C1 battery hold down repop or original? new to hobby, need sanity check.

[Ian G.]

I'm new to the hobby and trying to wrap my head around whether to buy original stuff whenever I can or to settle for repop stuff. I've been looking at the repop battery hold downs for 56-62 corvettes and they look pretty much identical to the original ones I see on ebay. Does anyone know, who has been able to compare them, what the differences are (if any?). thicker metal? different spot welds? different shape?

I'm kinda hung up on eventually showing my car, and making it as orginal as I can, but I don't want to bankrupt myself in the process. Most all the repop stuff I have got, I can tell is different in some way from original stuff that I have as well (the car came with boxes of original beat up parts and replacement parts). Missing stamps, wrong shape, thinner metal. How much repop stuff is too much to hope for a top flight?

[Mike M.]

Re: C1 battery hold down repop or original? new to hobby, need sanity check.

battery hold downs are prety much right on. i wouldn't spend a fortune on an original wheich may well be a repo. mike

[Bernard M.]

Re: C1 battery hold down repop or original? new to hobby, need sanity check.

Ian,
There are differences in the battery hold down between earlier and later C1 Corvettes. I'm sorry I can't tell you where the breaking point is but at least in 1956, an original style hold down will not exhibit reliefs for the cables near the posts.

Most of those on eBay, if originals, will be of the later style or be reproduction themselves. If you are new to Corvettes and shopping eBay, you should be aware that much of what is touted as original may well not even be Corvette. Buyer beware.

No one can tell you how much to spend restoring your car. One good method is to get judging sheets and a judging guide. You'll be able to assess what the available points for a given part are and decide whether or not its worth the expense.

Bernie Myers

[Roy B.]

Re: C1 battery hold down repop or original? new to hobby, need sanity check.

One good method is to get judging sheets and a judging guide. A good start.

But little is mentioned as to how the part looks or it;s design and few pic's . That is why 25% or more of your total money to restore a Corvette spend is lost buying repro parts.

[Richard M.]

Re: C1 battery hold down repop or original? new to hobby, need sanity check.

One good method is to get judging sheets and a judging guide. A good start.

But little is mentioned as to how the part looks or it;s design and few pic's . That is why 25% or more of your total money to restore a Corvette spend is lost buying repro parts.

Very true.......plus repro parts typically do not fit........Rich

[Ian G.]

Re: C1 battery hold down repop or original? new to hobby, need sanity check.

Don't forget the danger of a guy ripping you off by selling a broken original part. I'm out 1000 dollars right now because I bought a 914 distributor from a guy (with 100% feedback BTW) and he sold me a one with a broken (JBwelded) shaft. paypal is giving me the run around and now I have a busted FI distributor and no money. All around buyer beware no matter what.
the seller was shop4laurel. avoid this guy at all costs.

[Bernard M.]

Re: C1 battery hold down repop or original? new to hobby, need sanity check.

One good method is to get judging sheets and a judging guide. A good start.

But little is mentioned as to how the part looks or it;s design and few pic's . That is why 25% or more of your total money to restore a Corvette spend is lost buying repro parts.

Although I'll agree that the guides can always stand improvement, in this particular instance, the 56-57 judging guide DOES cover the subject of the cable post reliefs, so as a reference it does have some merit.

Bernie