Apr 65 AO Smith door anomaly

[Jeff B.]

Re: Apr 65 AO Smith door anomaly

New Evidence:

Ok, I pulled the plate (appeared to have never been pulled before - nice ribbon of dum dum around it, etc) and removed the closest bolt to the cover. The bolt assembly consists of a flat washer under the head of the bolt (outside) and a lock washer beneath the nut (inside). Under the flat washer outside is bare fiberglass. Might be a hint, more like a small stain of dum dum under the flat washer, but visible bare fiberglass. The size is 1/4-20, and I didn't measure the length but I would venture a guess at 1". Five bolts at the bottom, 4 bolts along the front. With the regulator in, yes, you can just reach 2 of these bolts with the tips of your fingers. If this were a client's car and he wanted large head assembly rivets instead of these bolts, we'd get it done, but it wouldn't be easy.

No picture, sorry. The door is at home with shelves of other body panels and parts, and the camera is at the shop. It's just like the plumber's pipes where this car is on the 25 year restoration plan. Maybe.

[Jeff B.]

Re: Apr 65 AO Smith door anomaly

I posted this addition a little earlier and am not sure why it's not showing up, so I'll risk re-posting just in case.

New Evidence: I removed the black cover (nice ribbon of black dum dum around the perimeter) and the closest bolt to it at the bottom of the door. The bolt is 1/4-20, but I didn't measure the length. Guess would be 1". The bolt assembly is a flat washer under the bolt head (outside) and a lock washer under the nut (inside).

Under the flat washer outside was bare fiberglass. There was a hint, or a stain of what might possibly be black dum dum, but bare fiberglass was clearly visible under the majority of the flat washer. I didn't take a picture because the door is at home with shelves of body panels and parts, while the camera is at the shop. It's the plumber's story where this Corvette is on my 25-year restoration plan. Maybe.

Sorry if this is a duplicate post, buy my earlier post is not showing up on my end.

[James R.]

Re: Apr 65 AO Smith door anomaly

I have a 65 AO Smith coupe with an April 9th build date. I still have it in storage for a couple more weeks but from some of the pictures I have, mine has rivets. I will take a good look at it in mid April

Jim

[Wayne W.]

Re: Apr 65 AO Smith door anomaly

Sounds like a definite maybe. I would also check one on the front of the door. The lowers may have not received any primer.

[Mark L.]

Re: Apr 65 AO Smith door anomaly

I'm not sure if I ever posted this picture here on the NCRS board.

During the resto of our '65 convertible I collected a few doors, most had the standard flat head rivet but not all.

I think John Hinckley once told me that the AO Smith rivets were different from the ST Louis.

[John H.]

Re: Apr 65 AO Smith door anomaly

I think John Hinckley once told me that the AO Smith rivets were different from the ST Louis.

Mark -

That was for the two rivets up near the top of the door, above the V-shaped auxiliary weatherstrip; A.O. Smith used conventional peened aluminum body rivets, and St. Louis used pop-rivets at that location.

The door on the right in the photo is another "interesting" solution.

[Mark L.]

Re: Apr 65 AO Smith door anomaly

Mark -

That was for the two rivets up near the top of the door, above the V-shaped auxiliary weatherstrip; A.O. Smith used conventional peened aluminum body rivets, and St. Louis used pop-rivets at that location.

The door on the right in the photo is another "interesting" solution.

John,

I can't swear to the originality of the pop rivets, they appeared to be original as all of them were the same. But you never know what has happened to these things.

I don't have that door any longer so I can't investigate any further, it was among the many 'prizes' I sold at Carlisle last year

[Wayne W.]

Re: Apr 65 AO Smith door anomaly

I have a hard time swallowing these rivet anomalies. These doors were all made in a factory situation. As for the theory that the factory was out of that type of rivet doesnt hold too much water for me. Look at the door in question. There are many of the same rivets that are present on that door. It don't make much sense that they were out of rivets. The only thing I can think of that could have happened is that somewhere down the line in the body shop it was realized that they were already loose and the repair made.

[Wayne W.]

Re: Apr 65 AO Smith door anomaly

John,

I can't swear to the originality of the pop rivets, they appeared to be original as all of them were the same. But you never know what has happened to these things.

I don't have that door any longer so I can't investigate any further, it was among the many 'prizes' I sold at Carlisle last year

I have seen this repair many times. The fact that they were all the same is useless to determining originality. If I go to the hardware store and buy a box of rivets, they are all the same.

[Jeff B.]

Re: Apr 65 AO Smith door anomaly

I'm headed out of town for the weekend, but I'll remove a couple more bolts and get some pictures of what I find (under the closest bolt to the door cover was bare fiberglass). I'll do a follow-up post next week.
Thanks for your input folks, and would still like to see what other A.O. Smith doors from Apr 19 65 body-build might look like.