Luggage rack removal

[WhiteKnight]

I have been thinking of remving my rack and gave it a test run last weekend. Really perfer the looks with no rack but looking for advice on what to do about the holes.

At this point I still have the t-nuts and gromets still on and used some touchup paint to "hide" them.

Saw this from GTR1999 in another post on hood rivits.

If you grind down the glass they will come back in time, if you drill out the rivets the holes will shrink- ever see a vette that had luggage rack removed and glassed over.

Good luck

So now I'm having second thoughts about a fix for the holes.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Same thing applies to the holes from a luggage rack. There's always a chance they'll come back to haunt you.

 

[WhiteKnight]

That's what I'm hoping to avoid.. any suggestions on the best way to fill the holes? Or should I just put the rack back on and forget the crazy idea.

 

[GaryS]

Same thing applies to the holes from a luggage rack. There's always a chance they'll come back to haunt you.

While I believe that it is always possible to have holes reappear, I don't believe that they will "always come back to haunt you". I had excellent results when I removed the extra set of tail lights in my 66. I think that preparation and attention to detail is the key. In my case, I stripped the entire back panel, had the gas tank out, and removed all hardware (bumpers, supports, etc) so that I had a clear and unobstructed environment to work in. Not only did I re-glass from the back and front side but I also laid matting inside the cutouts. I ground down both sides until I had virgin fiberglass and then cut circles that approximated the diameter of the holes I was filling. Once it was built up and an adequate layer was available, I went to work sanding and smoothing until a blind touch could not detect the holes. I sold the car five years later without any evidence of the holes. In addition, I saw the car at a cruise three years after that and the holes were still invisible.

Gary

 

[iron cross]

While I believe that it is always possible to have holes reappear, I don't believe that they will "always come back to haunt you". I had excellent results when I removed the extra set of tail lights in my 66. I think that preparation and attention to detail is the key. In my case, I stripped the entire back panel, had the gas tank out, and removed all hardware (bumpers, supports, etc) so that I had a clear and unobstructed environment to work in. Not only did I re-glass from the back and front side but I also laid matting inside the cutouts. I ground down both sides until I had virgin fiberglass and then cut circles that approximated the diameter of the holes I was filling. Once it was built up and an adequate layer was available, I went to work sanding and smoothing until a blind touch could not detect the holes. I sold the car five years later without any evidence of the holes. In addition, I saw the car at a cruise three years after that and the holes were still invisible.


Now this is the way to repair fiberglass where ever the holes are. Even the so called hood bumps can be repaired in a similar fashion. Also, most boat people know how to repair fiberglass where as a lot of Corvette repair so called "artists" for lack of a nasterier word love to slap things together to just get by. Out of sight, out of mind attitude.:eyerole

 

[WhiteKnight]

Hmm... there are a lot of boat shops near the lake here.. wonder how to find a good one that is willing to work on a car?

 

[yarb]

holes

put the rack back and forget about it. Fiberglass is like a living entity. It moves, shrinks a generally just "does stuff" after it has been repaired. Thats why no hit cars are at a premiun