Arto

My '73 is at the shop ready to get a full paint job (color will be Magnetic Red :cool:), and I'm considering whether I should take advantage of this opportunity to remove the luggage rack. I'll have to decide by tomorrow.

The body shop offered to fill the holes with a fiberglass kit, which didn't exactly inspire my confidence as I've read a lot in the forum archives on how difficult (if not downright impossible?) it is to do a perfect repair of the holes :(

So if you have removed the rack and happen to have any pics of how it turned out, could you please post them here. It would be very helpful to see whether the problem spots are visible at all from e.g. a couple of meters away...

I'm pretty ambivalent about the rack itself (it adds a nice touch of chrome), but as I don't have much use for it I think I would prefer removing it if the holes could be properly repaired. Currently, without some success stories, I'm not sure I'll dare attempt removing it...

Thanks for any tips,
Arto

Jvette73

Dont know if you want to consider this but Ive seen plugs used to fill the holes. They just push in. Black plastic I think. Its better than having holes exposed and you can always remove them and put the rack back on should you decide.

Frank75

Based on the logic that holes can't be properly filled and smoothed, you could assume that stress cracks could never be fixed and just about any other damage to a panel would mean scrapping the whole car. :rolleyes:

I know this has been controversial but I don't buy it. My rack was getting rusty and I filled the holes (used epoxy, then filler) and it looks fine. If you're not sure, the plugs would allow you to reinstall it at some point if you wanted to.

Arto

Jvette73: That's a nice looking '73 you've got. Turns out mine was originally Elkhart Green as well (found the paint under the current Le Mans Blue).

I've considered the plugs but I guess I'd rather put the rack back on than use them. I may use plugs temporarily though, as I'll get the rack rechromed if I'm going to put it back.

Frank: I hear you, and it does seem strange it would be so difficult to plug some small holes. But without any fiberglass experience all I've got to go on is other people's knowledge, and their experiences would seem to be for the most part negative. How long ago did you remove the rack?

Arto

rrent

I used some of the plastic plugs on my '72 Blazer then painted over them -- its been about 6 weeks- no problems yet -- I plan to do the same with my Vette -- unless my body man (he's a Vette guy) can convince me he can fiberglass the holes with little or no concerns of them showing.

I guess if they show with plugs or fiberglass re-installing the rack is always an option.

good luck

Arto

That's certainly a good argument :yesnod: On the other hand, labor does cost money, so it would be good to get it done right the first time, however it will be done...

Arto

Alwyn678

I like the racks.........on the verts

Jvette73

FlyinFinn, Thanks for the compliment. The car is what they call a 20 footer. Looks great from 20 feet away and it does. But the 30 yr old factory paint has seen better days. Up close you can easily spot all the stress cracks in the paint. Pretty nasty in some areas. But it does photograph very well I will admit.

On the luggage rack issue. We think that ours looks great on the car. It kinda breaks up that huge flat area of the rear deck. It also comes in very handy when we go on weekend trips. With so little cargo room inside the passenger area, we wrap suit cases in plastic bags and use bungee cords to tie them to the rack. For a 4 day weekend cruise, theres just not enough room without the rack. And you know women right? Your usually comming home with more stuff then when you left. :D :yesnod:

1972 Shark

My personal preferene would be to keep the rack. I like chrome, it dresses the rear of the car, plus can be functional as well. Also it increases the re-sale of the car. If that rack is good keep it, after all who dosen't like a good rack.
;)



1972 Corvette, Our first Corvette and our first show.

Frank75

Arto,

I removed the rack last year and plugged the holes then (as part of a lot of other bodywork). I painted the car this spring but have been too busy to get the rest of it together and back on the road. You just can't stuff some glass or resin in there: I ground away around the hole to make a bit of a taper, then epoxied some glass mat underneath (inside) then filled from the top. It looks OK so far but maybe after thousands of miles something will loosen up, but I doubt it.

I use West Systems epoxy; much stronger than polyester but you can't go back and use polyester over top of it later. :cheers:

joe73vette

I just bought chrome button-head screws and put them in. It looks factory. Joe

Corz

I tried glassing it.. I can see very tiny rings on my rear deck.. it wasnt there when I primered the car, but as soon as I layed the basecoat down. there they were.. all 6 of em :mad

I'm going to do it over soon

GaryS

I don't care for the appearance of the rack and I would remove it on any car I owned. I don't buy the idea that holes can be filled. I filled in extra tail light holes on my 66 prior to painting. Three years later, you can't tell that anything is under the paint other than virgin fiberglass. I would leave the rack on in lieu of plastic plugs though. The plugs would be uglier than the rack, imo.

Gary

Brutus

Here ya go then. Pics of my luggage rack removal. Best thing I ever did!

Also here you can see the new filler cap I fitted as well.

gq82

:iagree:

Why take the chance of having the holes show through at some later date when you've said you like the look of the rack. :confused:

75Rag

I took mine off 4+ years ago before painting, I didn't like it. There are NONE visible from 6', I can see one but that's peobably because I "know it's there"

It's your call, but if your gonna get em' filled, make sure it is done right!

FinnShark

This should be the right way. But it needs also a lot of labour and bodysgop will take their part out of it...

Arto: How about making glass fibre plugs and resin them into the holes? After that use kit to make it smooth. If the holes are going to show later on you can always drill the holes open and put the rack back... :smash:

CF6873

I would actually grind the taper deep enough that you have no thickness left at the hole. The repairs that show later usually were not ground down far enough. Good Luck, Craig

Arto

Thank you all for the helpful tips & advice. :cheers:

It's a very close call, but I'm going to go ahead with the removal & filling in the holes. I'll let you know how it turns out... :rolleyes:

Arto

Stewart's74

Brutus, tell me more about your fuel door :cool: