65 top surround? NOS or correct repo?

[Timothy B.]

Re: 65 top surround? NOS or correct repo?

Gene,

My 67 is a St Louis body and you are saying the original St Louis style line has a more rounded verses a more straight (A O Smith) line in the area where the two panels are bonded in the wheel well area.

[Patrick B.]

Re: 65 top surround? NOS or correct repo?

Is the difference in the belt line seen is the side view or the top view? Any photos of the difference? I am helping a friend replace many panels on a 65 AO Smith car and we have been using my 67 St Louis car as a guide. We are now approaching the front side panel and turn signal panel.

[Jack M.]

Re: 65 top surround? NOS or correct repo?

Not sure if this article by John Hinckely (in Corvette Enthusiast) would be of any assistance... The Body Shop Process is on Page2:

[Patrick B.]

Re: 65 top surround? NOS or correct repo?

Yes, easy if you sight down the belt line from the front. There is a decisive difference in the bow outward on St Louis vs the straight of an A O Smith belt line profile. We have covered this with students in the advanced judges classes at regionals and national. The differences is in the way the two assembly plants built the bodies. Understand the fiberglass parts are identical, it is just the method of bonding and securing that yield the results.

Gene --- Is the bow of the St Louis body belt line lateral, making the body wider at the wheel well when viewed from above? Or is it vertical, making the nose of the vehicle pitched more downward when viewed from the side?

[Patrick B.]

Re: 65 top surround? NOS or correct repo?

Not sure if this article by John Hinckely (in Corvette Enthusiast) would be of any assistance... The Body Shop Process is on Page2:

Interesting article but I didn't see anything about belt line differences.

[Dan A.]

Re: 65 top surround? NOS or correct repo?

Interesting article but I didn't see anything about belt line differences.

True, but John does write about the differences in methods used by the two facilities to build the front clips in his article. That opens up the possibility for a different result which Gene points out.

[Patrick B.]

Re: 65 top surround? NOS or correct repo?

Strange! I got an email notification of a posting by Don Hooper at 8:48 this morning offering a link to a photo showing the 65 beltline, but the post does not show up in this thread. When I try to get to the photo from the link in the email, it directs me to an NCRS message saying I am requesting an invalid attachment. Don would you try again.

[Gene M.]

Re: 65 top surround? NOS or correct repo?

Gene,

My 67 is a St Louis body and you are saying the original St Louis style line has a more rounded verses a more straight (A O Smith) line in the area where the two panels are bonded in the wheel well area.

Yes, along the belt line

[Gene M.]

Re: 65 top surround? NOS or correct repo?

Gene --- Is the bow of the St Louis body belt line lateral, making the body wider at the wheel well when viewed from above? Or is it vertical, making the nose of the vehicle pitched more downward when viewed from the side?

I never really measured it but I would assume a bit wider on St Louis. I have not suspended my self over the car but looking down on one knee and sight down belt line it is obvious.

[Patrick B.]

Re: 65 top surround? NOS or correct repo?

Thanks Gene --- Now I understand where to look for the difference. The AO Smith style sounds easier to achieve. We are replacing both front side fenders and the right turn signal panel on a 65 OA Smith body. We will make sure to measure the left side before removing the side fender rather than use my 67 as a model.

[Don H.]

Re: 65 top surround? NOS or correct repo?

Pat- I thought I had two good pics of STL and AOS cars at the right angle, to see the difference, and posted the S car,
then found that I did not have the comparable STL car photo. So, I scrubbed the post. Sorry.

[Bob W.]

Re: 65 top surround? NOS or correct repo?

William I sent you a private message let me know if you received it.

Bob

[Tom D.]

Re: 65 top surround? NOS or correct repo?

Gene: There's another discussion going on right now, about '66 air cond. compressors. Included are a couple of photos of a recently painted '66 in Nassau Blue (our kind of color). One of the shots shows what looks like a straight belt line.
https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...ssor-Questions - links the whole discussion mentioned above. Look for comment #39.
(Look beyond the first set of photos of that '66 - From Browning.)

[William B.]

Re: 65 top surround? NOS or correct repo?

Yes I received it, thank you

[Gene M.]

Re: 65 top surround? NOS or correct repo?

Gene: There's another discussion going on right now, about '66 air cond. compressors. Included are a couple of photos of a recently painted '66 in Nassau Blue (our kind of color). One of the shots shows what looks like a straight belt line.
https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...ssor-Questions - links the whole discussion mentioned above. Look for comment #39.
(Look beyond the first set of photos of that '66 - From Browning.)

Tom, I see the photo you speak of. It is from the rear of the 1/4 on an angle. To see the profile clearly one needs to view fron the front sighting down the belt line. Same view from other end would be perfect. You will note a straight line over the gills on both configurations. The curvature or straight difference is over the wheel well area and more visable. By the way that color of the car in photo is beautiful. You just can’t go wrong with blue!