1977 Glass Roof Panels

[John #43802]

This is a follow-up to my inquiry about a month ago seeking information on the glass roof panels on the 1977 Corvette I recently purchased. I finally figured out how to create a web page. If a picture is worth a thousand words; the web site has two-thousands-words worth of descriptions of the panels. The web site explains the info I'm seeking.




1977 Corvette

[Patrick H.]

Re: 1977 Glass Roof Panels

FWIW, there were similar roof panels advertised in Corvette magazines and catalogs years ago. As a result, I highly suspect that they are not original to the car, even though the first owner may have installed them relatively early in the car's life.

It would be interesting to see the logos and date codes on your roof panels. That would tell a lot.

Patrick

[John #43802]

Re: 1977 Glass Roof Panels

The glass in both panels is LOF. The drivers side roof glass is coded AS3 VC. The passenger side roof glass is coded AS3 AC. There is no company name, manufacturer name, etc. on the panels themselves to denote the maker. Would aftermarket panels not be labeled or identified somehow?

[Patrick H.]

Re: 1977 Glass Roof Panels

Interesting. AC is Sept 1976, VC is December 1976.

I would not guarantee that an aftermarket panel would show any evidence of manufacturer. In further thinking about it, I'd bet it was about 20 years ago that I saw the ads for similar tops. My old magazines are not easily accessible right now as I drywall part of the basement, but I'll bet I could find an ad in one of them.

Consider contacting Thompson Astro Tops (www.astrotops.com) as I'd bet they may know about them.

Patrick




Thompson Astro Tops

[Tom R.]

Re: 1977 Glass Roof Panels

Rich

The t-tops pictured on your vette, their configuration is not consistent with those we typically expect to see on 78 and post 78 Corvettes. Recently I caught a 78 non-pace car (silver anniversary) with glass t-tops and their configuration are consistent with those common to Pace Cars.

There is no color border that surrounds the RPO CC1 top...as pictured on your vette. They are all glass with a trim border (black or stainless)that surrounds the top. The rear portion where it terminates at the top of the door post (or whatever you wish to call it) sticks out slightly. Those you've shown...are smooth with no obvious protrusion.

Ironically if the trim tag call for "no paint" and the car is painted what appears to be dark red...well the t-top is a perfect match to the body paint! Somewhat suspicious but indeed unique and worthy of research to its origins.

I would be curious to see the trim tag...now that you've figured out the webpage stuff...throw a shot of the trim tag up there.

[John #43802]

Re: 1977 Glass Roof Panels

I have added a picture of the trim tag to the web site.

[Tom R.]

Re: 1977 Glass Roof Panels

Nice tag and really paint looks great. Is it a Corvette color?

[John #43802]

Re: 1977 Glass Roof Panels

I can't swear the car is painted a Corvette color. It was painted three owners ago. The guy I bought it from thought this color was Garnet Red. When you look at the paint in all the nooks and crannies, it looks very close (if not the same as) the new exterior paint.

The car might make a terrific show car some day. It could be painted in primer and shown "as it came from the factory." I ran across someone who remembers seeing a Corvette that came in to a dealer BODY IN PRIME. He said it looked just like a painted car - all the emblems in place, etc. All that stuff would have to have been removed before painting.