Bumperettes
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 63
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From: Lexington SC
Bumperettes
I saw a 1974 advertised locally for sale but the photos show bumperettes on the rear. I thought they didn't start until 1975. A quick Google Image search shows mostly no bumperettes on the back, but a few have them - maybe they're not really 1974's?
What's the correct body style?
Thanks
What's the correct body style?
Thanks
Racer
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 257
Likes: 1
the `74 is a one year only split soft tail, no bumperettes
...however, the bumper covers are interchangeable, so its not uncommon to see different styles on different year cars
...however, the bumper covers are interchangeable, so its not uncommon to see different styles on different year cars
1974 was the first year for the sloped rear bumper cover, and that year only it was a two piece split down the middle design
1974
1974 and 1975 were the only years to use that particular style or font of "CORVETTE" letters, in all 'caps' similar to the 73 and earlier 'chrome bumper' cars which use a slightly thiner font lettering... 1974 and 75 have 'indents' in the bumper cover which the letters fit down into slightly
... in 1975 the manufacturing problems were solved so the bumper cover could be produced in one piece..along with 'bumper tips' were added
1975
[edit] oops, I just noticed that the photo I had picked for the 1975 used the wrong year CORVETTE letters from a 1973 or earlier car...so it is now changed to a photo showing the proper stock lettering for 75 [/edit]
in 1976 the individual letters were changed to a one piece badge in a lower case font
1976
even with the large rear window introduced in 1978, the rear bumper stayed like the 1975(with "corvette" badge like the 1976) until 1980~82 when the rear spoiler upturned lip came back, and the "corvette" badge was now in a different lower case font
1980
its very common to see C3 "rubber bumper" cars that have had the bumper covers replaced, as the original flexible urethane covers didn't age well, so often they were replaced with harder fiberglass covers, with most any of the styles from different years could have been used as substitutions
personally I don't like the rear raised spoiler lip of the 1980~82 cars, but many others do and put that style replacement on the earlier cars...but if a 1974~1979 rubber bumper car must have a rear spoiler, for me, I would pick the one they added on in 1978 to the "pace car" edition
1974
1974 and 1975 were the only years to use that particular style or font of "CORVETTE" letters, in all 'caps' similar to the 73 and earlier 'chrome bumper' cars which use a slightly thiner font lettering... 1974 and 75 have 'indents' in the bumper cover which the letters fit down into slightly
... in 1975 the manufacturing problems were solved so the bumper cover could be produced in one piece..along with 'bumper tips' were added
1975
[edit] oops, I just noticed that the photo I had picked for the 1975 used the wrong year CORVETTE letters from a 1973 or earlier car...so it is now changed to a photo showing the proper stock lettering for 75 [/edit]
in 1976 the individual letters were changed to a one piece badge in a lower case font
1976
even with the large rear window introduced in 1978, the rear bumper stayed like the 1975(with "corvette" badge like the 1976) until 1980~82 when the rear spoiler upturned lip came back, and the "corvette" badge was now in a different lower case font
1980
its very common to see C3 "rubber bumper" cars that have had the bumper covers replaced, as the original flexible urethane covers didn't age well, so often they were replaced with harder fiberglass covers, with most any of the styles from different years could have been used as substitutions
personally I don't like the rear raised spoiler lip of the 1980~82 cars, but many others do and put that style replacement on the earlier cars...but if a 1974~1979 rubber bumper car must have a rear spoiler, for me, I would pick the one they added on in 1978 to the "pace car" edition
Racer
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 257
Likes: 1
wow, thats a great mod to the 79 ...combo of big window, Pace Car spoiler, and 74 clean(and filled?) bumper cover..then C6 wheels
something about mixing Corvette parts with crossing gens and styles with other Corvette parts that has a high percentage of success rate...not that it can't go horribly wrong, its just that when it goes right, it really works
..I looked at your other pics blckslvr79, do you ever miss the "two tone" paint?
something about mixing Corvette parts with crossing gens and styles with other Corvette parts that has a high percentage of success rate...not that it can't go horribly wrong, its just that when it goes right, it really works
..I looked at your other pics blckslvr79, do you ever miss the "two tone" paint?
Last edited by T Rush; Apr 18, 2011 at 11:51 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,962
Likes: 5
From: Schererville IN
wow, thats a great mod to the 79 ...combo of big window, Pace Car spoiler, and 74 clean(and filled?) bumper cover..then C6 wheels
something about mixing Corvette parts with crossing gens and styles with other Corvette parts that has a high percentage of success rate...not that it can't go horribly wrong, its just that when it goes right, it really works
..I looked at your other pics blckslvr79, do you ever miss the "two tone" paint?
something about mixing Corvette parts with crossing gens and styles with other Corvette parts that has a high percentage of success rate...not that it can't go horribly wrong, its just that when it goes right, it really works
..I looked at your other pics blckslvr79, do you ever miss the "two tone" paint?
Previous owner had painted it as a Pace Car clone. I was sick of people asking if it was a real pace car.
When I redid the car last year, I added a one piece '74 rear flex bumper and shaved the bumperettes off the front. Now I just need to get it in and get the rear glass tinted.
