New front bumper
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,618
Likes: 694
From: Danville Illinois
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified
2021 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
New front bumper
Time for a new front bumper, old one falling apart. Had this Eckler bumper for 30 years up in the attic.
Needs some work, but will work. Oh yes, stripping with razor blades makes one hell of a mess.
Going with a different color also, not sure yet. Waiting on new air conpressor, after 34 years my Craftsman crapped out. Going with 60 gal 3 hp this time
Needs some work, but will work. Oh yes, stripping with razor blades makes one hell of a mess.
Going with a different color also, not sure yet. Waiting on new air conpressor, after 34 years my Craftsman crapped out. Going with 60 gal 3 hp this time
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,626
Likes: 140
From: Kanuckistan
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Time for a new front bumper, old one falling apart. Had this Eckler bumper for 30 years up in the attic.
Needs some work, but will work. Oh yes, stripping with razor blades makes one hell of a mess.
Going with a different color also, not sure yet. Waiting on new air conpressor, after 34 years my Craftsman crapped out. Going with 60 gal 3 hp this time
Needs some work, but will work. Oh yes, stripping with razor blades makes one hell of a mess.
Going with a different color also, not sure yet. Waiting on new air conpressor, after 34 years my Craftsman crapped out. Going with 60 gal 3 hp this time
Racer
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 257
Likes: 1
isn't the actual "bumper" missing?
..I know you took off the "bumper cover" and are changing that...but shouldn't there be some crash protection stuff inside of the bumper cover that stays on the car?
(not familiar with what that year should have, my 74 has a big metal thing that that the bumper cover hides...did that later car have a big plastic cell structure thingy that attached to the front of the car, under the outer bumper cover?)
..I know you took off the "bumper cover" and are changing that...but shouldn't there be some crash protection stuff inside of the bumper cover that stays on the car?
(not familiar with what that year should have, my 74 has a big metal thing that that the bumper cover hides...did that later car have a big plastic cell structure thingy that attached to the front of the car, under the outer bumper cover?)
Last edited by T Rush; Mar 6, 2011 at 10:13 PM.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,618
Likes: 694
From: Danville Illinois
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified
2021 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
two pics of the stuff behind the bumper, one on the car the other off. parts are backward on the floor, should be turned around. I guess all of it weighs 50- 70 pounds.
Most of it will go back on just a lot easier to work on it this way
Most of it will go back on just a lot easier to work on it this way
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,618
Likes: 694
From: Danville Illinois
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified
2021 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
The head light thing was a kit, I think it was 140.00 in 1976, haven't seen anybody selling them lately. Easy to do, I will look in my papers for the company and see if they are still around, 35 years is a long time.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,682
Likes: 829
From: WI
Changing to square headlights was a relatively popular advertizment you'd see in the 80's Corvette mags. So was velour upholstery, fur on the dash, rear window louver and the Ecklers ground-effect kit. The headlight kit looks pretty good, though.
Last edited by Mark G; Mar 8, 2011 at 07:28 PM.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,618
Likes: 694
From: Danville Illinois
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified
2021 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
Yes the bumper is an Eckler 1975 front bumper.
Yes the car was modded in 1975, bought it new, drove 5000 mile and added the Zl1 fender flares and L88 hood, modded the engine and trans. I wanted the hatchback kit but was not available at the time
No Velvet interior or Elvis painting on the car tho.
Yes I am old fart 63, i do have fur on my face, and yes i did this stuff in 1976.
Yes the car was modded in 1975, bought it new, drove 5000 mile and added the Zl1 fender flares and L88 hood, modded the engine and trans. I wanted the hatchback kit but was not available at the time
No Velvet interior or Elvis painting on the car tho.
Yes I am old fart 63, i do have fur on my face, and yes i did this stuff in 1976.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,008
Likes: 38
From: Space Coast Gator Territory
Yes the bumper is an Eckler 1975 front bumper.
Yes the car was modded in 1975, bought it new, drove 5000 mile and added the Zl1 fender flares and L88 hood, modded the engine and trans. I wanted the hatchback kit but was not available at the time
No Velvet interior or Elvis painting on the car tho.
Yes I am old fart 63, i do have fur on my face, and yes i did this stuff in 1976.
Yes the car was modded in 1975, bought it new, drove 5000 mile and added the Zl1 fender flares and L88 hood, modded the engine and trans. I wanted the hatchback kit but was not available at the time
No Velvet interior or Elvis painting on the car tho.
Yes I am old fart 63, i do have fur on my face, and yes i did this stuff in 1976.
If anyone would like to make their own rectangular headlight conversion pop up system, it wouldn't be too difficult. 1980 vintage Camaro's used the same size rectangular headlights that are readily available at the salvage yard. I picked a complete system including bulbs, bulb cups, rings, springs and adjusters for $40. The hardest part is modding the fiberglass covers to accommodate the rectangular bulbs IMO. Fiberglass is relatively easy to work with, so with some measuring and making forms, a straight forward job.
When finished, post some pictures of the painted car, it looks awesome. I always liked the turbine wheels!
I bought a used set of the fixed rectangular buckets that had badly rusted bulb cups and needed replacement. NAPA has new chrome bulb rings for $53, but for a complete system @ $40 I can live with them painted.
Last edited by Red 69; Mar 10, 2011 at 11:52 AM.
