Newbie question

[ptt]

Im new to the TC forum so please excuse my lack of knowlege. What are the major body parts of the TC made of? Fenders, hood, trunk etc. Thanks.

[franc944]

I recently sold my '90 reatta convertible and got a 91 tc. The car is traditional steel unibody. The parade boot is fiberglass and hardtop also fiberglass.

Very similarly to Reatta is shortened Riviera. Lebaron is lengthened TC. They share parts in similar ways but were built in different factory.

Even Reatta production numbers were similar as was PPG paint process. I don't know why TC values are so much lower than Reatta verts. Makes it a bargain future classic.

Edited May 18, 2012 by franc944 (see edit history)

[Hemi Dude]

Im new to the TC forum so please excuse my lack of knowlege. What are the major body parts of the TC made of? Fenders, hood, trunk etc. Thanks.

The body is 100% metal. Well, the hard top is some sort of fiberglass. Shiny stuff is ALL polished stainless steel.

[cowancom]

Wrong.

The body panels of the TC are 2 sided galvanized steel. This was the first use of galvanized steel in ANY car ever made in Italy. Steel specialist had to be brought in from Germany to lend a hand to the Italian craftsmen forming and stamping the bodys. This led to further delays.

Once again---the hard top of the TC is a SMP part--NOT fiberglass!!!

SMP---sheet molded plastic. This part was the largest SMP part ever used in the auto industry at that point. If it was fiberglass it would weigh 50 pounds or more than it does.

The tonneau cover is steel. I have the dents of hundreds of beauty queens rears to prove it. Use your car in a parade once and tell me what its made out of.

[Hemi Dude]

Wrong.

The body panels of the TC are 2 sided galvanized steel. This was the first use of galvanized steel in ANY car ever made in Italy. Steel specialist had to be brought in from Germany to lend a hand to the Italian craftsmen forming and stamping the bodys. This led to further delays.

Once again---the hard top of the TC is a SMP part--NOT fiberglass!!!

SMP---sheet molded plastic. This part was the largest SMP part ever used in the auto industry at that point. If it was fiberglass it would weigh 50 pounds or more than it does.

The tonneau cover is steel. I have the dents of hundreds of beauty queens rears to prove it. Use your car in a parade once and tell me what its made out of.

Hi Tim, does that stuff rust out? That 2 sided galvanized steel?

Is 2 sided galvanized steel METAL?

So I'm not a metallurgist. I'm just a retired mechanic, excuse me.

Fiberglass? NO, so it's SMP, thanks for that. It's heavy enough that it takes 2 strong people to lift that SMP roof anyway.

We are now all a little smarter.

I won't remember that tomorrow.

If you have been following this, you will see that this fellow has been asking a lot of generic questions and I have been answering most all of them.

Take a turn... You did, OK. Is that a repaint on that orange TC?

Top rear latch operation, Perhaps someone has sketch they made of it and could post a picture of the sketch : don't need the electrical diagram, just the mechanical configuration.

Here's your opportunity Tim.

Edited May 20, 2012 by Hemi Dude (see edit history)

[cowancom]

Hello Hemi--

First I hope this finds you well. I was told you have had some eye and health problems. Your always in our thoughts and prayers.

The steel used in the TC was for better rust protection. And it was a larger gauge of thickness than used in any other Chrysler product of the time. If you ever get a chance to weigh a TC trunk lid or hood. Vs a LeBarron piece there is quite a difference.

The paint on my red TC is original. It spent its first 15 years in the North Carolina sun. It now sets in my garage in Florida. I remember us looking at about 5 or 6 original paint red TC's in the parking lot in Reno and they were all a little different.

I think the UV reacts differently with the color from different parts of the country.

Great to hear from you.