drkness01

I have fallen in love with chrome bumper vettes, but I own a 76.

I found a guy selling a no motor 72 for 6500. He is willing to sell the body separately.

Is it possible to put a 72 body on a 76? Would it be a lift and swap or would I need to modify alot of things? The 72 is a muncie 4speed and my 76 it a th400, so I know some modding will happen.

The other option is to buy the whole thing and pull parts from my 76, but I know the frame on my 76 is solid and ive put a lot of effort into my interior.

The13Bats

You could do it I think doorgunner has a 76 body on his 68,
Seems the rear frame is different on that 76 than the chromies frame and would take work,
Since no matter what you will have a frankenvette anyway if it was me and I had the $$$
I would buy the entire 72 and build my dream car with the best of the parts then flip all the left over parts when my car is built....

gbvette62

Yes it can be done, and it really isn't all that difficult. The body mounts are all in the same place, and the basic frame is the same. The only major difference is at the rear of the frame, and it's not all that much different.

A customer of mine just put a 76 frame under his 72, and the only mod he had to do, was swap the last foot or so of his 72 frame, onto the 76 frame. He just cut his frame off behind the crossmember that mounts the rear end, and used it to replace that portion of the 76 frame.

Automatic frames have a removable transmission crossmember, while 4 speed trans frames, came with welded crossmembers. If you plan on keeping your automatic, you will want to consider removing the 72's trans crossmember, and adding your removable crossmember, to the 72 frame.

The biggest issue I see is what VIN number and VIN tag, would you use on the car? Ideally, you should use the 72 VIN, if the seller is willing to include it and a title, with the body.

Adding your 76's VIN tag to the 72 body, will open you up to all kinds of issues. The simpler one is that you'll have a car that looks like a 72, but is titled as a 76. The bigger issue is the legality of switching a VIN tag. To tamper with a VIN tag, is illegal on both State and Federal levels, and not something I'd ever suggest someone do.

If you really want a to do this body swap, I would only do it if the 72's VIN tag remains on it's body, and the seller gives you a legal 72 title.

I would think that this would be the preferable way to go. Though $6500 seems awful strong for a no motor 72, unless it's a complete spotless car otherwise. There are a lot of running driving 71-72's around here, for $7000-$9000. Buying the whole car, also solves any VIN and title issues.

How far is the 72 from you, would it be that difficult to go check out the frame?

I'm not sure what effect the "effort" you've put into the interior, has to do with buying just the body, verses the whole car. Either way you'll be removing the interior from the 76, right?

drkness01

I could go either way. Sticks are fun but not the best for city driving and my 76 is a somewhat daily driver. My th400 is starting to show her age so I was already planning on a th200-4r conversion. With the body off a tranny swap is ALOT easier.

I would keep the 72 tag. Seller claims its a clean title.


I havent seen a running chrome bumper for anything less than 10,000. Ive probably been looking in the wrong places. My budget for a project car is around $3000 unless someone wants to trade.

Its about an hour from my dads place and he would have no problem checking it out for me. He did 19 years as a chevy dealer mechanic.

1 piece fiberglass center console. Removable back window mod. Hidden EL wire lighting.

The body was stripped to bare fiberglass , the seller is willing to throw in a non-original "unknown internals" 350 if someone buys the frame.

Easy Mike

I'm missing something here. Why is there a need to swap anything from the 72 to your 76? Purchase the 72, put an engine it, and you have your bumper car. At that point, you could sell the 76 if you no longer wanted it.

LeMans Pete

That is the simplest and logical option. Swapping bodies would be a logistical nightmare, whereas it sounds like the '72 just needs a motor dropped in?

Where is the '72s transmission?

AirborneSilva

And you save a 72 from being parted out. That is assuming the frame is in good shape...

The13Bats

a 6500 72 is no show queen...
We are gonna speculate that the 72 has no rust?
I know old c3's never have rust...

drkness01

72 vette

So here is the CL post for it. Im not in hurry but this "seems" like an okay deal and I can probably talk the seller down some. Whats everyones opinion on how much the 72 is worth and how much I should offer for just the body?

The glassing and paint I can do myself.

I have the tools and skills to fabricate (bubba) a mounting setup for a bumper support system for a body swap.
I don't have the tools to repair medium or advanced frame damage and unless I can personally inspect it or have a million picture I automatically assume deep rust.

I found another one for only $6k but the seller isn't willing to split the body and frame. If im buying a whole 72, I want it in manual and this one is an auto. Comes with engine in car.
72 vette

The13Bats

Florida car parked in a barn 20 years?
I hould have to see the bird cage, pillars , frame etc to believe it's rust free...

Brandons72vette

Well, you can convert an automatic to a stick. I did that with my '70 428 CJ Mustang. Um...lets just say that I did not expect the cost of a manual clutch/brake pedal assembly to cost so much.

You could take the automatic, and get it running and driving, clean it up a little and try to make a little profit to help you get the right C3. ???

All I know is that I liked my '75, but love my '72, and I know you will too.

AirborneSilva

I'm far from expert on Corvettes but holy cow! It looks like you'd spend another $20K easy getting that thing back together and as The13Bats said you'd really need to see the birdcage and frame on that... If it were me I'd look elsewhere.

Loudpedal74

Man. Grab that 72, find a motor and start putting the parts together to reconstruct it. When you get it to a point where its driveable sell the 76 and finish the 72. You can get an old school build 350 done for under 5k that will be nice and strong and very reliable under 400hp. I have done the tranny swap to muncie 4spd on my 74 and while all stock parts bolt up the pedal change is no fun at all. Weld on 1 bracket for z bar is the biggest permanent thing. Body swap with tranny swap seems like a real can of worms.

1976 corvette

Here are a few pictures for frame comparison.

75



79



68




68 & 79 side by side