dharris45

I need to replace some of the front end of my 1960 project. Left side lower fender and side panel were replaced at some time in the past with crappy parts and poor quality repair. Because of where we would need to cut in a replacement and the fact that some other front end panels could stand to be replaced (or will need lots of patching/repair) I am considering s Sermersheim preassembled front end.

My question is can someone who has done this comment on their experience. I found one thread on the NCRS forum where a guy was doing this and having a problem mating the upper dash area of the Sermersheim part to the original lower dash panels.

Thanks,

Don

mike coletta

In my opinion, you won't find a better fit for glass than Sermershiem. I've done full front clips, rear clips, and pieces and parts, and the fit is WAY better than the hand laid stuff. As with any bodywork, it requires a skill set that not everyone has. There is a lot of grinding, and fitting before then panel is glued in place. Non of this stuff is made for a rookie, nor is it a "bolt on" with instructions included. I looked for the thread that you were talking about on the NCRS board, but couldn't find it, but my guess is that someone with no experience was doing the work. Good luck!!

Mike Coletta

gbvette62

Sermershiems makes the best press molded fiberglass.

You may want to concider ordering the pre-assembled nose with the side fenders (the cove area) left off. A local shop I deal with has installed dozens of Sermershiem's noses. He always orders them with the sides left off, because he says it's much easier to fit the nose without those on it, and then install them afterwards.

Do a search of the Forum, I know installing Sermershiems noses this way, has been discussed here in the past too.

dharris45

Thanks, this was the feedback I was looking for. I have a 25 year plus vette body specialist who will be doing much of the finish body work. He made the same recommendation about leaving the side lower fenders loose to make figment easier.

Thanks again
Don

John McGraw

Sermershiems builds the best fiberglass parts out there, in my opinion.
I also buy them with the lower fenders not bonded on. Makes them way easier to install.



Regards, John McGraw

Avispa

FWIW, Houston Corvette Service (who is doing the glass repairs on my 66) says the same about Sermershiem's glass. All my replacement panels are coming from them.

jimh_1962

The person who did the bodywork on my car only uses Sermershiems glass also. Though, in my case, he only replaced a few parts with their glass since there were enough original glass pieces to redo the front end. You might want to post some pictures here on what you need to replace. You might not need to get entire preassembled front clip.

mrg

Also using Sermersheim PM panels on my C2. I believe these to be excellent repro panels. As mentioned there will likely be some fit, grind, re-fit, etc. needed to get everything just so before bonding in place.

In my case some additional fiberglass mat and resin needed to be added to build up an underside area of one panel that was a bit on the thin side. After the area was sanded smooth the added fiberglass mat and resin blended in quite well. Topside of the panel was otherwise perfect.

dharris45

Per James' suggestion here are some photos. As you can see in

photo 1, the passenger side is pretty good. One area at the top of the wheel well that has a patch and the outside is smooth. Inside is pretty nasty with globs of glass a resin.
Photo2, shows where the driver side fender was cut into the cowl/forward dash area. See the nice hole that shows upper firewall underneath!!! That was under a thick layer of patching.

Photos 3 and 5 shows more of the replacement fender forward.

Photo 4 show where the replacement was patched into the nose.

Photo 6 is the filler that was on top of the fender that I removed when removing the paint. It was 1/4 thick and was there to make the top fender profile correct.

The replacement fender seems to be very thin to the point that it flexes a lot when I press down on it.

The lower nose area also has some fiberglass cloth (yes cloth not mat) laid inside in front of the wheels. Not sure why as I haven't found any cracks or external patches. I would need to either grind this out and replace with mat if there is something there to repair.

There are a couple of reasons I am considering an entire front end. I don't really like the idea of pieceing another fender as the currently replacement was done. So that would mean a complete hood surround to not have to piece in another fender. I could get by with a hood surround, driver fender (upper and lower with cove), but I am concerned about the lower nose areas as well. As I mentioned above, there is a lot of fiberglass tape inside that I haven't figured out way it is there. Also another reason for at least the hood surround is that the mounting studs for my windshield wiper transmission are all broken or rusted off (with the exception of one stud), and the stud plate is sandwitched between the upper and lower dash glass panels. So the only way I can figure to fix is try to drill from underneath and use a threaded insert, but I'm nut sure I can even get a drill under there and lined up to do this.

