1965 Rear Exhaust Panel Attachment

[Michael H.]

Is the rear exhaust (or valence) panel on a 1965 attached at the top with screws or bolts? The Assembly Manual appears to show screws. But the hardware supplied by a major vendor contains bolts with captive flat washers. Also, the Archives here state that a 1966 used such bolts with an EH or ELH head marking. Which is correct for a '65? Thanks as always in advance.

[Edward J.]

Re: 1965 Rear Exhaust Panel Attachment

Mike, The bolts are 1/4 by 20 threads, recessed hex head bolts. cad plated. all the corvette venders sell the correct ones with correct head marks. I brought mine through Long Island Corvettes.

[James W.]

Re: 1965 Rear Exhaust Panel Attachment

Michael,

Attached are pictures of the upper rear valance attachment bolts. Also a picture of the outer lower connection bolt and nut.


Regards,

James West
Omaha, NE.

Mike, The bolts are 1/4 by 20 threads, recessed hex head bolts. cad plated. all the corvette venders sell the correct ones with correct head marks. I brought mine through Long Island Corvettes.

[Larry M.]

Re: 1965 Rear Exhaust Panel Attachment

I'd like to reopen this thread to ask a question. The bolts in James West's first pic are not the question. It is the end bolts in his second. A guy on ebay, OriginalCorvette, sells a lot of "original" hardware at fairly high prices. I don't take him as a judging guide or as gospel but his listings are food for thought/investigation. He lists multiple sets of these which consists of a 1/4-20 fairly long hex bolt and a washer nut. The various sets just have different headstamps on a hex head, not a recessed hex. I think the pic above shows a recessed hex. One vendor lists a recessed head bolt with a captive washer and a washer nut. What is right?

[Larry M.]

Re: 1965 Rear Exhaust Panel Attachment

Don Hooper, a moderator, replied to this yesterday with two pics but today the post is not to be found. How can this happen?

[Harry S.]

Re: 1965 Rear Exhaust Panel Attachment

Don Hooper, a moderator, replied to this yesterday with two pics but today the post is not to be found. How can this happen?

Don may have deleted the post.

For you 63 owners, the washer on the attaching bolts is larger than the 64 to 67 washer.

[Don H.]

Re: 1965 Rear Exhaust Panel Attachment

Larry
I did not like my photos and did not think they were clear enough to add anything to the thread, so I removed my post.
If you think they do, here they are again, from my Jan 64 coupe.

[Larry M.]

Re: 1965 Rear Exhaust Panel Attachment

I think the pictures are great. Ebay sells exactly what you show...various head marks, WB1C, TR, L, RSC, etc and on the nut he has them plain, RBW, E. But he never shows the free washer which I want to ask about: it appears to be formed with a rounded shoulder, is that correct?

Additionally: I looked at all his offerings and on one he does show an indented E head with a captive slit ring lock, so he thinks it could be either. Don't know who he is but he says he's been doing this 25 years....he may be/probably is right about the variation. Also, I blew up the other photo above: you can't be sure but I still think it shows an indented head. Regardless, what Don shows is likely the most common.

Now I have to find them at a decent price once I get feedback on the washer.

[Don H.]

Re: 1965 Rear Exhaust Panel Attachment

Larry
yes
the loose finish washers on the bolts on my 64 have rounded shoulder, but I do not know if that is common for all these bolt sets used in this application.

[Tom D.]

Re: 1965 Rear Exhaust Panel Attachment

For what it is worth, here's what Paragon is offering in 2020. I see no letters. The bolt's washer is "captive", but could also be described as loose.

[Larry M.]

Re: 1965 Rear Exhaust Panel Attachment

Rich Pasquelone (sp) can supply the right stuff but will be pricey...A....RBW...maybe other marks....TR on the 1/4-20 bolt which is pretty long. I put washers under the bolt head because I didn't like the small head against fiberglass...judges didn't catch it or don't know

[Greg H.]

Re: 1965 Rear Exhaust Panel Attachment

My understanding regarding the bolt finish is that the valance was in place when the body was painted and all exposed rear bolts will be painted to mach the body color?

[Greg H.]

Re: 1965 Rear Exhaust Panel Attachment

My understanding regarding the bolt finish is that the valance was in place when the body was painted and all exposed rear bolts will be painted to mach the body color?

Found this example

[Tom D.]

Re: 1965 Rear Exhaust Panel Attachment

No. Only the two which held the "hanging down" valance were in place. Like the one painted above, which ended up being re-used.

After painting, each rear valance was removed and placed in the cab of the Body. It was re-installed, usually with all new bolts, after the "body drop".

Search for another discussion of this matter, and review John Hinckley "downloads" on www.MichiganNCRS.org. John presented at the National Convention in 2011.

Here is slide number 85 from John Hinckley's 2011 presentation. This is from the first download offered by the web site mentioned above. (This is an edit to my original post which had no photo.)

Thanks!

[Tom D.]

Re: 1965 Rear Exhaust Panel Attachment

Here is what the '63 Valance looked like after removal of the two bolts (and later after the customer removed it). Notice the lack of paint on only two temporary hanging points. No paint on those two hole areas due to the captive washer on the temporary attaching bolt. All the bolts on this panel arrived in Michigan unpainted. Photos of this type of valance being painted are in black and white, in John Hinckley's slides (Downloads). See above for location of the B&W photos.