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I believe this one was a photoshop mockup only from Josh @ CustomImageCorvettes a few years ago; it would be a fine, option, too; if I could actually buy it and didn't need to buy a full wide-body kit just for the open front bumper: http://i52.tinypic.com/28jwc61.jpg
Anyone come across any commercially for sale open late C3 front bumpers like this?
I don't really have the budget for fully custom; I have a 79 and they're just not worth enough to justify custom (no offense to fellow late 70s; early 80s owners; I just find so much aftermarket Corvette parts are priced like they're going to be used on super big dollar C2s or early C3s...).
I reached out to the guy who owns the photobucket; he's the CEO of 2F Performance, who makes a bunch of aftermarket bumpers including for a C5. My best guess is that this was a photoshop concept or a custom made front bumper that he considered making a commercial part and then pulled back on.
I'll let everyone know what I hear; hopefully he made some kind of mold and could still make a couple without it being a fully custom price... (A guy can hope anyway, right?)
I am lost on thinking 79 or any year c3 isnt "worth" custom touches, there are some nice modded cars here that are not sought after years,
and I am doing a 69 ( a year that ruffles feathers to mod ) but I am a big time budget builder, I look hard for cheap prices on parts.
The black c3 with wing on the rear I have seen in person several times, it's a sweet car, one of my favorites, I was told the front bumper was an aftermarket and modded piece from a c4,
the silver car looks good loose the bar in the mouth, it doesn't need to look like a kid wearing braces and the blue 80-82 looks like something is missing,
Since you have a 79 consider getting a fiberglass front bumper and modify it to your liking loose the bumperettes and open the grill,
when I got my 69 the front clip was 73-79 style modded, you can see what they did but if the dividers were removed my grill would have been fully open....
there is a series of like 25 you tube videos of a kid who bought an old 76 and has been modding it himself, he opened up the bumper to look similiar to the first pic of the sweettooth looking bumper... I believe his name was Bocephus..
I am lost on thinking 79 or any year c3 isnt "worth" custom touches, there are some nice modded cars here that are not sought after years,
and I am doing a 69 ( a year that ruffles feathers to mod ) but I am a big time budget builder, I look hard for cheap prices on parts.
The black c3 with wing on the rear I have seen in person several times, it's a sweet car, one of my favorites, I was told the front bumper was an aftermarket and modded piece from a c4,
the silver car looks good loose the bar in the mouth, it doesn't need to look like a kid wearing braces and the blue 80-82 looks like something is missing,
Since you have a 79 consider getting a fiberglass front bumper and modify it to your liking loose the bumperettes and open the grill,
when I got my 69 the front clip was 73-79 style modded, you can see what they did but if the dividers were removed my grill would have been fully open....
Ok, I admit that's pretty good looking. Anyone have a link to build photos for this?
Ok, I admit that's pretty good looking. Anyone have a link to build photos for this?
Adam
That was my 69 when I got it, it was modded in the early 70's when fairly new, when the 73 hit the market everyone wanted that smooth streamlined look, my car also had small flares and a blower, of course the blower was long gone, and the car sat a few decades in a garage.
The bumper is molded in to the clip and they filled the side markers,
And did the custom work you see,
When the silver paint still looked okay I took it to the old town cruise a few times and it was shocking how many non vette people would say/ask 73?
My 69 had some rust issues that to fix correctly the clip had to come off and since I am always flip flopping build plans when a fellow asked to buy this clip I sold it to him, now I have a mako front clip and 68/69 stock clip to choose from,
I wish I had kept this clip, cut out those dividers to open the full front and made a custom grill, but....
The guy who photo shopped the super clean, open front C3 bump below (a long time ago); owns 2F Performance in Phoenix who makes body kits for a bunch of different "Asian cars" (yes, I restrained myself, somehow) and he'd be willing to make these if he could get 5 pre-orders.
I'm still asking about price, but he previously sold a C5 clean front bumper for $750 so I'm definitely expecting that to be the maximum cost of entry, but we'll see.
SOOO... Anyone else out there looking to get rid of the bumperettes, do a little front-end weight mod, and then have a nice new clean-looking, better breathing front bumper installed?
(Yes, front license plates would be a "problem"; not that I care.)
The guy who photo shopped the super clean, open front C3 bump below (a long time ago); owns 2F Performance in Phoenix who makes body kits for a bunch of different "Asian cars" (yes, I restrained myself, somehow) and he'd be willing to make these if he could get 5 pre-orders.
I'm still asking about price, but he previously sold a C5 clean front bumper for $750 so I'm definitely expecting that to be the maximum cost of entry, but we'll see.
SOOO... Anyone else out there looking to get rid of the bumperettes, do a little front-end weight mod, and then have a nice new clean-looking, better breathing front bumper installed?
(Yes, front license plates would be a "problem"; not that I care.)
Adam
Some of those fast and frivolous kits are pretty sweet.
