1963 Corvette Antenna Mount, Hood Prop, Hood Hinges, and Hood Latch

In this post, the team restored multiple components for the 1963 Corvette Antenna Mount, Hood Prop, Hood Hinges, and Hood Latch.  We installed the radiator, expansion tank, radio antenna, routed the passenger and driver side engine compartment wire harnesses, and restored the hood latches and hood supports.

1963 Corvette Antenna Mount, Hood Prop, Hood Hinges, and Hood Latch

Here is the original antenna mounting plate.  It is made of aluminum with a steel reinforcement plate riveted into it.

1963 Corvette Antenna Mount, Hood Prop, Hood Hinges, and Hood Latch

We bead blasted the mounting plate but still needed work from the corrosion and pitting.  We tossed the plate in the tumbler and tumbled it for about 2 hours.  It came out looking fantastic.  This is the finished product.

1963 Corvette Antenna Mount, Hood Prop, Hood Hinges, and Hood Latch

Here is the antenna installed.

 This is the hood prop rod.  This appears to have all the correct markings on it, however the prop rod is not supposed to be chromed.

 Here is one of the hood hinges. These also appear to have the correct markings, but they are also not supposed to be chromed.

 These are the upper hood latches.  They have the correct zinc coating, but they needed to be restored.

 These are the lower hood latches. They have the correct zinc coating but needed to be restored.

 The left hand latch was damaged and bent as you can see in the photo.  We were able to reshape it and fix it.

 Here are the lower latches after fixing, blasting, zincing, and tumbling.

 The upper hood latches after restoration.

 The hood prop rod after cleaning, blasting, zincing, and tumbling.

 The hood hinges after cleaning, blasting, zincing, and tumbling.

The seat belt anchors after refinishing.

We are really pleased with how the zinc plating came out on all these parts.  It’s amazing to see the difference in the parts from where they started how they finished.

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