Okay my community friends....CALLING ALL SHORTY CHEVY OWNERS!!!! For some time I have had a few slider mechanism covers, both forward and aft ones. Whenever I was able to yank one off a donor I snagged it. Now I am continuing down the paint and body prep, and opted to pull out some of my hardware. I decided to strip both covers that I got from the 73 I went over a month ago or so, looking to take them right down to bare metal before priming. I had known there was some confusion on my part before, but I am even a bit more perplexed now. Of the three (3) I pulled out and compared, ALL of them are different. I am figuring that the one I pulled off the same year as mine is correct, but I am not POSITIVE. As I stripped the two, I got to checking more details. The forward portions seem to be the same, except for the interacting cut. If you look at the pictures, the first comparison shows that two of them have the angled cut and then a sharp vertical one to the bottom of the cover. The third has a curved transition. Can anyone tell me what years may be an indicator of what the difference is? If you look at the second and third, one, you can see that TWO of them look essentially the same, EXCEPT one of them ONLY has mounting holes around the back in the door seam, and then just below the mechanism on the side panel, while the other has slots that enable mounting THROUGH the drip rail in six (6) locations. That was the one that I took off the '73 recently, which I think is right. HOWEVER....the holes in my drip rail seem to be tapped, AND the slots in the cover are oversize. So if you put the cover in place, the upper edge seats BELOW the drip rail and the threads do nothing but enable sheet metal screws to thread into the drip rail and through an oversize slot in the cover. I mean WTF???? To add to the confusion, the third one I have has only the front and aft mounting holes, but a lip that allows it to lock onto the edge of the drip rail......so in the end, I am not sure what I even have or if anything is stock, everything is modified, none of these are correct, etc. If anyone out there can provide some insight as to what I should be educated on, it would be appreciated. Also, if there is someone who knows which of these parts are not what I should be using and can use what I have, let me know!!!
I have no freaking clue, but I'm curious too so I'll be following. I'll go out and see what my 82 looks like when the sun comes up so you can compare it to what you have.
Might be time for a fiberglass gullwing slider from Kurk so you can ditch all those parts.
I'll be waiting to see what you find out. In my deranged state it doesn't surprise me that I can't even remember how I took it off at the junkyard. I kind of want to say that the screws came up from UNDERNEATH and threaded into the rail from below, but from a design standpoint that makes no sense whatsoever. Why would they have the sharp ends of all six screws pointing UP so you slice yourself or catch things on them when washing it? And maybe the later models did away with the extra screws altogether because of leaking/rust issues having holes through the drip rail? Dunno......
So my 82 has the curved front cut, and I wasn't able to find any screws that are holding it in, but I was looking straight up into the sun. I'm betting if it has any, there are only a few.
So my 82 has the curved front cut, and I wasn't able to find any screws that are holding it in, but I was looking straight up into the sun. I'm betting if it has any, there are only a few.
I never realized this but I noticed that conversion vans typically have the longer slider that everyone is looking for.
You hear the thunder of stampeding rhinos, elephants and tacky tigers This town ain't big enough for the both of us And it ain't me who's gonna leave
So my 82 has the curved front cut, and I wasn't able to find any screws that are holding it in, but I was looking straight up into the sun. I'm betting if it has any, there are only a few.
I never realized this but I noticed that conversion vans typically have the longer slider that everyone is looking for.
Yeah, the last time I was in the junkyard I saw one I thought was longer, but didn't have a tape on me which is weird because I typically carry one on my belt almost every day. I'll check it when I go back to pull some parts, hopefully tomorrow.
I think they come in around 11 or 13 inches. If so, I'd be all about pulling them and selling them. Everyone starts at $160 each and goes up from there. I'd like to undercut them by half to keep it affordable.
You hear the thunder of stampeding rhinos, elephants and tacky tigers This town ain't big enough for the both of us And it ain't me who's gonna leave
Thanks Kursed....so the dark brown one I have is for later model years. I can see that you also have the lip that locks on to the drip rail. i don't know that it should really make any difference as long as the forward and aft pieces are a matched set, although I recall trying to get that set to fit on mine and it did not want to do so. Is your door open in that picture? If not, then that forward cover is not back far enough amigo!
Thanks Kursed....so the dark brown one I have is for later model years. I can see that you also have the lip that locks on to the drip rail. i don't know that it should really make any difference as long as the forward and aft pieces are a matched set, although I recall trying to get that set to fit on mine and it did not want to do so. Is your door open in that picture? If not, then that forward cover is not back far enough amigo!
Yeppers, it's closed, but I was at an angle near the rear wheel. It wouldn't surprise me though, she need a TON of attention. She was used as a dirt track race car hauler for many many years. I'll see if I can get it adjusted eventually. Hoping to find or make a long arm for it soon.