Egg crate question

Another new guy question, I'm seeing 72s' with the fender egg crate inserts in both body color as well as trimmed with silver or maybe chrome? Which is correct for my silver pewter 72?
Thanks,
Dave

I've seen them in many various color configurations.  Going by memory (which sometimes isn't the greatest) I believe they came from the factory in body color for all three years ('70, '71, '72).  Without looking it up to be sure I think in '70 either the horizontal or vertical edges where sanded down to the bright metal shine.  Then in '71/'72 both vertical and horizontal edges were sanded down.  Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong.

Off the top of me head, they were painted body color, then the fins were cleaned down to the shiny parts, both vertical and horizontal, on all 3 years.

When I ddi mine I talked to many people and got different answers from each of them depending on how theirs had been done. I would say I believe they are the color of the car as the ones I saw that look to have original paint were colored. Heres mine. I like the way they turned out.


Rodney


|UPDATED|1/8/2014 9:51:16 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Rodney....love that color. Is that your own custom color? Looks like a pearl tangerine....
I like the edges on the insert polished up. Looks sharp. Might not pop on a silver car though. Are those things cast aluminum or pot metal?

A Google search found this (click here to see) which is supported by what I found on page 66 of the CORVETTE Restoration Guide 1968-1982 by Richard Prince.  Click on the Supporting Documentation link to see a picture.  If all the edges are painted use a paint remover so you don't harm the chrome plating on the edges.  And I believe they are a pot metal not aluminium.

|UPDATED|1/9/2014 8:29:31 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Where can I get new egg crate vents at? I can not find them any where.

Contact Paragon Corvette and/or Zip Corvette . Both have good used stuff. Also try any of our sponsoring Vendors...ya never know until ya ask.

They are heavy.  I'd say pot metal.  By the way, just what IS pot metal, and why is it call such?

I always thought it was a zinc and iron alloy but Wikipedia says:

Pot metal—also known as monkey metal, white metal, or die-cast zinc—is a colloquial term that refers to alloys of inexpensive, low-melting point metals that manufacturers use to make fast, inexpensive castings. The term "pot metal" came about due to the practice at automobile factories in the early 20th century of gathering up non-ferrous metal scraps from the manufacturing processes and melting them in one pot to form into cast products. A small amount of iron usually made it into the castings, but too much iron raised the melting point, so it was minimized.

There is no metallurgical standard for pot metal. Common metals in pot metal include zinc, lead, copper, tin, magnesium, aluminium, iron, and cadmium. The primary advantage of pot metal is that it is quick and easy to cast. Because of its low melting temperature, it requires no sophisticated foundry equipment or specialized molds.

I read somewhere else that it was called pot metal because it was a cheap alloy used for making pots.  I run into it a lot on my 1929 Chevy--it doesn't repair well and is used on the ignition and door locks to name a few...

Jim