Nose Repair or Replacement
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,246
Likes: 0
From: PA
Nose Repair or Replacement
I'm doing a body-off resto on a 69 coupe. I learned earlier the nose was damaged and repaired at one point or another. The wheel-well and the lower section of the grill were 1/2 a$$ repaired and remain busted up. Here is a link to a short vid showing the damage. Damage Video The whole body is already off the frame. Is this nose salvageable or should I plan on replacing it? If replacing it is the way to go, how do you go about it? I heard it is only glued on. Is there any special technique to removing it? Anybody have pics of replacing theirs?
Any advice is appreciated,
Thanks Carl
Any advice is appreciated,
Thanks Carl
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,269
Likes: 54
From: Orlando Florida
St. Jude Donor '05
I don't know how to replace it, this is one of the few things that I haven't done ... however, looking at the price... it's about $1000 for the entire front (Vanacor).... you may want to replace it after all the work you put into it...
Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 294
Likes: 0
From: cincinnati oh
Carl
Nice vid. I replaced the entire front clip on my 76 and it wasn't too bad of a job. I only paid $600 for an original though so the price was right. It would not be easy to find a 69 front end that was in better shape. Personally, I would work with what you have. Since you are doing a body off it will be easier to repair these areas while it is sitting on a dolly. The replacement frone ends are not press molded like the originals, so the inside is not smooth. Not to mention that the fiberglass is SMC and not FRP like the rest of your car is. If you sell the car someday people will notice and think "Why did he replace the front clip, what else is wrong". I do have some pics and such of me replacing mine. If you want them let me know.
Nice vid. I replaced the entire front clip on my 76 and it wasn't too bad of a job. I only paid $600 for an original though so the price was right. It would not be easy to find a 69 front end that was in better shape. Personally, I would work with what you have. Since you are doing a body off it will be easier to repair these areas while it is sitting on a dolly. The replacement frone ends are not press molded like the originals, so the inside is not smooth. Not to mention that the fiberglass is SMC and not FRP like the rest of your car is. If you sell the car someday people will notice and think "Why did he replace the front clip, what else is wrong". I do have some pics and such of me replacing mine. If you want them let me know.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,950
Likes: 498
From: Chino Hills CA
I replaced my 72,s front end with a one piece (non-sheet-molded) from J&D Corvette. Went on a lot easier than I thought. Use a heat gun to remove old bonding adhesive. Just need to be patient and do a lot of test fitting. On a couple of spot I wanted to be sure the front end seated correctly, I used some sheet metal screws to hod it down in spots. After the bonding adhesive set, I removed them.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,270
Likes: 4
From: Celeste Texas
Take it to your trusted corvette specialist and ask him. I took the local guys word on my front bumper and bought another one. When he ended up not painting my car I had to go to a vette specialist and he said my old bumper was repairable. It would have been cheaper to fix my old one.
Bill
Bill
