'69 Convertible rear surround mystery part

[Mark H.]

Need help in identifying this part please.

This is off the passenger side of the long 'arm' from the rear top surround that has been removed.

Located to the right rear of the passenger seat. There is an identical part on the drivers side as well.

My question is what is it for and what, (if anything), was screwed into it from the interior side?

My research so far suggests it was to reinforce the latch mechanism striker plate. But not sure about that or if it had an additional purpose.

The Z shaped fiberglass piece and the metal riveted to it is not made by anyone that I know of.

The striker plate is made (here it is painted over in primer).

I have include the best info I could find from the AIM manual as well/

Any help appreciated as these need to go on the new surround panel but body shop guy is scratching his head as to what they are for.

[Joe L.]

Re: '69 Convertible rear surround mystery part

Need help in identifying this part please.

This is off the passenger side of the long 'arm' from the rear top surround that has been removed.

Located to the right rear of the passenger seat. There is an identical part on the drivers side as well.

My question is what is it for and what, (if anything), was screwed into it from the interior side?

My research so far suggests it was to reinforce the latch mechanism striker plate. But not sure about that or if it had an additional purpose.

The Z shaped fiberglass piece and the metal riveted to it is not made by anyone that I know of.

The striker plate is made (here it is painted over in primer).

I have include the best info I could find from the AIM manual as well/

Any help appreciated as these need to go on the new surround panel but body shop guy is scratching his head as to what they are for.

Mark-------


The reinforcement serves to form a mounting point for plastic wedges as shown in the attached photos. They are not shown in the AIM for some unknown reason. Without the wedges, there is no purpose for the reinforcements and attaching rivets.

[Edward B.]

Re: '69 Convertible rear surround mystery part

They are not shown in the AIM for some unknown reason.

Joe, for some reason they're not where you would THINK they would be (UPC1, sheet B7 like the reinforcement). They're shown in UPC1, sheet F5 (item 2)! Took me a few days to find them when I was looking for replacements for mine (which were missing).

Ed

[Mark H.]

Re: '69 Convertible rear surround mystery part

Joe, for some reason they're not where you would THINK they would be (UPC1, sheet B7 like the reinforcement). They're shown in UPC1, sheet F5 (item 2)! Took me a few days to find them when I was looking for replacements for mine (which were missing).

Ed

Thank you both for the great info. I see them in the AIM now. Looks like there are similar items that attach to the sides of the lid as well.

Are these pieces available from Paragon or Zip, etc?

[Joe L.]

Re: '69 Convertible rear surround mystery part

Are these pieces available from Paragon or Zip, etc?

Mark-------



Not that I know of. Also, note that they are not side-specific even though they are not symmetrical.

[Edward B.]

Re: '69 Convertible rear surround mystery part

No, not specifically for the C3 rear deck, but they ARE available for the C2 doors and 1st generation Camaro convertible doors. They're exactly the same thing EXCEPT that the C2 (and Camaro) plastic door wedges ARE symmetrical whereas the C3 deck wedges aren't.

I got THESE off of ebay. I was going to get two sets so I could use the same side wedge on both sides of my deck, but I decided I would just use them as is and be "incorrect". (I'm cheap!) However, when they arrived, the package contained two of the same side! (The ebay seller looked at the other packages on his shelf - they come from Trim Parts - and all the other packages contained one of each side, so I just happened to get lucky!)

I just looked at Corvette Central and they have them under their part number 283001 (listed for 1968 only, but that's not quite correct), but I would imagine they're the same ones I got (made by Trim Parts). And Corvette Central sells for for a few $$$ more than the ebay seller (The Parts Place).

The only other thing you need to do is use different screws. The ones in the kit are for the doors and jams.

By the way, HERE'S MORE INFO on those plastic wedges.

Ed

[Mark H.]

Re: '69 Convertible rear surround mystery part

Ed & Joe thats's great extra info and very, very helpful. Thank you so much.
I should have joined this site a long time ago, lol.
It appears that Long Island Corvette Supply also has the plastic plates for the Mid-Year's so I am thinking they might work on my C-3.
Paragon and Zip have the brass wedge that goes on the lid.
Success and my mystery part is solved!