<VV> Re: LM kick panel - VirtualVairs Digest, Vol 33, Issue 37

[rbuckridge at comcast.net]

Mark,

When I first encountered this, I thought it was a design improvement because I have never seen it on a 65's but have seen it on later models. I thought GM finally got smart, as the one piece is hard to remove and reinstall, plus you never really know if you will get a good seal. The two piece design allows you to seal the area easily first and then install the "cover" section.

All I am saying is I personally have removed the two piece design from unmolested coupes. You know the type of Corvairs I mean. A piece of crap relatively plain Jane Corvair that is totally shot and you salvage the usable parts before you finally lay the poor thing to rest.

I haven't read any of the tech tips or whatever and for all I know they are correct and there are coupe / 4 door version and a convertible version. Which is why I guess the last two piece set I saw on eBay sold for $66.00. Which of course is fine by me as they have now elevated my two piece remaining stock to be "rare" convertible parts.

The part about big block hoods on small block cars is true. For years the Corvette people thought that these were owners modifications as the big block hood was a much nicer looking hood and very popular with all the Sting Ray owners, even though many original owners said their big block hood was as delivered from the factory but the car was a small block Corvette. Later it came out that they ran short of small block hoods and in order to keep the assembly line moving, GM installed big block hoods on small block car, right from the factory.

This is why I offered that possibility that maybe GM did a similar type thing on the Corvairs? Only time will tell as items like this do find their way into history.

A similar thing happened to the 1970 Corvette coupe I own. It is a numbers matching car, but the engine numbers weren't in any 1970 records and while they are similar to 1971 numbers, they were still different. I couldn't find my engine codes in any books, but then I wasn't interested in selling it and for me it is a numbers matching car. Years later, maybe 10 years, they found paperwork that validated my engine codes. So now in the Corvette world my 1970 is a true numbers matching car, which I knew all along.

Odd things happen, numbers get stamped upside down, mistakes happen, running changes occur on the production line. Only time will tell. Of course, I now have a number of rare convertible kick panels in stock if anyone needs some. Only in black though.

Roy
-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: "Mark Corbin" <airvair at earthlink.net> 

> Oooookay. So where did they get the kick panels? The coupe/4door kick panel 
> doesn't have the hump in it like the convert does, but DOES have the 
> integral vent stack. They'd have to have either modified the coupe/4door 
> kick panel OR used the convert kick panel, which wouldn't fit right. 
> 
> The tech tip describes how to MODIFY the coupe/4door kick panel for use, 
> something the factory would probably NEVER do. 
> 
> In other words, I'd have to see it to believe it. 
> 
> -Mark 
> 
> 
> > [Original Message] 
> > Subject: Re: LM kick panel 
> > 
> > I have also found the "two / three piece style" in unmolested late model 
> coupes. 
> > 
> > I'll bet these "convertible only" style vents are just like the big block 
> hoods on small block mid 60's Corvettes. GM had them and used them to keep 
> the production line moving. 
> > 
> > Roy - Bayshore 
> > 
>