Okay...not trying to kill a buzz but the 80-82 nose/bumper cap that is this blue car is not a bolt on to the 73-79 which would have to have their fenders cut to install a stock 80 style nose, if you do it like custom people would it's not a big deal but if you try to get it just like stock with the under structures then it's a bit more work,
I thought your car was a 79..so first decide if you want 73-79 style bumper or 80-82 style or that you are okay with cutting your front fenders,
as far as custom made I would not guess or assume what the cat will charge and from my less than positive experiences do not do things like pay in full up front or that week turn around might turn into a year.
No front plate holder for states that require it isn't an issue there is a cool device like a mini garage door opener that hides the plate at shows and pops it out when on the roads, it's on ebay.
This is probably just going to turn into more evidence that the 80 is the best affordable Vette of all time, I'm pretty sure... (And then I'm going to get depressed after you answer my questions...)
I SO wish my car was starting off with 200lbs less weight.... *Sigh* Why won't Jenny Craig accept my fatty fat fat 79 C3?
Okay the 80-82 style was what I called the under bite front end, as seen on the silver car note the line where it bolts on,
the 73-79 had "basically" what I call the overbite front bumper, little details / top line changed during the 73-79 run but the basis look is the same, see the red car.
To further confuse it,
When the 80 came out ecklers offered the under bite bolt on for the early cars seen here in white,
no fender cutting was required and looked better with the addition of the 78 pace car spoiler,
And last we have the popular Daytona front bumper, like an 80 style but with the big extra train style cow catcher, this required fender cutting to go on pre 80 cars....
A lot of companies had their versions of this ACI, Greenwood, Ecklers etc.
I wouldn't worry about the 200 pounds just build what you want and worry about a diet later....
Last edited by The13Bats; 06-30-2016 at 09:38 PM.
Reason: land of a zillion typos
A fiberglass Bumper takes a lot more fitting which means fiberglass work than most people think. If You are going to go to all the trouble of that then cutting out the center or any other modifications just isn't any big deal.
Okay the 80-82 style was what I called the under bite front end, as seen on the silver car note the line where it bolts on,
the 73-79 had "basically" what I call the overbite front bumper, little details / top line changed during the 73-79 run but the basis look is the same, see the red car.
To further confuse it,
When the 80 came out ecklers offered the under bite bolt on for the early cars seen here in white,
no fender cutting was required and looked better with the addition of the 78 pace car spoiler,
And last we have the popular Daytona front bumper, like an 80 style but with the big extra train style cow catcher, this required fender cutting to go on pre 80 cars....
A lot of companies had their versions of this ACI, Greenwood, Ecklers etc.
I wouldn't worry about the 200 pounds just build what you want and worry about a diet later....
Most educational post EVER. Serious amount of time put into this; truly appreciate it. I get it now.
So for this to be useful to me, it would have to be made for the 73-79 cars only (just the front bump part, no fender extension thingies).
Which also means I'd have to locate 4 people who want one of these who also have 73-79 cars...
I see why it might be a whole lot easier and cheaper to just hack off the bumperettes and license plate holder and create a little mini-grill there like some people on here have done already...
I DO still love that all the way open look, though...
The guy who photo shopped the super clean, open front C3 bump below (a long time ago); owns 2F Performance in Phoenix who makes body kits for a bunch of different "Asian cars" (yes, I restrained myself, somehow) and he'd be willing to make these if he could get 5 pre-orders.
I'm still asking about price, but he previously sold a C5 clean front bumper for $750 so I'm definitely expecting that to be the maximum cost of entry, but we'll see.
SOOO... Anyone else out there looking to get rid of the bumperettes, do a little front-end weight mod, and then have a nice new clean-looking, better breathing front bumper installed?
(Yes, front license plates would be a "problem"; not that I care.)
So for this to be useful to me, it would have to be made for the 73-79 cars only (just the front bump part, no fender extension thingies).
Which also means I'd have to locate 4 people who want one of these who also have 73-79 cars...
Forget 73-74's. The front bumper cover, impact bar, license plate bracket, bumper brackets and bumper shock absorbers (or lack there of), are completely different than what is used for 75-79 front bumpers.
On the 73-74 front end, you can unbolt the front license bracket, and the nose will be open in the center front. 73-74's sold in states that didn't use a front license plate, came with a center grill, instead of the plate bracket. You can't even use a 73-74 front bumper cover, on a 75-79 nose, without doing fiberglass work on the body.
I see why it might be a whole lot easier and cheaper to just hack off the bumperettes and license plate holder and create a little mini-grill there like some people on here have done already...
You don't have to "hack off" the license plate bracket or bumperettes, as they just bolt to the bumper impact bar. The problem is, removing the bracket/bumperette assembly, won't accomplish what you want. I'm pretty sure the impact bar is solid behind the bracket too. Removing the plate bracket will only reduce the effectiveness of your front bumper.
Below is a 75-79 license bracket/bumperette assembly.
06-29-2016, 12:11 PM
Aftermarket late C3 open grill front bumpers?
