof Storage Release Latch Handle. Smooth or Textured

....in the future is only going to be of interest to those of us in this thread that now know about it; But I'll most likely never need to know it.

See you in Frisco and yes, we will be looking at the Garnish Molding including the handle.

I got my assignments this morning. The only C4 Area I didn't ask for, is the one I got. Interior. Glad I know about this texture thing. If John M is judging C4 Interior, I'm looking forward to it.

[Joe L.]

Re: C4 Corvette Targa Top Roof Storage Release Latch Handle. Smooth or Textured

Sometime during the C4 production, this latch handle was changed from a smooth finish to a textured finish. I would like to narrow this transition down. There will be a period where the C4 production year saw both textured and smooth handles installed, this is the running production change that I am trying to track down. So far I have found that 1984- 1993ish models have the smooth handle, and 1993ish - 96 have the textured handle.
So far I have narrowed down this change to somewhere between 1992 - 93 production models. If you have one of these cars, please post a picture of your latch and build date.
Thanks,
Colton.

Colton-------

The best way to answer your question is, just as you have asked for, empirical information from known original C4's. However, I can offer this:

There were originally 2 different part numbers for the handle. The first was GM #14049199. This is the "smooth" finish handle. It was used from 1984 until ABOUT 1994. The second was GM #10248663. It was used from ABOUT 1994 through 1996. This is the "textured" finish handle.

As of August, 1994 GM specified the 14049199 as the correct SERVICE handle for 1984-1994 Corvette coupes. This strongly implies that it was the handle used in PRODUCTION for those model years. The 14049199 was discontinued in October, 1994 and replaced by the 10248663 for SERVICE of all 1984-1995 Corvette coupes. Of course, the change for SERVICE application does not necessarily coincide with the time of change in PRODUCTION
usage of the part. However, in this case, I expect it was pretty close. So, I expect that the 10248663 was intended for PRODUCTION use for 1995-96 Corvettes. However, there could have been some "overlap". In other words, the 10248663 could have been used in PRODUCTION for later 1994 coupes or the 14049199 might have been used in PRODUCTION for early 1995 coupes.

My question is why this part was even changed, at all, and especially with the minimally changed part being assigned a new part number. All I can think of is that there was some change in the "texture" of the surrounding rear panel for 1995-96 and the change in the handle was to "match" this.

Attached are photos of an NOS GM #10248663.


DSCN4399.jpgDSCN4400.jpgDSCN4401.jpg

[Colton S.]

Re: C4 Corvette Targa Top Roof Storage Release Latch Handle. Smooth or Textured

Thanks for this info, I have seen textured on several body build date '93 Corvettes. Both variants of the handle are the same in shape, color, and size. The only notable difference is the texture, why did this change? I'm not sure, maybe the mold wore out? Maybe someone thought it should closer match the texture of the surrounding panels? But it seems to be that the smooth handle was never reproduced not even as a service replacement, why make two of the same identical parts with only surface texture differences. This leads me to believe that it is possible that the smooth mold was beginning to wear out after thousands of castings, or a supplier change happened.
I appreciate now knowing that the service replacements were only available with the textured finish. I have seen some overlap of the two surface textures during the later '93 production year into early '94. But it seems that they were almost completely changed over in '94. To sum up '84-'92 Typically have a smooth handle. '93 Both can be seen. 94-96 Typically only textured handles are seen.

[Joe L.]

Re: C4 Corvette Targa Top Roof Storage Release Latch Handle. Smooth or Textured

Thanks for this info, I have seen textured on several body build date '93 Corvettes. Both variants of the handle are the same in shape, color, and size. The only notable difference is the texture, why did this change? I'm not sure, maybe the mold wore out? Maybe someone thought it should closer match the texture of the surrounding panels? But it seems to be that the smooth handle was never reproduced not even as a service replacement, why make two of the same identical parts with only surface texture differences. This leads me to believe that it is possible that the smooth mold was beginning to wear out after thousands of castings, or a supplier change happened.
I appreciate now knowing that the service replacements were only available with the textured finish. I have seen some overlap of the two surface textures during the later '93 production year into early '94. But it seems that they were almost completely changed over in '94. To sum up '84-'92 Typically have a smooth handle. '93 Both can be seen. 94-96 Typically only textured handles are seen.

Colton------


The "smooth" finish handle was available in SERVICE. It was the GM #14049199. It was available until October, 1994 when it was replaced by the 10248663, the "textured" finish handle.

[Keith K.]

Re: C4 Corvette Targa Top Roof Storage Release Latch Handle. Smooth or Textured

My 93 ZR1 is also a June of 1993 build (also all original) - it has the smooth finish as Eric shows