Does anyone know when reproduction ignition shielding was first sold? I have what I believe is a NOS 1957-1961 Corvette right side one-piece chrome plated horizontal spark plug shield. I bought the shield at Corvette Carlisle about 1988 (without a GM box or GM sticker) thinking it was correct for my "early" 1963 Corvette, (GM # 3796648). I compared this (NOS?) shield to an original 1963 shield and found that it was almost the same except for a reinforcing piece and a couple minor "cut outs". The stains around the two holes and on the back side from the chroming process looked identical to the original 1963 shield. I then put it in a box and it have been stored in my garage attic for the last 22 years. Yesterday I looked at the reproduction ignition shielding on line sold by Paragon Corvette and my shield looks identical to the right side spark plug shield for 1957-1961 Corvettes. I have never seen any reproduction ignition shielding but I suspect that the chrome plating is "too perfect", unlike GM chrome plating. Does reproduction shielding have stains like the one shown in my 3rd photo?
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Last edited by David L.; March 27, 2011, 05:43 PM. -
Re: 1957-1962 Reproduction Ignition Shielding - Quick Question
The repro shielding I have seen looks better then the ones you pictured but not perfect. I would think that the stain marks and the other defect you have pictured would have been reason to reject the parts. -
Re: 1957-1962 Reproduction Ignition Shielding - Quick Question
Bruce,
When I compared my shield to an used original 63 shield back in the late 1980's the 63 shield had the same kind of stains in the same locations. GM chrome plating was not meant for car shows to win contests. I still believe my shield is NOS but I am not 100% sure.
DaveComment
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Re: 1957-1962 Reproduction Ignition Shielding - Quick Question
David--
Hard to tell what the size of the cutouts are from your photos. 57-61 used smaller cutouts, then in 62, with the advent of the 2 1/2" exhaust manifolds, they opened up the cutouts and put the reinforcing bar in the back. My guess is that you either have a GM late NOS piece or a late GM NORS piece. My recollection is that they sold a hybrid at the end, back in the late 70's, but I wouldn't wear to that.
Hope this helps.
MikeComment
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Re: 1957-1962 Reproduction Ignition Shielding - Quick Question
Mike,
The cutouts measure 3 11/16" at the top and 5 1/16" at the bottom.
The early 1963 shield (GM # 37996648) shop drawing shown in N. Adam's 63-67 book shows the bottom cutout width as 5.18" and the top cutout scales about 3.7"+/-. You might be right about my shield some kind of hybrid or an NORS part. It appears that if my shield had two additional minor cutouts plus a reinforcing piece it would be just like the "early" 1963 shield. Thanks for your comments.
DaveComment
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