Rob Musquetier 61 Corvette

[Michael H.]

Some time ago, Rob posted a link to the story about a near new 1961 Corvette that was shipped to another country (?) and completely disassembled for inspection/documentation. Many excellent photos. Does anyone happen to have a link to that article?

[Gary C.]

Re: Rob Musquetier 61 Corvette

Michael, it's on Rob's C1 Registry website in the downloads sections. Gary....
http://www.c1registry.com/downloads/...e_Analysis.pdf

[Michael H.]

Re: Rob Musquetier 61 Corvette

Michael, it's on Rob's C1 Registry website in the downloads sections. Gary....
http://www.c1registry.com/downloads/...e_Analysis.pdf

Great. Thanks Gary.

[Michael H.]

Re: Rob Musquetier 61 Corvette

Michael, it's on Rob's C1 Registry website in the downloads sections. Gary....
http://www.c1registry.com/downloads/...e_Analysis.pdf

Gary,

I just found an interesting pic in the report that Rob posted. It's a shot of the rear brakes with the drum removed and I see convincing evidence that the entire "differential assembly" was painted chassis black with the drums in place.
The axle flange is natural except for the center hub section which appears to be black.
Also, there are two small round black circles of black on the face of the axle flange between the studs. The location of the black circles matches the additional holes in the drum between studs. When the assenbly was painted, the drum, axle center hub and studs would also have been coated with chassis black.

If this is the case, and I'm convinced it is, that means that the differential center section HAD to also have been in place during the coating process.

It also means that the parking brake cables were already installed through the backing plates during the paint operation so at least the first 12" or more would be black coated.

I haven't gone further into the report to see the front drums but I'll bet the same process is true for these too. That means the exposed section of the front hub and grease cap would be chassis black.

This is why the inboard side of backing plates is black and the brake shoe side is natural. The chassis black was applied to an entire "knuckle assembly" that included the drum, backing plate and hub.

Thanks for the pic's Rob !! Lot of great information there.

[Rob M.]

Re: Rob Musquetier 61 Corvette

I believe the document is pure GOLD!!! Especially all the disassembled parts are rather interresting...

BTW If you open the document via http://www.c1registry.com/index.php?...age=1&uid=8265 and click the page of interrest it gets magnified a bit more for further studying the details...

[Michael H.]

Re: Rob Musquetier 61 Corvette

I believe the document is pure GOLD!!! Especially all the disassembled parts are rather interresting...

BTW If you open the document via http://www.c1registry.com/index.php?...age=1&uid=8265 and click the page of interrest it gets magnified a bit more for further studying the details...

Thanks again Rob. I'm not knowledgeable on C1 but if I owned one, I would definitely study the pictures in that document.

I just looked at the pic's on sheet 14 again and I now see that the same black spots appear on the front hubs that document the fact that the drum was in place and painted along with the rest of the knuckle assembly.

[John H.]

Re: Rob Musquetier 61 Corvette

Gary,

I just found an interesting pic in the report that Rob posted. It's a shot of the rear brakes with the drum removed and I see convincing evidence that the entire "differential assembly" was painted chassis black with the drums in place.

If this is the case, and I'm convinced it is, that means that the differential center section HAD to also have been in place during the coating process.

It also means that the parking brake cables were already installed through the backing plates during the paint operation so at least the first 12" or more would be black coated.

That was the standard Chevrolet practice at Detroit Gear & Axle for many years; photo below shows the Camaro Chassis Line at Norwood in 1967, with DG&A axles fully-painted. I had 46 different part numbers of Chevy II axles on my Chassis Line at Willow Run in '64-'66, and all were fully-painted from DG&A - never saw one that wasn't.

[Michael H.]

Re: Rob Musquetier 61 Corvette

That was the standard Chevrolet practice at Detroit Gear & Axle for many years; photo below shows the Camaro Chassis Line at Norwood in 1967, with DG&A axles fully-painted. I had 46 different part numbers of Chevy II axles on my Chassis Line at Willow Run in '64-'66, and all were fully-painted from DG&A - never saw one that wasn't.

Thanks John. That's an excellent picture. The complete differential assembly, including drums, was painted just like that on the new 68 Z28 that I bought.

I bet there are more pic's like that in the Noland Adams book that show the entire Corvette diff assembly and front knuckle assembly coated black with drums in place.

[Gary C.]

Re: Rob Musquetier 61 Corvette

Most interesting is the steering column "fade away" paint color lines. Will broach the 56-7 JM team with some of the info the Mira photos and y'al have shared. Had looked at that document several times in the past and all I observed was the column paint. Didn't look close enough at the hubs. Sure wish I knew the color of paint on the axle shaft and ends. Always thought I had that figured out, but don't think so any more. Note the big brakes and the non-posi rearend? Thanks appreciate the inputs. Regards, Gary....