Topic: What causes spider cracks around headlights?
in Forum: C3 Body
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My only paint imperfection is a small spider crack in my hood that starts in the corner around my drivers headlight panel. Everyone I've spoken to says "they're just a fact of life" but I don't see them on all older vettes. I just wondered why they're so common in this spot & is there any way to prevent them or at least stop them from "running" ? 
Thanks !!! ~ Joe
Thanks !!! ~ Joe
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Everyone has them. Sometimes if the car was hit slightly you get them. It would normally be a ding on a metal car. Most are just from body flex. Like if you pull in to somewhere and you hear it creaking. The frame is flexing and it eventually will give you a spider crack some where. I tapped a car going about 1 mph with mine. I had about 20 of them and it cost over 3 grand to fix it. Now I trailer the car everywhere and I still get them.
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moro, IL - USA
Joined: 2/11/2002
Posts: 406
Vette(s): 1979 Black coupe. 11256 original, documented, miles on it when I bought it in April of 2000. It now has 13100 on it. Oyster interior, like new. Everything original, everything works, except the clock. Paint has a couple of minor flaws.
Must be a fact of life with fiberglass cars. I have a couple of real small ones.
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Former Member
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moro, IL - USA
Joined: 2/11/2002
Posts: 406
Vette(s): 1979 Black coupe. 11256 original, documented, miles on it when I bought it in April of 2000. It now has 13100 on it. Oyster interior, like new. Everything original, everything works, except the clock. Paint has a couple of minor flaws.
|QUOTE|fun71 said: Sounds like the only way to avoid them is to not drive the car! NO WAY!! 
~ Joe|/QUOTE|
Mine were on the car when I bought it, and haven't gotten any worse. My vette has spent its entire life in a garage, but I don't know if that helped or not.
~ Joe
|/QUOTE|Mine were on the car when I bought it, and haven't gotten any worse. My vette has spent its entire life in a garage, but I don't know if that helped or not.
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Former Member
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Port Orchard, WA - USA
Joined: 8/23/2002
Posts: 11
Vette(s): 1971 coupe, 270 hp, auto, air. 43K original miles. All original.
Stress cracks in corvettes are greatly reduced by replacing the body mounts. Depending on the part of the country, the rubber can get hard in about ten years. This causes the body to become a rigid part of the frame, and even a speed bump or uneven pavement can cause enough frame flex to crack the fiberglass. If you can't dimple a body mount with a fingernail it is suspect and should be replaced to eliminate stress cracks due to frame flex. Be sure not to overtorque the mount bolts; this reduces the compressability of the rubber and you are back with your original problem.
K & M Restorations.
K & M Restorations.
I have spider cracks around all of my rear lights. Looks horrible!!! But I have to live with it for now.
1977 Corvette EX-L48
383 Stroker, Holley MPFI, MSD Ignition, BTO 700R4, VBP Street/Slalom, Hooker Sidepipes with JCL Spiral Baffles, Corbeau A4s w/ Shark Bar and Simpson 5-Points, 17" AR TTII's, Kumho MX's
(click to see a bigger version)
383 Stroker, Holley MPFI, MSD Ignition, BTO 700R4, VBP Street/Slalom, Hooker Sidepipes with JCL Spiral Baffles, Corbeau A4s w/ Shark Bar and Simpson 5-Points, 17" AR TTII's, Kumho MX's
(click to see a bigger version)
I've got'em in different spots....arrrgggghhh!!
Guess it's just a fact of life with an older Vette!
I can live with them... I've got some age marks myself!
Just adds "character"! (At least that's what my wife tells me!)
John - (Jp42Vette) - '76 Coupe
www.luvmyvette.com
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in Forum: C3 Body
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