Evidence of fiberglass

[Rob M.]

As we all know (production) Corvette's bodies were all made of glass... Last week I received a mail of an Austrian Corvette lover who bought a 1971 Vette from the States and got it shipped to Europe. The car was delivered through the Rotterdam harbour (in the Netherlands) and there the customs refused to release it because the car has a non-metal body and therefor must be a kit-car!!!

Now this Austrain friend contacted me, as chairman of the NCRS in the Netherlands, to ask me to convince the local customs of the fact this car should be made of fiberglass and is not a kit-car (which would be rated with a much higher import-tax due to its more recent age then a true oldtimer car).

My question: does anyone has some clear evidence that 1971 cars should be made of fiberglass (like an official GM statement)? I've checked many online 1971 articles and the 1971 sales brochure but the problem is that by 1971 this was so commonly known that these cars were made of fiberglass that it is nowere very clearly stated that the 1971 model body was not made of metal. These Dutch customs can be a real pain in the ass so the more clearer I can prove them wrong the better...

If anyone have some very convincing official documentation (like a GM ad or brochure stating the fiberglass body of the 1971 body it would help me a lot convincing our dumb customs).

PS all my books/manuals/etc are currently boxed up due to a reconstruction we are doing on our house so I can't reach them now...

thanks,
Rob.

[Jack H.]

Re: Evidence of fiberglass

Why not consider using an NCRS Judging Reference Manual as 'proof' of the use of fiberglass body panel components? I've been involved in a few local level court 'squabbles' regarding Corvette authenticity and saw judges accept the NCRS 'published' JG books as a valid form of 'expert' testimony...

[Loren L.]

Re: Evidence of fiberglass

GM office in Belgium.

[Louis T.]

Re: Evidence of fiberglass

Hi Rob,

Here's a link to a copy of the sales brochure on the 1971 Corvette Registry Site. Aside from detailing the features and options of the 1971, it covers the development history of the car. The very first section for 53-55, on page 4, mentions the "fiberglass-reinforced plastic" body. This may suffice to prove to Customs agents that Corvettes have been fiberglass from the start. (If they insist on an original paper brochure, original brochures are available on eBay, as well, and could be overnighted to the owner.) Hope this helps!

Louis


http://www.71corvette.com/bro1.html

[Mies S.]

Re: Evidence of fiberglass

i have a north american rockwell ad for molding fiberglass depicting a 71 corvette

[Joe R.]

Re: Evidence of fiberglass

Rob, I would suggest to the customs folks to Google "corvette" and "fiberlass" and the evidence is all there. They may also peruse this great TDB and find the same.

[Michael W.]

Re: Evidence of fiberglass

I am ashamed of this level of Dutch stupidity....


If both are the original docs, it might be handy.

[Rob M.]

Re: Evidence of fiberglass

Still it doesn't state clearly that the 1971 car was made of fiberglass. I'm looking for a clear an un-unchallengeable (is this proper English?) statement from some sort of official literature...

thanks nevertheless,
Rob.

[Rob M.]

Re: Evidence of fiberglass

The problem is that the Dutch customs wouldn't recognise the NCRS easily as a well known Corvette authority. We only started a couple of years ago. I was looking for some sort of vintage ad or brochure covering the 1971 car (or the 1968 till 1972 era or equivalent) explaining these cars were made of fiberglass. I'm sure it must be in my files but these are currently unfortunately inaccessable...

greetings,
Rob.

[Kirk M.]

Re: Evidence of fiberglass

How about an article in an original Car & Driver or some other car magazine that describes the make and build of the car? Someone should have that for a 1971.

[Sander B.]

Re: Evidence of fiberglass

The problem is that the Dutch customs wouldn't recognise the NCRS easily as a well known Corvette authority. We only started a couple of years ago. I was looking for some sort of vintage ad or brochure covering the 1971 car (or the 1968 till 1972 era or equivalent) explaining these cars were made of fiberglass. I'm sure it must be in my files but these are currently unfortunately inaccessable...

greetings,
Rob.

I suspect there is more that makes the dutch customs think its a ''Kit car''
because it is not the first C3 corvette they have seen comming tru the border,
and the cars we have imported have never dealed with this issue before ?? as same for the other 120 C1's 140 C2's and 1000+ C3's

i think it could be something like ........... the car is highly modified ,
or updated with a modern engine (ls1,ls6 etc)
and who knows what else .
if a car exists out of mainly new (modern parts) they will not accept it as an old car and therefore charged the normal 10% + 19% and not the reduced 6%

i know the customs can be a pain sometimes but they are not that short minded ,
did he send picture's of the car ?

[John H.]

Re: Evidence of fiberglass

The "Corvette Body" section of the GM Chassis Service Manual goes into all manner of detail on how to repair the fiberglass body.

[Mike M.]

Re: Evidence of fiberglass

Could the NCM be of any service?
HaND

[Kevin M.]

Re: Evidence of fiberglass

Like John said service manual that's all you'll need.

KM

[Greg L.]

Re: Evidence of fiberglass

If the body manual doesn't do the trick then probably nothing will so you might want to suggest speaking to another customs officer or his supervisor.