I'm putting the rear of my car back together as in bumpers and hanging the exhaust in the correct position. My rear panel is all painted and I went to install the exhaust bezels that state 64'/65' on the tag and they are a different style. My car had the 3 prongs with push nuts on the back and this style has 3 screws at different angles. Is my rear panel off a different year? It has three holes around the main hole for the prongs to slip into. Now I'm curious what year panel I have. Thanks for any help.
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Re: 64' rear exhaust panel?
The '63 tail pipe bezels were fabricated from a flat sheet of stainless steel, with one small weld and secured to the bezel with three radially oriented screws at approximately the 10, 2, and 6 o'clock postions. The panel has depressions at these points for the nutplates.
I think this design carried through to '64, but (I believe in '65) the bezel design changed to a chrome plated die casting. I believe these die castings are also larger in diameter to provide more clearance for the tailpipes, so this would have required a design change to the exhaust panel.
Duke -
Re: 64' rear exhaust panel?
'66-67 used the cast bezels with three prongs that protruded thru the panel. The '64-65 system used stanless steel Bezels with "J" nuts on the panel and screws that went thru holes in the SS bezels. The '63 eused a similar system to the '64-5 except the holes in the '63 bezels are much smaller, adding to the difficulty of aligning the exhaust system. Sounds like you have a'66-67 back panel al painted up for your '64 car. Just fyi, af you are going to have the car judged, it is easily noticed that the panel/bezels are incorrect for a '64. If it's a driver, make your own choice.Bill Clupper #618Comment
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Re: 64' rear exhaust panel?
Thanks Guys, mine is definetly a cast bezel that was on the car. Doesn't surprise me I have the wrong part since the rest of the car was screwed up. For now I'm gonna fill the three holes and use my existing panel and repaint it. Thanks, again.Comment
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Re: 64' rear exhaust panel?
I believe some of the repro fiberglass houses have the fiberglass parts that retain the "J" nuts for the '64-65 bezels, remember to install those or you won't have anything to retain the bezels after you fill the holes.Bill Clupper #618Comment
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Re: 64' rear exhaust panel?
Brad - you may want to consider selling the 66/67 panel on Ebay and get the correct panel, they do pretty well and you should see over $100 for your used panel. The 66/67 panels also have a bonded fiberglass support for the bezel screws etc, I have a picture from a NOS 65 panel that was on Ebay a year ago if you want me to email it to you....just email me at bbvette@comcast.net ...CraigComment
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Correction
I meant to say the 64/65 panels have... not 66/67 ...CraigComment
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Re: 64' rear exhaust panel?
I had a 63 and was involved in a relatively minor accident in about 1968. A Ford hit me from behind as I sat at a signal in heavy rush hour traffic in New Orleans, knocking me into the intersection. I got out to look, as did he, and other cars immediately began honking for us to get out of their way, so I suggested we pull across the intersection to clear it for traffic... I did that, but the perpetrator turned right and floored it, leaving a trail of coolant behind, and I never saw him again!
Anyway, since I was having the car repaired, and it needed a paint job anyway, the repair shop replaced the rear lower valence panel with a later one, including the corresponding later bezels; I can't remember whether that was my choice or if that was all they could get from service parts at the time (there were no repro parts back then).
Many Corvettes may have been updated in a similar fashion, including yours.Comment
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