The last reason is cost. My body man charges $50 per hours. So what I don't know yet (I need to ask him) is how much more time will he spend replacing parts and pieces over my buying the entire front end preassembled. At $50 an hour I could spend enough on labor cost to piecemeal the parts that would cover most of the cost of a complete preassembled front end.

Your thoughs?

jimh_1962

In my opinion, I would not replace the entire clip. Instead buy the panels you need for the driver side. I would spend the money on the fender reinforcements.

http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb....Z5Z5Z50000050x
349.00


http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb....Z5Z5Z50000050x
339.00

He still has to do some work to deattach and attach a new clip.

GCD1962

No problems with the fenders & bonding strips on my '62 from Corvette Image

Avispa

Depends on who's doing the work. Sometimes it can be less expensive overall to install a door-to-door assembled front clip than to assemble individual panels. Assembled PM front clips weren't available yet when I had my restoration done. Using one of those would have saved close to 50 hours of labor time. What I got is still a masterpiece, though. That my body and paint man was able to assemble all those individual panels and bonding strips into a factory-straight front end still amazes me.

jimh_1962

I guess it all depends upon both sides. Looking at the driver side replacing everything might be less expensive and less time consuming.

In my case, I had one front clip and partial front end. The person who did the work wanted a new clip for my car from the rocker panels forward. He found out it was going to cost an additional 1200.00 to ship the front clip. Instead, he was able to use the extra front clip and do the work himself. Shipping the entire clip will add to the cost.

Vette Daddy

IMO, I would replace the entire clip. Any repair, over time, will shrink.

You have the opportunity to have a front end with no seams except for the factory ones, with the exception of the lower fenders, where they meet the rockers. Also, you will get rid of that splice on the drivers side under the dash. Classic repair from long ago.

dharris45

I need to have a detailed conversation with my body man. The parts that I need to replace are going to cost about $3,400 and the entire front end assembled is about $5,800. So if piecing it together versus an entire front end is more than 48 hours difference then it would be less expensive to do the entire front end.

I'm not sure that I will every get the car judges, but I am trying to keep it as close to as "original like" as I can simply because I want to. There are a lot of messy patches underneath the fenders with screws in the bonding strips, etc.

But for sure $2,000 more in parts is not an easy decision to make.

Thanks,
Don

mrg

As a first timer replacing left side front and nose panels on my C2 I also wanted to keep it as 'original as possible'. Working with fiberglass mat and resin before, I figured to do the work myself. The one thing about doing it this way (panel replacement) is the amount of TIME involved in effecting this kind of repair. Between grinding, fitting, etc., it adds up. Some additional mat and resin needed to be added here and there. .. More time. There's also body work to be done to finish off the repair. .. More time. I've lost count of the hours.

IMO the spread in cost for panel vs. entire front clip replacement could be eaten up if for some reason your body guy doesn't come in on, or hold fast to his repair estimate numbers. If he's experienced in Corvette body repair, then perhaps no problem.

All things considered the 'screws and messy patches' on other body panels might also come into play. If the cost estimate to R&R panels or replace the entire front clip is remotely close you might feel better in the long run having gone with a front clip replacement.

0Willcox Corvette

I must agree with this! If you cut in the top of the fender as the PO has done, over time the resin will cure out and the repair will show! That "classic repair" was from using the GM replacement fenders that were exactly they way it is shown in the pic... cut right in front of the windshield. I think I still have a few of these upstairs.

When new the entire upper surround panel from the dash pad frame to the end of the nose was one solid part! Sermershiems makes the upper surround just like it was done from the factory. Installation is not for the timid.

I've always used their parts and with great success. Even let them pull a mold from my NOS fenders in the late 70s.

I've tried others over the years but only sparingly and never had any reason to go elsewhere for the parts. The delivery times can be a pain and this is one reason we don't have their product up on the web site. We do offer Forum members nice discount off on their product. You'd have to give Norm or Tommy a call on Monday if interested.

Willcox

dharris45

Sorry, Who is Norm or Tommy? Are the with Sermersheim?

0Willcox Corvette

I'm sorry.. they work at Willcox in sales and will be in on Monday at 9 eastern time.
800-588-3883.