want to update 77 front bumper

[techrondon]

i know somebody sells conversion kits to change the 77 front bumper to look like the later c3's..saw an article in a mag awhile back but cant find that mag now..any ad's i have found have been very unclear...any body do this ??..where to get parts etc..??
thanks..

 

[silver 80]

Corvette Central has them I couldn't tell you how well they fit looks like $309.00

 

[paintdaddy]

I want to see that.The front fiberglass is different on the two styles.Anyone got a link?

 

[techrondon]

ok,,will check them out,,thanks,,,,wonder how much trouble it is to do,,,seems fit is always a prob on fiberglass..has to be other vendors and other people that have done it..thanks..

 

[techrondon]

ok,,saw thier online pix..not to good,,,,how about what i seen called the "daytona" front clip ..??

 

[silver 80]

here is a pic for ya.

 

[SolidLifters]

They're just kinda lookalikes in the grille area. They don't use the spoilered lower shape. The only way to really make it look like the newer style is cuttin' and glassin', and then buy all the right stuff, which is exxxxx-pen$ive.

 

[vmrod]

www.vanacorvette.com has those bumpers too.

In fact, I want to make my '77 vette look like a '80-82. The bumper you speak of will do just that, however, it lacks the lower spoiler.

vanacorvettes sells a LT-1 front spoiler that supposedly mates with their conversion bumber. (Makes the front look like a 80-82 with a LT-1 spoiler)

I asked to see pics of it installed together, but they couldn't find any at that time. (I'm a little skeptical)

I'll try to ask them again to look for that pic a gain, cuz it would help me out as well. I really don't want to cut up the front of my car, but boy, I sure wish it looked like the 80-82 in the front!

-Vic

 

[Tom73]

In fact, I want to make my '77 vett...ould be much cheaper in the long run. tom...

 

[vmrod]

can't sell it.

1. It is a custom convertible!
2. I have totally rebuilt the entire rear suspension/brake calipers/U-joints, leaf-spring, and anything else back there.
3. I know every-piece of this car.


Believe it or not, it would be far easier for me to cut up the front fiberglass and attach the 80-82 style bumper. I would not consider an entire cap, because I like the large single vent on each side of my car. (The 80-82 has those smaller plastic vent things.)

-Vic

 

[Bob Chadwick]

Besides, his is a convertible.:cool

 

[techrondon]

after all..IT's ONLY fiberglass.!!!.....why does this have to be so hard..??..
i have laid glass in plenty of boats,,and made and formed diff shapes with glass,,BUT,,i never seen a front bumper off or how each mounts...dont know how the curves match up for cutting and mating....
OR how about a whole front clip??..is that possible .??
i think we really need an experianced custom vette body man on this one....somebody that has had to do really seriouse body work on both models....will start looking and asking...

 

[vmrod]

I've done alot of past researching. I think I can handle the job, especially since I would not be rushing to complete it. I'm jost not ready to start something that big right now. (I haven't even put my interior back together and the only thing holding me up is additional sound proofing and heat insulation!!)

My car was 'asleep' for almost 6 years. I was not even going to start working on it until mid-next year. A year (or so) ago, I started putting some time and money into it, and accomplished a whole lot of stuff. Stuff that I am so glad I got over with!

With the exception of rebuilding the front brake calipers, my car will only really need cosmetic stuff. Everything else functions well.

-Vic

 

[techrondon]

i did get to talk last nite to somebody who knows....
to use a real say,,82 bumper is a lot of work,,,,the seam on top isnt the same,and the cutting down the fender requires lots of care,,,mounting hardware is another thing and can be fabricated..
but he did say if you had the clip or enuf of it and lots of glass and lots of time it can be done with a lot of work...
unfourtunatelly the reason he called was because of the loss of his mom,he wanted me to know...so i couldnt get much detail..
but it seems like,we need the front bumper and the glass from the top seam of the fender back to between the lites and the cove..
thats what i have so far....will check more when thing are more calmed down..when you look at the 77 front bumper there is a jog in the middle and i guess thats not there on the newer ones.
so cutting and glassing probly be most needed there..

 

[vmrod]

Most likely, I'll just re-use the fron tbumper that I have now for awhile. Perhaps in a few more years, I'll do something different to the front. I'm realy getting tired of my poor old car just sitting there without me inside it. When I'm in there, it's like putting on my favorite pair of old running shoes. It's very cozy in the drivers seat and everything is extremely familiar to me.

I think this weekend I'll have to install my seat belts and put together some interior parts. If I am really energetic, I might even reinstall my rocker panels!!

-Vic