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Owners who are using 80-82 rear bumper on their earlier C3
For the people using an OEM 80-82 rear bumper on their older C3, I had a quick question. I have a 1976 so the original bumper has the "bumperettes" molded in - as well as the "rubber" and metal portions behind the bumperettes after the original bumper is removed.
These obviously will push out the 80-82 bumper and are easily removed, but I'm wondering if any of the "support" from behind the original 80-82 cars is also needed when installing an original bumper to an older car like mine?
(I'm trying to find a photo or diagram, I "thought" there was eggcrate / honeycomb material behind the newer bumpers, but I'm not entirely sure).
Just wanted to get thoughts from people who have used the newer bumper on the older cars. I already have the 80 bumper but I want to make sure what's behind it is correct so it's not wavy, unsupported etc.
Who made your 80 bumper cover? Contact them and ask how their cover installs on your car and what part of the 76 impact hardware you may have to remove.
Stock 80-82s use honeycomb impact material behind the bumper cover. That material may not fit your car.
Who made your 80 bumper cover? Contact them and ask how their cover installs on your car and what part of the 76 impact hardware you may have to remove.
Stock 80-82s use honeycomb impact material behind the bumper cover. That material may not fit your car.
Sorry Easy Mike, I'm going to clarify / edit my original post to be more clear. I have an OEM bumper cover from an 1980, but I wasn't sure if I need to modify / use any of the original honeycomb material etc from the 1980 corvette. I know I have to remove the impact "stuff" from my 1976. I just wasn't sure if I need any additional material under the OEM bumper.
You may want to check also, the position of the license plate lamps. I have the 80-82 Tail (aftermarket) on my '74 and the holes in the tail, where the license plate lamps would mount, were entirely blocked off on the inside by the original steel reinforcement bar that ran across the rear of the bumper.
Instead of a blank hole, looking up, all you saw was steel. So I had to use the LED license plate nuts on the '74 to get any illumination at all. I didn't want to cut into the bar, but in retrospect, I could have experimented, but then again, that's structural and protects the gas tank as well.
I have the same 80 reproduction fiberglass bumper cover on my 74. I didn't have to remove anything to install the 80s cover but I did notice that the area around the license plate feels unsupported. The 74 came with two of these supports( pictured) from the rear cross member to the two bottom license plate bolts. these two supports will not reach the same mounting area on the 80s bumper and was advised by two forum members to make two brackets that will reach to support the 80's bumper..
F22, Thanks. I'll check that out on my car as well and see if the license plate light may be an issue. I'm going with either the bubble lights or the LED taillights, so I'm going to have to re-work my Back-up lights or use a back up light in my license bracket. If needed, I'll rework a license plate light at the same time.
Ps. I like the newer emblem on your rear bumper. I was looking at them for my car as well.
Thanks very much. That is the exact area (at first glance) that looks like it should have some support behind it. I may make some supports like you picture. I also have some eggcrate material and other bumper support material from past projects that I could probably fashion , but no need to re-invent the wheel. The brackets that you show would be nice / clean / original looking etc. I think I ran across that post a few days back. Thanks for reminding me.
You're welcome,
on my 74 I ordered the two license plate light housings that originally go on the sides of the plate on the bumper. I didn't want to make holes on there since there was already one on the top area of the plate and did not want to splice into my new wiring harness to use a 1980 license plate light, so I just used one 74 license plate light housing on the top and used the original fit lamp socket with a LED light. I had just enough room to get it in there. as far as the extra light socket for the plate I taped it up and away. I also went with the bubble LED tail lights. Well worth the money!!!!. On the reverse light sockets I also taped them up and away!!.... BTW for some reason I cant take good pictures of the lit bubble LED lights and any picture that I take of them on will not do them justice. They look way better than the pictures on here.
Last edited by redcruz1120; 05-03-2016 at 04:44 PM.
Your car looks great. I keep going back and forth between the bubble lights and the "flat" round LED's, but I love the idea of both lights lit up (even if it requires a bit of work to relocate the back-up lights). With all of the LED options out there today, at least relocating the reverse lights can be done fairly easy and less "obtrusive" than in "in the good old days"...
I'll have to look in the AM but your 76 looks pretty identical in the back as mine - also a 76 - (other than the fact that my impact hardware on the ends has not been removed yet).
I may find that once I remove the impact hardware that the bumper will go back farther then it appeared it would when I did a test fit the other day with the impact hardware still attached, and perhaps nothing else is needed.
Tell me, When installed, does the back of the bumper (on each side of the license plate area) make contact with the metal structure? If so, That should be enough to "back up" the soft bumper on each side of the license plate for sure. After a quick look at mine the other day it appeared that the area on each side of the license plate would be "away" from the metal structure underneath and would possibly look wavy, but after seeing yours, I'm thinking it may not be after all.
Either way,. thanks for the picture. Mine "should be" the same as yours.
I'll have to look in the AM but your 76 looks pretty identical in the back as mine - also a 76 - (other than the fact that my impact hardware on the ends has not been removed yet).
I may find that once I remove the impact hardware that the bumper will go back farther then it appeared it would when I did a test fit the other day with the impact hardware still attached, and perhaps nothing else is needed.
Tell me, When installed, does the back of the bumper (on each side of the license plate area) make contact with the metal structure? If so, That should be enough to "back up" the soft bumper on each side of the license plate for sure. After a quick look at mine the other day it appeared that the area on each side of the license plate would be "away" from the metal structure underneath and would possibly look wavy, but after seeing yours, I'm thinking it may not be after all.
Either way,. thanks for the picture. Mine "should be" the same as yours.
I have a spacer block that is about 1" thick behind the center of the license plate. I have screws going thru the cover, thru the spacer block and into the steel support to provide support to the center of the cover while driving. It would flap in the wind without it.
I have a spacer block that is about 1" thick behind the center of the license plate. I have screws going thru the cover, thru the spacer block and into the steel support to provide support to the center of the cover while driving. It would flap in the wind without it.
Thanks, These tips are exactly what I wanted to hear. I'd rather get it all sorted out before paint and final fitting etc.
05-02-2016, 02:23 PM
Owners who are using 80-82 rear bumper on their earlier C3
