1978 Silver Anniversary Original Paint/Bowtie Questions

[Charlie P.]

Sorry, I'm sure this has been discussed extensively prior, but I'm a bit lazy on looking up old stuff, and like to start fresh with my specific questions (can't find my old Bowtie judging guide either).
I am looking at a '78 SA with under 3,000 miles. Paint is pretty glossy, but poor quality. Dirt inclusions, tiny voids, sanding marks and varying degrees of orange peel. Bumpers are faded on tops, not so much on bottoms. I want to do Bowtie, as I have previously done previously with a (4 star) '71 and an '81. The paint on this one just looks worse than those two did.

The paint is not clear coated; polishing pulls up color. There definitely has been some re-spray on the top half of the two doors; one side definitely a minor non-factory repair, the other could be the same. I see a couple other small areas of overspray that could pass for factory rework.
I feel that if the car was repainted after the factory, the paint would be of much better finish (to correct the factory flaws). The bumpers would also have been repainted, and that does not appear to be the case. The tiny voids (like pinholes) appear to be through the thickness of the paint, and not covering a first coat.

I need have reasonable confidence that the paint will meet Bowtie criteria. Because of what I have read about factory paint quality in these years, I could convince myself that the paint is factory, except for possibly the top half of the two doors. So my two questions are: (a) Can anyone offer further input on my observations or what to look for, and (b) What is the Bowtie threshold for percent non-factory original paint on the body?


Thanks a lot,
Charlie

[Dave S.]

Re: 1978 Silver Anniversary Original Paint/Bowtie Questions

Sorry, I'm sure this has been discussed extensively prior, but I'm a bit lazy on looking up old stuff, and like to start fresh with my specific questions (can't find my old Bowtie judging guide either).
I am looking at a '78 SA with under 3,000 miles. Paint is pretty glossy, but poor quality. Dirt inclusions, tiny voids, sanding marks and varying degrees of orange peel. Bumpers are faded on tops, not so much on bottoms. I want to do Bowtie, as I have previously done previously with a (4 star) '71 and an '81. The paint on this one just looks worse than those two did.

The paint is not clear coated; polishing pulls up color. There definitely has been some re-spray on the top half of the two doors; one side definitely a minor non-factory repair, the other could be the same. I see a couple other small areas of overspray that could pass for factory rework.
I feel that if the car was repainted after the factory, the paint would be of much better finish (to correct the factory flaws). The bumpers would also have been repainted, and that does not appear to be the case. The tiny voids (like pinholes) appear to be through the thickness of the paint, and not covering a first coat.

I need have reasonable confidence that the paint will meet Bowtie criteria. Because of what I have read about factory paint quality in these years, I could convince myself that the paint is factory, except for possibly the top half of the two doors. So my two questions are: (a) Can anyone offer further input on my observations or what to look for, and (b) What is the Bowtie threshold for percent non-factory original paint on the body?


Thanks a lot,
Charlie

Charlie,
Welcome back. Hope all is well. We know you have a pretty good eye for Bow tie cars.
i can't speak for paint quality on 1978 cars but the NCRS Bow tie criteria on paint is that the car must retain at least 75% of its original paint. Sounds like your car would meet that criteria if only the top of the doors have been re-done. Factory touch up should qualify as original paint if it can be distinguished from later paint work.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1978 Silver Anniversary Original Paint/Bowtie Questions

Sorry, I'm sure this has been discussed extensively prior, but I'm a bit lazy on looking up old stuff, and like to start fresh with my specific questions (can't find my old Bowtie judging guide either).
I am looking at a '78 SA with under 3,000 miles. Paint is pretty glossy, but poor quality. Dirt inclusions, tiny voids, sanding marks and varying degrees of orange peel. Bumpers are faded on tops, not so much on bottoms. I want to do Bowtie, as I have previously done previously with a (4 star) '71 and an '81. The paint on this one just looks worse than those two did.

The paint is not clear coated; polishing pulls up color. There definitely has been some re-spray on the top half of the two doors; one side definitely a minor non-factory repair, the other could be the same. I see a couple other small areas of overspray that could pass for factory rework.
I feel that if the car was repainted after the factory, the paint would be of much better finish (to correct the factory flaws). The bumpers would also have been repainted, and that does not appear to be the case. The tiny voids (like pinholes) appear to be through the thickness of the paint, and not covering a first coat.

I need have reasonable confidence that the paint will meet Bowtie criteria. Because of what I have read about factory paint quality in these years, I could convince myself that the paint is factory, except for possibly the top half of the two doors. So my two questions are: (a) Can anyone offer further input on my observations or what to look for, and (b) What is the Bowtie threshold for percent non-factory original paint on the body?


Thanks a lot,
Charlie

Charlie------

As you likely know, 1978 was a very high production model year for Corvette---the third highest ever. And, it was all being done in an antiquated facility with an antiquated paint shop. That doesn't bode well for paint quality and paint problems are notorious in these cars and, actually, pretty much so for all C3 era Corvettes.

