Today’s Corvette technical question comes from Elliott, who owns a 1981 Corvette:
Hi, I own a 1981 Corvette that is giving me a problem. When it rains, the carpet under the front floor mats gets soaking wet. The leak is not coming from the top of the car; I’ve sat in the car while it was raining and no water was coming in from the top. Do you have any idea were this leak is coming from?
Answer: Unfortunately, water leaks are a very common problem with many C3 generation Corvettes. The windshield frames do not drain water properly and water and debris collects in the channels under the exterior moldings, creating a perfect environment for corrosion to take place.
The water leaks are caused by either a poor seal/installation around the windshield or corrosion that has taken place in the windshield frame itself. The easiest way to check is to look at the frame between glass and the windshield molding. You can see if the frame has rust scales and shows signs of deterioration. There is no easy fix for the windshield frame. To properly fix, your Corvette’s windshield must come out and the entire frame needs to be cut out and repaired with new sections. Fortunately, these pieces are available. If the problem is a seal, then you can contact your local glass company to come out and cut the windshield out of the car, reseal the glass and install.
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Channel, Corvette Corvette Glass, Corvette Floor, Corvette Frame, Corvette Windshield, Leak, Rust, Water
This Corvette Restoration Tip is brought to you by Zip Corvette and can be found in Zip’s free Corvette Parts & Accessories Catalogs – request one online today.
Everyone knows Corvette bodies are invulnerable to rust but the same is not true for the chassis. The fully boxed side rails and cross members in 1953-1962 models impart significant strength to the chassis but they are particularly susceptible to rust because water can get trapped inside.
1953-1962 Corvette
If the Corvette’s chassis has a rust problem it normally manifests itself in the rear most crossmember first. Other sections that are especially at risk include the side rails in the areas beneath the doors. Because the rot progresses from the inside out, a problem may not be apparent from visual inspection alone. Poke along the bottoms of the rear crossmember and side rails with a pick tool or tap these areas with a ball peen hammer to expose any weaknesses.
Continue Reading This Article…
C1, Corvette Chassis, Corvette Crossmember, Corvette Frame, Rust
Another new Corvette Part at Zip. This one for C3 Corvettes.
For years “shark” era Corvette owners have struggled with rusting windshield frames. Though all areas are susceptible to rust what typically happens is water runs down the posts and gathers at the center assembly where it sits and corrodes the lower center windshield frame. If the Corvette sits for an
1968-1982 Windshield Frame Lower Center Assembly
extended amount of time, as many do, you better believe some rust or deteriorating damage to this area has taken place.
Over the past few years some of these rust happy components such as the windshield frame upper header, upper corner pieces, and side posts have become available through Zip Corvette. However, there still was no answer for the lower center assembly. After years of fabricating, modifying, and really just settling with mediocrity in many cases, Zip finally has the answer that will change the way you restore your rusted windshield frame.
The new 68-82 lower center windshield frame assemblies are correct reproductions and include the inner and outer steel welded together. They are available for 68-72 and 73-82 Corvettes.
C3, Corvette Windshield, Frame, Rust
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