Coil Bracket for a 73 Corvette?

[Jimmy P.]

Is this coil bracket correct for a Corvette? Specifically my 73?
Thanks!

[Harmon C.]

Re: Coil Bracket for a 73 Corvette?

The bracket looks good but is missing the special screw.

[Jimmy P.]

Re: Coil Bracket for a 73 Corvette?

The bracket looks good but is missing the special screw.

Thanks Lyle,
I have the screw. What should the mounting bracket bolt heads have on them, in order to be NCRS correct? Thanks Russ S. Got your email with bolt pic.

[John S.]

Re: Coil Bracket for a 73 Corvette?

Jim, looks the same as mine and just about as crusty. Let me know if you have any luck cleaning it up. Here's one of the shots I sent you on the mounting bolt heads, I believe mine are original.



Good luck,
John

[Don L.]

Re: Coil Bracket for a 73 Corvette?

Hi Jim. Hope you are well.

IIRC, one coil mounting bracket bolt was installed at Flint (small blocks) and one at St. Louis. I suppose this means there'd be a possibility that head marks on these 2 bolts could be different. Additionally, in so much as one bolt was installed at the engine plant, it would be painted, whereas the bolt that was installed at the assembly plant would not be painted. The painted one was in the inboard position, matching up with the coil bracket's slotted "ear". The bolt that was installed at St. Louis matches up with the fixed hole in the outboard "ear."

Let's let others either correct me or confirm as correct.

Hope this helps!

[Terry M.]

Re: Coil Bracket for a 73 Corvette?

Hi Jim. Hope you are well.

IIRC, one coil mounting bracket bolt was installed at Flint (small blocks) and one at St. Louis. I suppose this means there'd be a possibility that head marks on these 2 bolts could be different. Additionally, in so much as one bolt was installed at the engine plant, it would be painted, whereas the bolt that was installed at the assembly plant would not be painted. The painted one was in the inboard position, matching up with the coil bracket's slotted "ear". The bolt that was installed at St. Louis matches up with the fixed hole in the outboard "ear."

Let's let others either correct me or confirm as correct.

Hope this helps!

That's the way it was on C3s up to 1972.

[Don L.]

Re: Coil Bracket for a 73 Corvette?

Thanks Terry. I knew my '72 was that way. I don't have a '73 AIM or judging guide. I don't know '73 as much as I should. Learned this today.

How WAS the '73 set up?

[Jimmy P.]

Re: Coil Bracket for a 73 Corvette?

Thanks Terry. I knew my '72 was that way. I don't have a '73 AIM or judging guide. I don't know '73 as much as I should. Learned this today.

How WAS the '73 set up?

Hi Don,
The 73-74 JG makes no mention of one of the bolts being engine orange. This surprises me somewhat because a lot of the 73-74 TIM&JG is a 72 carryover on many items, especially on the earlier cars. But nice to know the JG is correct in reference to these items. Thank you also Terry for the information. John Sigmund who posted the pics of his bolts above, has a pretty original Dec. 73 and his bolts are both natural. I've asked a couple other original 73 owners to see what they have on their cars. Haven't heard back. However this is still very interesting as far as documentation goes. Why all of a sudden would GM start doing it differently on the 73 SB's. The brackets appear to be the same.
Regards,
Jim

[Russ S.]

Re: Coil Bracket for a 73 Corvette?

Neither of the bolts on either of my 73s have any paint on them. Also they appear to be cad plated.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Coil Bracket for a 73 Corvette?

That's the way it was on C3s up to 1972.

Note the "up to" 1972.

In 72 the procedure changed, and both are plated (i.e. unpainted). I believe it's dull zinc; as John Hinckley has said GM wouldn't spend the $ on cadmium for this type of part.

Patrick

[Terry M.]

Re: Coil Bracket for a 73 Corvette?

Hi Don,
The 73-74 JG makes no mention of one of the bolts being engine orange. This surprises me somewhat because a lot of the 73-74 TIM&JG is a 72 carryover on many items, especially on the earlier cars. But nice to know the JG is correct in reference to these items. Thank you also Terry for the information. John Sigmund who posted the pics of his bolts above, has a pretty original Dec. 73 and his bolts are both natural. I've asked a couple other original 73 owners to see what they have on their cars. Haven't heard back. However this is still very interesting as far as documentation goes. Why all of a sudden would GM start doing it differently on the 73 SB's. The brackets appear to be the same.
Regards,
Jim

I can't explain why they might have changed some of these assembly procedures, but they sometimes did. Try to track the installation of the fitting into the water pump for the heater hose. That was installed at the engine assembly plant, then at St Louis (different fitting for AC, and non-AC) then back to the engine plant with the same fitting for all. It was a hot mess. I am sure that someplace someone had to justify these changes, but most of that documentation is long gone.

[John S.]

Re: Coil Bracket for a 73 Corvette?

Very interesting and I do follow the thought process that the first bolt (slotted position) could have been installed prior to engine paint. That would also explain the possibility of different head types.

Just gave my '73 another close look, no evidence of paint on either bolt, nothing even in the inner portions of the serrated washers. Both of my bolts match, plating is a good question. They are dull zinc, if they were plated a different color, that plating is completely gone and most of the plated parts on my car show some evidence of the original plating.

I'll shoot an email to one of our Chapter members, he is the original owner of his '73 and our cars were built within a month of each other, his being a Jan '73 car and see what he says. Possibly another good update to the '73-'74 JG.

[Russ S.]

Re: Coil Bracket for a 73 Corvette?

I removed one of the bolts on one of the cars and the threaded portion was very nice and shiney as if plated. and none of them have any rust indicating some sort of plating.

[Ralph S.]

Re: Coil Bracket for a 73 Corvette?

The bolts on my 73 are not painted.The bolt closest to the valve cover has a letter L , the other one has a check mark like the one in the other posting. Who would ever notice something like that?

[Jimmy P.]

Re: Coil Bracket for a 73 Corvette?

Hey Ralph,
Sorry I wasn't home to get your call. I enjoy talking with you about our 73's. Thank you for responding here. It is interesting that your bolts don't have the same head markings, especially since they would have been installed at the same time unlike what Don reported in the earlier post from his 72, which had one put on at Flint and the other in St Louis.

I guess only us crazy corvette restoration guys would notice something like that? This kind of research does uncover many nuances that ocurred at GM when our cars were built. But, none the less it is very interesting and well worth the documentation. At least for me anyway!
Thanks again to all who have responded here.
I hope everyone has a safe Memorial Day Weekend. Thank you to all who have served, and to all who are serving our country now!!
Regards,
Jimmy