Making Bilstein Shocks Look Like Delcos

[Terry M.]

Re: Making Bilstein Shocks Look Like Delcos

The shock codes ARE in the 1968-69 and 1970-72 TIM&JG. Just like the suffix code label on the valve covers you can make your own with today's modern technology.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Making Bilstein Shocks Look Like Delcos

The shock codes ARE in the 1968-69 and 1970-72 TIM&JG. Just like the suffix code label on the valve covers you can make your own with today's modern technology.

Shock labels are easier to get the font and size correct, but take more work to get the silly rounded corners.

I have found that suffix stickers vary from year to year and even within the same year. Shock code stickers are quite uniform over time.

Patrick

[Paul C.]

Re: Making Bilstein Shocks Look Like Delcos

Can some post a picture of the shochk with the label on it. Need to know the position on the shock of the DG or VS. Thanks. Paul

[Patrick H.]

Re: Making Bilstein Shocks Look Like Delcos

Can some post a picture of the shochk with the label on it. Need to know the position on the shock of the DG or VS. Thanks. Paul

Wherever the judge can best see it.

Seriously.

It's usually toward the lower end of the top half of the shock, but for judging points, make it obvious dude.

[Erik S.]

Re: Making Bilstein Shocks Look Like Delcos

Paul-----


I'd use Quanta's shock paint on BOTH the front and rear shocks. Actually, the configuration of some of the Bilstein shocks is not that much different than the CURRENT Delco shocks (although they are quite a bit more expensive).

Joe - 1 question. Can't get to my Bilstein's at the moment that are ready for the Quanta shock grey, but I believe that 2 of them have blue rubber dust caps - question: what to do with those? Remove?

[Joe L.]

Re: Making Bilstein Shocks Look Like Delcos

Joe - 1 question. Can't get to my Bilstein's at the moment that are ready for the Quanta shock grey, but I believe that 2 of them have blue rubber dust caps - question: what to do with those? Remove?

Erik------

I believe it is probably the rear that have the blue dust caps. I was not aware that the current Bilsteins for 63-82 Corvettes used the rubber dust covers. If there is a steel shield underneath, which I doubt, they might be OK to remove. If not, I would not remove them

[Jerome P.]

Re: Making Bilstein Shocks Look Like Delcos

I ordered the Quanta shock grey color. I see paragon selling stickers that go on the front and rear shocks--EK front and EM rear---are these necessary--I don't see them mentioned in the judging manual.

The lack of the Stickers should get you a deduction. Not sure how many points you will lose. If you are going to have the car judged, get the decals/stickers.

[Paul O.]

Re: Making Bilstein Shocks Look Like Delcos

Guys here are a few photos of the front and rear labels DG and VS and a photo of the color that would be considered normal. As Patrick stated the rounded corners and those are some photos he took and sent me the last photo is of a 1972 Bowtie ZR-1.

[Edward B.]

Re: Making Bilstein Shocks Look Like Delcos

Tarting up Bilsteins to look like Delcos -is that really any different that creating a new trim tag to make a car appear the way you want it to? For the shocks, if detected, the penalty is the loss of a few points; for the trim tag the penalty is much more severe. Who decides what level of fakery is acceptable? Bogus is bogus if you ask me, but apparently some level of deceit is allowed on the judging field. Can someone explain the difference?

[Terry M.]

Re: Making Bilstein Shocks Look Like Delcos

Tarting up Bilsteins to look like Delcos -is that really any different that creating a new trim tag to make a car appear the way you want it to? For the shocks, if detected, the penalty is the loss of a few points; for the trim tag the penalty is much more severe. Who decides what level of fakery is acceptable? Bogus is bogus if you ask me, but apparently some level of deceit is allowed on the judging field. Can someone explain the difference?

Ed
There is a major difference between creating a trim tag and as you phrase it "tarting" up non-Delco shocks. Neither is acceptable and both will result in a deduction. The major difference is the degree of penalty. Why the difference in the degree of penalty? Everyone knows your Corvette came with AC Delco shocks so "tarting" up non-Delco shocks fools no one, and at some future point AC Delco shocks can be installed.

Creating a trim tag leaves everyone guessing the original exterior and interior color and material, and no one can tell what those should have been. Once the trim tag is changed, or even simply removed and replaced, everyone is left to wonder what was there to begin with. Once that deed is done it is not reversible -- ever.

Who decides? The National Team Leaders in concert with the National Judging Chairman.

[Joe L.]

Re: Making Bilstein Shocks Look Like Delcos

All------


In the case of Delco SERVICE shocks for 63-82 Corvettes, the current Delco shocks are no longer manufactured by GM or Delco. They're not even manufactured by the successor to Delco Chassis (i.e. DELPHI). They are manufactured by Monroe (Federal-Mogul) or Gabriel (Arvin-Meritor). The only thing that even identifies them as Delco is the rather gaudy labels. I suppose one could leave these on the shocks so as to identify them as being Delco to get partial originality credit and, possibly, full condition points. However, to do so would preclude painting them blue-gray and the gaudy labels, while proclaiming the Delco brand, would be rather "gauche".

If the labels are removed and whether the shocks are painted or not there is absolutely nothing to identify them as being Delco. So, presumably, they would receive a full deduct on originality and condition. In that case, they would be no different than any other currently available shock. So one might as well use a better performing shock and paint them blue-gray to make at least that aspect appear as original (even though it's not going to fool any judges and is not going to garner any points).