Hello again everyone! I have been avoiding this for quite some time, but now that it is starting to warm up again its time to get it fixed...the rear bumper

So that being said, what is the best option for me to take. I'm not all that great with body work so I would much rather take her in to a shop. Truflex vs. fiberglass-which is best? How much is install and paint going to cost for a quality shop? Some kind of rough estimate would be great such as what someone else has paid in the past. I'm open to any and all information!

Also I would just like to say thank you to everyone on the forum, especially DB! You all have been so helpful to me and I hope to be around here for quite some time

 

I had the bumper on my '74 replaced in the summer of 2007 with a Fiberglass unit. The work was done at a local body shop that was recommended by our local Corvette shop. Total cost including the cost of the bumper was around $1,100. I should mention that it was done in Lacquer (Had some paint left from when I had the car repainted some years ago.) 8 coats of paint, color sanded then a coat of Clear.



Hope this helps.
Mike

 

Thats what I was looking for. Thanks Mike!

 

Andrew, I replaced mine last year with a Tur Flex and very pleased with it. If your doing it yourself I would highly recommend it. Unless you are a fiberglass guru then go for it. But a few things you should know. They are easlier to work with because they do flex more than FG. You also will have to do some work on the tail light mounts (not to hard). Also you will not have to use the stiffing supports for the tail lights. True Flex is solid enough to take the tails and BU lights with out the supports. Use those small retainers not the long strips used by factory. Just my 2 cents worth. Oh watch the pig tails on the lights there is not much room to work with. Hope this helps

sgm2004

 

As far as fiberglass vs flex goes, which one will look better and last longer in the long run of things?

 

The only comment I can make is that when I asked the local Corvette shop for a recommendation (They've been in business for 25 years), they advised me to go the Fiberglass route because it will look better and last longer. The Truflex guys will probably give you the same answer. As I said above, I replaced the rear bumper in the summer of '07. I was very happy with the way it turned out that last summer, I had the same shop replace the front bumper with a Fiberglass unit with the same results. Both bumpers were ACI units. Your decision.

 

SGM - did you paint the bumper before installing the bumper or vice versa? Also, you said that you didn't use the tail light supports. Did you take them out completely? Are the lights just in the bumper real snug? It seems as though the bumper wouldn't be enough to keep the lights in there tight. Please shed some light.

 

...I'm confused here. I've done both my '74 & '75's rear bumper and the '74 is the easiest of the '74-'79 rears because of the way a '74's taillights are independently mounted quite unlike '75-'79 rear bumpers.

1975 pictured above done 4yrs ago. Don't have pics on the computer of the '74 rear bumper work.

 

I can honestly say that I have installed both Tru Flex and Fiberglass more than a few times too! I've had better luck with the Tru flex covers fitting with less workmanship involved.

Depending on the car, the life its lead and the original fit of the cover, I've had either an easy time putting them on or I’ve had fits!

I don't know of any reason why a fiberglass cover would last longer than a Tru Flex (flexy glass) cover. The only difference between the two is the resin. In actuality both are fiberglass only one has a urethane molecule mixed with the resin which is what gives the cover flex.

Do not be confused by Tru Flex, they will not flop around as did the original Urethane (rubber) bumper covers. Either choice between the Tru Flex and the fiberglass will outlast the original urethane covers. Both will lay flat and not wave at people when you drive by.

I’ve had better luck with fitting the Tru Flex covers and enough so that it is the only cover we will install in our shop.

Now before you begin doing this I suggest you read a few pages:
http://willcoxcorvette.com/repairand...lp.php?hID=117
http://willcoxcorvette.com/repairand...lp.php?hID=139
http://willcoxcorvette.com/repairand...lp.php?hID=184

And if you want to purchase the Tru Flex, we carry them in stock and have them listed in our Forum Special Price Section at this link: http://willcoxcorvette.com/advanced_...eywords=bumper

IMHO,

Willcox Inc.

 

With regard to the tail light mounting; they don't mount in the bumper, the bumper fits around the tail lights. The lights themselves mount onto the tail light panel. See below.



Mike

 

Andrew, the car is going to be completely painted so I did not paint before install. Good thing about Tru Flex and FG is no flex agents have to be mixed. As for the supports I'm talking about the ring supports used to stiffin the mounts in a stock bumper. You don't need them or at least I didn't. The stock tail and BU lights mounts also need slight modifications to fit properly. They are held in the bumper by sightly longer screws. There are many great Vett guys and dealers here that may have different and better install ideas. This is just the way I mounted my bump and lights. Hope this helps.

sgm2004 AKA (Guy)

 

Mike this diagram doesn't show the mounting rings like my 75 had. Is it a later modification? Thanks

sgm2004

 

Mike's AIM diagram is correct. The 1974 tail lamps are unique to that year, being one-unit pods and not housings with screw on lenses. They are bolted to a steel backing plate.



These are the braces referred to above.



Mine is a fiberglass bumper without the split.

 

Yep. One year only.

 

just to make sure I understand correctly, the whole car has to be painted? Would it be beneficial for me to replace the front bumper at this time as well? It has some paint chips and I fear it might have the same fate as the rear.

 

When I had the bumpers replaced the only thing that was painted were the bumpers. The rest of the car was masked. If the front bumper is original, it is only a matter of time before it will crack and need to be replaced. When I had the rear replaced the body shop tech looked at the front bumper and noticed that it was developing a small crack in the center V. He just looked at me and said "See you next year!".

This is what happens to Urethane bumpers when they age and become brittle.





If I were in your situation, I would replace both front and rear.

Mike

 

If you are not ready for the expense of a full paint job, the front and rear can probably be blended for a good paint match. I prefer standard fiberglass over flex-glass because for a really good fit some amount of filler will be needed on either type to make the new bumper match the body. Ultimately, fit depends on the body and the mold quality. It makes little sense to add filler to a flex bumper, even though it doesn't flex as much as it sounds. Rear bumpers usually fit pretty close on a no-hit body, but for the front bumper, flex will offer very little advantage because they seldom fit around the fender curves or mount flush to the body without some amount of filler. I think standard fiberglass is a better foundation for filler, especially when it's not my car.

 

This is exactly what I ran into with mine. The rear fit was perfect, no filler or fitting was necessary; it was "dead on". I dropped it off at the body shop on a Monday morning and picked it up Thursday afternoon. The front was a whole different story...cut, fill, adjust, etc. This time it took 2 weeks. This is the reason the local Corvette shop recommended the Fiberglass units. Al is correct in his comments.

Mike

 

Great PIC I did not know that this was a one year thing, live and learn about our beloved Corvettes. Sure would have made my work on the 75 easier if they kept it the same. Thanks for the information.

sgm2004