I brought this up last year in my W-30 thread but wanted to post it in the general discussion to get more attention. I am finding that most of these cars had tape on the bushings. This is not a big deal and to most people they will ask why I even bring it up. I am just curious how things were done when they built these cars. Anyone have first hand knowledge about this? I don't have any pictures of the tape on the frame but my W-30 had some tape on the frame just under the bushing. It sure looks to me that they taped the bushings on before setting the body into place.

These pictures are from a Michigan built 442.

 

these pictures are from a Michigan built 70 Cutlass convertible I just pulled the body off of.

 

It certainly makes sense that they'd use aids like this to hold parts in place on the assembly line. As an example, my 68 W-30 had the original radiator hoses on it. The original wire hose clamps were held to the hoses with very small staples that only went part-way into the rubber. Again, this makes sense since the assembly line would move much faster if the clamps were already in the right place on the hoses at installation. My 93 Allante had a similar device on the hose clamps, but since those were flat band style clamps, the retainer feature was a small plastic "nail" pushed into the hose through a hole in the clamp.

 

I thought I was the only one to notice details like that. I have seen the clamp retainer staples before. I hope you save that tape scrap in your Originality Proof folder. So it can be properly duplicated on a restoration... Correct width, color, texture, etc.

You know the Detail Kings will take that extra step.... go the extra mile...

 

Clearly you've been to too many Corvette shows, Chris.

 

I assume it was humor - I certainly laughed!



Wait, does this mean I should assume any car that doesn't have tape on the body mounts to have had a frame-off?!??!! :O

 

Oh, it was. As was mine.

 

Well, yes...
and, no.

I would literally save a pc or 2 of that, for exactly that reason... one day the folks that pursue the last detail, like the Vette crowd, will want to know the exact brand and model number of the tape used on the day that car was built.

You know the type, where the PN tags on the springs, lines, cables, A-arms, etc. are just not enough because hell anyone can buy those now. So to push the envelope, there must be ONE more detail we can look at to decide who goes home with Best of Show. Perhaps RS has no tape on his mounts though his resto photos show it did previously... and JK has the exact right size, color, and flavor tape on his mounts. Winner is, the one most closely duplicating the way it was when it left the factory.

Is it time to dig out my "*Correct* Corvette Restoration" article again?

As I understand it, the frames were loaded while upside down. I know the frame PN sticker on the '66 442 I helped restore was "upside down" - and I put on the replacement in the same place and IN THE SAME ORIENTATION. I doubt that the tape seen would hold mounts in place reliably with an inverted frame, so I would GUESS that the loaded frame was set upright, then the mounts taped in place to prevent loss by brushing up against it or whatnot, until the marriage of body and frame.

 

Exactly the one I was thinking about when I wrote that post.

 

I don't have the kind of money it takes to restore one to perfection but it is fun trying to figure out this stuff. I will likely even put tape on mine but it won't be to the exact detail and I am not even trying to win a show. I have no desire to build one to win shows. If I win one, that is ok but I don't try. This will be the best restoration I am capable of and I plan to drive it alot.

 

I should of went this route with my pace car. that way I would be enjoying it right now!! i do like all the details that i have been learning.