Sermersheim or Corvette Image products

[Norris W.]

Re: Sermersheim or Corvette Image products

About 20 yrs ago I saw a Corvette Image front end and quarters that a very knowlegeable Corvette shop owner (NCRS member and Bloomington workshop instructor) put on his own '66 that he was building for his wife. Back then he always used old 80S red primer and let it sit. That car had blisters in every square inch of the new glass. When I was looking for a front end for one of my projects about 10 yrs later I called Corvette Image and they said that they'd been installing them in their own shop since the beginning of time and never had a problem. He said the blistering reputation was the result of improper prep by the installer and nothing more. I decided to hold off

Fast foward to about 3 years ago. I met Raymond Leicht, aka: VetteSeller.com at NCRS Kissimmee. He had Summersheim (spelling?) assembled front ends on the ground there. We bought one for a friend's '67 big block convertible project and I give it an A+, and Ray and A++. He keeps a BUNCH of Summersheim stuff in stock and I saw this week that he had ads on E Bay for it. I think that about 95% of the people who put one of those pre assembled front ends on will have a better result than using NOS surround, bonding strips, side panels, fender corners, etc and trying to assemble one right themselves. This becomes even more true when trying to put a front back on a car that has had the old one knocked off and trying to assemble one from scratch when the frame may or may not have gotten back to dead perfect. In the case of my friend's project, after the glass was DA'd it looked remarkably like an original and when it's completed I don't think it will be detectable from the inside or out.

[Wayne W.]

Re: Sermersheim or Corvette Image products

In the case of my friend's project, after the glass was DA'd it looked remarkably like an original and when it's completed I don't think it will be detectable from the inside or out.

I can tell, and I believe even a novice judge can tell a Sermersheim panel from the underside. Slick Gelcoat is hard to hide. Not running down their panels, but fact is, its nearly impossible to hide a repro panel no matter who is the manufacturer. Image black stuff is the best from the underside, but their white, and gray are not very good technically. Sermersheim is worse. Even old GM counter parts have their problems. So, if you are trying to hide it, you better have your act together. For what its worth, Image now uses the same old laminating process that Sermesheim uses, except there is no gelcoat on the underside.

[Michael H.]

Re: Sermersheim or Corvette Image products

I had a whole front end put on a 67 back in the early 90's and we used Sermersheim glass. We had many problems with small air bubbles under the fiberglass that did not show up until the car was painted and left out in the hot sun for a couple of days. I let the car sit and bake outside for 6 months and then we had to grind out the bubbles and paint it again. Unless they've changed there process I would look else where.

Mike

[James B.]

Re: Sermersheim or Corvette Image products

I see that America's Finest Corvettes also sells repro body fiberglass panels (which according to them, are the best repro available). http://www.corvetteusa.com/ Perhaps someone can chime in re: their experience with AFC's body panels.

[Joe C.]

Re: Sermersheim or Corvette Image products

I can tell, and I believe even a novice judge can tell a Sermersheim panel from the underside. Slick Gelcoat is hard to hide. Not running down their panels, but fact is, its nearly impossible to hide a repro panel no matter who is the manufacturer. Image black stuff is the best from the underside, but their white, and gray are not very good technically. Sermersheim is worse. Even old GM counter parts have their problems. So, if you are trying to hide it, you better have your act together. For what its worth, Image now uses the same old laminating process that Sermesheim uses, except there is no gelcoat on the underside.

It ain't worth nothin' to me.

So why then does not Sermersheim stop using gelcoat on the underside. This would stop people like you and others from ragging on the fact that "Sermersheim panels are a dead giveaway on the underside". Unless, DUH, there's a good reason.

Sorry bud, but I'll NEVER buy Image crap again. Replaced 2 noses from them after a free replacement was sent (no, they wouldn't refund my money so I could buy elsewhere). I give up. I learned to live with the blisters because I have NO INTENTION of going through all of the trouble of doing it a THIRD time.

[Joe C.]

Re: Sermersheim or Corvette Image products

I see that America's Finest Corvettes also sells repro body fiberglass panels (which according to them, are the best repro available). http://www.corvetteusa.com/ Perhaps someone can chime in re: their experience with AFC's body panels.

America's Finest advertises all of their stuff as "the best".

[Joe R.]

Re: Sermersheim or Corvette Image products

Sermersheim panels have their problems but big old blisters has not been one of them. The boys in Texas had Corvette Image panels analyzed and guess what they were using in the molds for release material. You guessed it, "Silicone". Worked good as a release agent. Cut down on their work but increased greatly the labor in body shops all over the US.

America's Finest!!! Better ask around before jumping in that pool! Might be some Gators in that water!

JR

[Wayne W.]

Re: Sermersheim or Corvette Image products

It ain't worth nothin' to me.

This would stop people like you and others from ragging on the fact that "Sermersheim panels are a dead giveaway on the underside". Unless, DUH, there's a good reason.

"People like you" What you mean people like me?

[Joe C.]

Re: Sermersheim or Corvette Image products

"People like you" What you mean people like me?

Nothin' personal, ya unnerstand.
But, YOU said it.

[Wayne W.]

Re: Sermersheim or Corvette Image products

I said what? That it has gel-coat? It does, and thats very noticeable. I also said, I could tell, Image stuff, and even NOS, GM over the counter stuff. None of the repro stuff is correct, and little of the GM supplied stuff is either. GM has supplied as much crap as anybody else since production days. I will save my war stories. Some reproduction parts are better than GM service.

I, and my people are tired, think i`m going to bed.

[Joe R.]

Re: Sermersheim or Corvette Image products

Wayne,

You mean to tell me that my GM supplied 63-64 NOS lower front fender panels in PINK hand laid white gelcoat parts are NOT correct??????

Next thing your gonna be telling me is my GREEN 62 NOS lower fronts are not 100% acceptable!!!!

My world is crushed!!!! I know any respectable judge would give me 100% credit on my judging sheets!!!!

They are GM NOS!!!!!!!

JR

[Wayne W.]

Re: Sermersheim or Corvette Image products

Wayne,

You mean to tell me that my GM supplied 63-64 NOS lower front fender panels in PINK hand laid white gelcoat parts are NOT correct??????

Next thing your gonna be telling me is my GREEN 62 NOS lower fronts are not 100% acceptable!!!!

My world is crushed!!!! I know any respectable judge would give me 100% credit on my judging sheets!!!!

They are GM NOS!!!!!!!

JR

Sorry Joe.

[Dick W.]

Re: Sermersheim or Corvette Image products

Ya gotta remember that Joe is older'n dirt and probably got those when the car was new

[Domenic T.]

Re: Sermersheim or Corvette Image products

NOS parts are the best because they squeeze out the resin to eliminate cracking.

The strength IS in the glass, not the resin. Resin cracks , glass breaks.

Resin is gell coat, so the shrinking and cracks will happen in stress areas like corners.

I chased the cracks for years untill they were gone on a repo front end that had gellcoat.

It took a few years, then it happened.

Boats use gell coat, look at one that has aged.

The factory had an inner and outer mold and the resin was squeezed out thats why they fit so good, the thickness is uniform.

DOM