Priya

I'm planning on putting an aftermarket 69 front clip on my 79 and had thought it would fit with no modifictions until I saw this thread:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...iberglass.html


Dub said "The area that would require modifications is where your vents are at the plenum areas on both sides.

The inner skirts are also different where they bond to the fenders by your fender vents. 1968-1969's do not have the added little extension piece due to GM made the fenders with slight flare at the back of the fender."

But I'm not clear on what areas he's talking about. By plenum, does he mean the area behind the 4 gills on the 69? By inner skirts is he referring to the area that butts up to the fender around the front wheel?

Easy Mike

Probably. The 68s/69s have fender bonding panels in that area which will not be on your 79.

Inner skirts means fender skirts. 68/69 are essentially the same and not what you're going to find on the 79. 79 skirts are trimmed for crash bumper installation.

A suggestion: purchase the 69 AIM; purchase the 79 AIM. Compare the front clip parts and installations on both. The two AIMs will show you where the two clips are different.

Are you intending to add the 69 wiper door and mechanism? Run the 68-72 short hood? Do you want a functional chrome bumper on the 79 after you swap?

Priya

I will not be using the 69 wiper door or hood. I'll be using my 79 hood and extending the upper rear corners of the 69 front clip to match it. Yes, I want the 69 front bumpers on my 79 just as they are on the 69. I know I'll need the dozen or so 69 bumper mounting brackets from a 69 to do that. Still not clear on whether fender skirts mean the inner area that surounds the front wheel, or bonding panels behind the front wheel.

Alan 71

Hi P,
Since rvsio has the clip off his 69 now I'd think he could take some (many) pictures of the his cowl from all angles so you can compare it to yours.
This is going to be a very serious undertaking to pull off well! I really can't imagine someone with no Corvette body building experience undertaking it.
Regards,
Alan

Priya

I'll review his thread and see if he'll take some pictures for me. Up until I saw the thread I linked to above I thought the 69 front clip would bond into place precisely the same way the 79 does. I had thought the bigger challenge was going to be bonding the 69 rear onto the 79 but perhaps not. I feel I'm up to it. I think I've got one major project left in me. I had followed a project thread where a guy put a 69 front clip on his 80 but if he covered any of these issues I somehow missed it.

The13Bats

During my years with vettes I have seen more than I can count with a different/wrong year front clip, and many looked great, my 69 had a 73-79 front clip, won shows.
Never would I tell a person they can't do it, we are all novice to something we have yet to try....
One has to tackle this as a customization in a way, things like cowl, firewall etc did change during the c3 run, you do not want a wiper door and in your case that helps a lot. different year clips on different year cars each have their hurdles but I for one know YOU can if you desire make it happen, I know you desire to do it with all the stock "things" to mount the front bumper correctly that will take extra thought and planning and yes, in this case grab a manual for the respected years,

Priya

The first two pictures are from an 80(I assume a 79 is similar) and the last two pictures are from RVZIO's 69. When Dub refers to the plenum, is he talking about the area outlined in blue in the first picture and outlined in purple and green in the third picture? If so, I can't see any difference between the 80 and 69 other than what appears to be a missing panel in the pic of RVZIO's 69 shown by the purple line.

Are the "inner skirts/fender skirts" referred to by Dub and Easy Mike the area shown in the second picture outlined in yellow? Do I just need to get this part from a 69 to put the 69 front clip on my 79?

In the fourth picture of RVZIO's 69 is a panel outlined in brown that doesn't seem to be on the 80, Is installing that panel on my 79 what Dub was referring to by needing to modify where the vents are at the plenum area on both sides?

Priya

Thanks for the encouragement Bats.

Priya

Just found another difference. Do I just need to add the piece outlined in red in the picture below and outlined in brown in the picture above?