One thing I'm curious about, though, is the paint fade on the upper surface of the bumpers. Being that this is a 3,000 mile car, I would presume that it spent most of its life in a garaged environment. So, I don't understand why there would be paint fade on the top of the bumpers. Are you sure this is really a 3,000 mile car?

[Charlie P.]

Re: 1978 Silver Anniversary Original Paint/Bowtie Questions

Hey thanks Dave. All is well here, hope the same for you, and hope to catch up to you at some point. If I find the right car, I want to go for all the awards this time.

[Charlie P.]

Re: 1978 Silver Anniversary Original Paint/Bowtie Questions

Joe- Absolutely real mileage. Nothing else questionable. I believe that the lacquer paint does not age as well on the bumpers as it does on the body for some reason. If car was not generally covered, even low level UV could hurt over 40 years, maybe with more impact on the bumpers. Or aging of the bumper plastic itself might have an effect(?) Guessing here.

[Terry M.]

Re: 1978 Silver Anniversary Original Paint/Bowtie Questions

Charlie

Those rubber bumpers were notorious for the poor quality of the material they are made from. Some of the first ones (1973 & 1974) latterly fall off the car while the car is sitting still. It took them a long time to make the formula for them to last long.

I sent an email to Brian, so you should hear from him in a while. He has been having major health issues so be patient.

[Tom R.]

Re: 1978 Silver Anniversary Original Paint/Bowtie Questions

Sorry, I'm sure this has been discussed extensively prior, but I'm a bit lazy on looking up old stuff, and like to start fresh with my specific questions (can't find my old Bowtie judging guide either).
I am looking at a '78 SA with under 3,000 miles. Paint is pretty glossy, but poor quality. Dirt inclusions, tiny voids, sanding marks and varying degrees of orange peel. Bumpers are faded on tops, not so much on bottoms. I want to do Bowtie, as I have previously done previously with a (4 star) '71 and an '81. The paint on this one just looks worse than those two did.

As a 78 SA Bowtie owner, its sounds typical. Remember the bumpers were painted separately and paint shades may differ from the body.

If you wish to confirm low mileage, look at the chassis as an indicator. I would expect it to show shim marks, frame stencil and other markings. If an FE7, look for the yellow grease pencil on the front cross frame member. Frame stencils seems to wear quickly when a vehicle is driven or when previous owners have attempted to "touch up" the frame.

[Patrick H.]

Re: 1978 Silver Anniversary Original Paint/Bowtie Questions

From what I've seen, the quality - or lack thereof - is very typical for a 1978. My unofficial rule is that there isn't a 78 Pace Car that doesn't have hair in the paint, and it's usually true. There is a reason that black wasn't a factory color for most of the 70s, and it wasn't because it was not popular.

Now you know why so many were repainted by the dealer. One of my friends refused new delivery of a 78 Silver Anniversary car due to the poor paint quality.

[Walter G.]

Re: 1978 Silver Anniversary Original Paint/Bowtie Questions

The dirt, sanding marks, etc. described were evident on my '79 L82 when I purchased it as well. Mine was black with dealer applied "Polyglycoat" (remember that?) to give it a 'high gloss shine and seal'. I negotiated that cost off my price. I had one quarter panel that appeared to have brushed on touchup paint applied which I was able to wet sand down to respectability. For being black, it wasn't really too bad, but after several years many of the fascias were subject to fading as the OP described-especially on the silvers and reds. The '78 described is likely original in most respects-just a victim of the St Louis paint system.

[Charlie P.]

Re: 1978 Silver Anniversary Original Paint/Bowtie Questions

Tom- The chassis is what drew me to this car. Frame stencil is almost 100%. Many yellow markings present, with "FE7" on the crossmember.

[Charlie P.]

Re: 1978 Silver Anniversary Original Paint/Bowtie Questions

Thanks to all who have so far provided input on my questions, based on which I did the deal today. I will likely be posting questions when I get the fine tooth comb out on this car. Hope to see you at future events.
Charlie

[Tom R.]

Re: 1978 Silver Anniversary Original Paint/Bowtie Questions

Cool! Is it a four-speed car? Post the frame stencil when you get around to taking photos.

[Charlie P.]

Re: 1978 Silver Anniversary Original Paint/Bowtie Questions



Tom- Here's the stencil and one marking that I don't know the meaning of yet. Sorry to say it's an automatic.

[Tom R.]

Re: 1978 Silver Anniversary Original Paint/Bowtie Questions

The frame stencil shows that the frame assembly date is February 10, 1978 and is used for an automatic tranny. You probably have a March build date, shown on the trim tag as a date code...probably Gxx. Probably among the last coups built before the factory began Pace Car production.

The E06 is the last two digits of your VIN and was scratched on the frame cross member as the chassis was being built to track its relationship to the body.