Author Topic: Luggage Rack (Read 23010 times)

craigh · « **on:** October 22, 2009, 07:45:38 PM »

Hi

I have been looking around for a while and am now close to buying my Corvette. Its down to 2 coupes a 69 Cortez silver and a 71 Bridgehampton Blue.

The 71 has a luggage rack that I never been keen about but strangely on the darker blue it does not look that bad. In fact the blue seems to bring out the bumpers and all chrome etc very well.

My question is if I remove it would plugs color matched to the car work....any views ?

The paint is great so I dont really want to patch and respray.

regards

Craig

gtc · « **Reply #1 on:** October 22, 2009, 08:18:24 PM »

Unless I were stripping it back for a respray, I'd leave the luggage rack on it.

There's not a lot of room behind the seats and the rack gives you that extra option for small luggage (such as the T-tops).

72vet · « **Reply #2 on:** October 22, 2009, 08:30:37 PM »

I agree, if you're not prepared to respray the rear deck. Leave the rack on.

nifty · « **Reply #3 on:** October 22, 2009, 11:21:31 PM »

and if you respray the rear deck, the rest will need doing as well... somehting about fresh paint that makes even excellant paint look second rate

craigh · « **Reply #4 on:** October 23, 2009, 07:49:22 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by nifty
and if you respray the rear deck, the rest will need doing as well... somehting about fresh paint that makes even excellant paint look second rate

Thanks for your comments.

While i would be happy to respray the deck it concerns me that it would not be possible to blend it in well enough. The current paint looks in excellent condition though.

nifty · « **Reply #5 on:** October 23, 2009, 11:59:00 AM »

a GOOD spraypainter should be able to get it pretty close...
has it been resprayed before? ( at a guess i would say it has after all of these years)
if so.... the main problem is if it wasa full respray, did they colour match to the original code?
just one extra drop is enough to change the colour of paint...
if its had a full respray, it may be lighter or darker than original...
which is a PITA to hide if you are doing a patch on something.
thats why even new cars with a new fender etc etc, normally get that whole side sprayed....
just a lighter shade is spottable from miles off....
have a good look around a carpark.... doesnt take much to find out whats had paintwork done...even a brand new car.
i have a pro painter mate.... top painter, and hes been known to respray brande new cars never registered before, but damaged in transit....
his record is 23 cars in one week...ALL NEW

nifty · « **Reply #6 on:** October 23, 2009, 12:02:11 PM »

if your just spraying the lid, you might be able to get away with it...as there is nothing directly next to it for compasrison....
a door etc etc however looks terrible if the whole side isnt done.
on any car.
black is prob the best to hide a touch up, but even then... there is black...and there is BLACK...if ya get the drift

craigh · « **Reply #7 on:** October 23, 2009, 02:07:01 PM »

Hi

The paint looks a few years old at most

So I think I will see how the luggage rack grows on me :-)

regards

Craig

nifty · « **Reply #8 on:** October 23, 2009, 03:13:57 PM »

very nice mate... the luggage rack doesnt look out of place on them thats for sure...
heaps have them, and ive come to a point where i actually like them
my FAVE vette colour by the way.
:luv

silver1 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 23, 2009, 03:23:01 PM »

Easy job for a decent painter but may get pricey,the best way would be to paint[color] the top deck and then clear coat the whole rear section or to save a few $$$ corvettes have a nice sharp line on the quarter panels and the rear deck that you can back mask off,this would save a lot of stripping parts.
The hardest thing would be getting the holes filled so you don't get shrink back from the repairs further down the track.
I personally think it looks nice as is and as others said could be handy at times.

demonx · « **Reply #10 on:** October 23, 2009, 03:44:29 PM »

I took the luggage rack off my car.

The holes looked sh*t house. I left the plugs which were already painted the same colour as the car in place and they still looked crap.

That was when my whole paint job got started and opened up a milli0on other cans of works when I found out what was hiding under the paint.

Either leave the rack or be prepared for the worse and hope you get less.

MADLT1 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 24, 2009, 01:30:15 PM »

hi craig wellcome to the forum,i have a 71 and bought it with the luggage rack about 15 years ago and it served me very well,i would use hocky straps to hold down luiggage on many a trip,unfortunatly 3 year ago i got taped up the rear while at a car show,so i thought for a change i had the rack removed,i was told that the whole rear had to be painted,the big drama is the holes,your going to get shrink back unless your prepared to wtat about 3 months for the glass to cure

MADLT1 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 24, 2009, 02:04:19 PM »

craigh · « **Reply #13 on:** October 24, 2009, 06:34:03 PM »

Hi MADLT1

Yes I agree that you would need to let the patches cure up for an extended period .

On the US forums there are lots of people who claim they can see the patches after painting so they must have not waited.

My decision is between this 71 and a Silver 69 but I am leaning towards the 71 at this stage. The 71 drives real nice and the blue shows off all the chrome very well. Final decision in a week or so...cant wait :-)

Regards

Craig

gtc · « **Reply #14 on:** October 24, 2009, 06:48:26 PM »

^ I think racks look better on a coupes than a convertibles. Can't say I've ever seen a convertible fitted with a rack ... didn't even think it would fit.

Can you show us a pic of the 69?

craigh · « **Reply #15 on:** October 24, 2009, 08:22:24 PM »

Here is the 69.

Have looked over the 71 but 69 wont be available till later this week.

Regards

raig

gtc · « **Reply #16 on:** October 24, 2009, 08:41:14 PM »

It may be my monitor, but the silver looks oddly matte in that photo.

The blue looks very nice, especially with the narrow white stripe tyres.

craigh · « **Reply #17 on:** October 24, 2009, 09:15:55 PM »

Its not your monitor...

It is meant to have had new paint less than 4 years ago. Silver can be bad in pictures so thats why i want to see it for real before i decide. .....or could be average paint :-)

regards

Craig

MADLT1 · « **Reply #18 on:** October 24, 2009, 09:29:32 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by gtc
^ I think racks look better on a coupes than a convertibles. Can't say I've ever seen a convertible fitted with a rack ... didn't even think it would fit.

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j96/MADLT1/calender003.jpg

MADLT1 · « **Reply #19 on:** October 24, 2009, 09:30:10 PM »