Restore or replace

[Edward M.]

OK, I know I am very premature is asking this question, since the restoration may be years away, but here goes.

My 56 has all of it's original body panels except the driver's side front fender. Some of the panels (driver's side inner fender, floor pan) have been improperly repaired, but that can be fixed.

Here is the question: Do I spend a lot of time (and money) repairing, grinding out the cracks common to these cars, sanding, etc., etc. in an attempt to retain as much of the original body as possible? Or, do I just cut the banged up, cracked, crazed, etc., etc. panels off and replace them with press molded repo panels?

Cost may be a wash either way, but the overall effort will be much easier if I use repo panels. That seems to be the approach a lot of people are taking these days.

What would you do?

[Mike Z.]

Re: Restore or replace

Ed-
Fiberglass is a very neat product and very, very easy to repair by a competent tech-have worked with and done repairs for 40+ years. The stress cracks and poor repairs of the past can easily be corrected-all be it somewhat expensive-expert craftsmenship is not cheap. Getting everything to align with the repop panels is not an easy deal-one has to really know what he is doing, so my bet is you end up with a much better finished product with original repaired panels than you ever would with new panels, and for less cost.
Mike Zamora
#12455

[Steven B.]

Re: Restore or replace

Ed, I agree with Mike. After time the reproduction panels will also likely have issues and then you will have the choice of repair or replace, again. I would maintain all of the original pieces I could, but I like to keep as much original as possible.

Steve

[Bob J.]

Re: Restore or replace

Use the original panels and save yourself grief down the road. Bob

[Brooks G.]

Re: Restore or replace

Ed, as you know, I took the replace the panel approach with my car. Before I owned it, my car (1956) had been wrecked on three of the four corners of the body. In addition to this I had extensive UV damage in the form of spyder cracking on all of the top surfaces of the body. I have found this to be common with '56 & '57 Corvettes I think due to the fiberglass at that time being resin rich on the surface. Some panels were replaced with hand-laid fiberglass which was about all you could get at that time. To fix the UV damage you could either grind down the top surfaces of the body and lay new fiberglass which in turn would have to be ground and blocked sanded smooth or you could replace the panel or panels. A good friend of mine has been doing the first procedure on his '56. At the time he started there were not quality reproduction panels available for C-1's. He and a body man have been working part time on his '56 body for over 13 years now. I started the restoration on my car just over a year ago. After removing drivetrain, trim, and interior we took the car to Womble Corvette in New Hill, North Carolina where Wayne Womble (an NCRS member who posts on this forum) worked his magic on the body of my '56. I brought the body to him in November of last year and picked it up at the end of July of this year. The hood, doors, decklid, trunk, and rocker panels were saved from the original exterior body and everything else was replaced with panels from Corvette Image. The body is now removed from the frame and is at the painter's. I want this project finished during my lifetime. At age 63 that could give one cause for concern. The time and cost of labor played a part in my decision to replace panels rather than try to repair them. So far I am please with the end result. I will try to attach some pictures and you be the judge. Thanks! Brooks Glover (2141)