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Several years ago I bought my first corvette and what I was told was a 69 corvette coup that had just been painted off the internet. I was told the only thing that did not work was the tach. The shipper drop it off faster than a pitstop at Daytona. Come to find out most of the car is a 73. The vin and title show to be a 69. I have spend alot of money on the car and now I would like to replace the front clip with a 69. My question is can a 69 front clip be installed on a 73 frame??? Please advise and Thanks in Advance.
How about some pictures as I am curious why you think most of the car is 73,
Hopefully the price reflected a modded car...
My 69 convertible had a 73-79 front clip along with some other little mods, the interior of mine is all 69 sans the 80 style seats, the title is 69 it is a real 69 but many people thought it was a 73, nothing wrong with 73 it was a popular look I just wanted the 69 front look.
I am in the process of a frame swap I am using a 68 frame, and to answer your question a 69 front clip will go on whatever year frame is under there, some will take more work than others but nothing epic, from 68-82 any front clip can be swapped around just in some cases some people will say not worth the work involved,
Here are a few of my car before I started work on it.
Several years ago I bought my first corvette and what I was told was a 69 corvette coup that had just been painted off the internet. I was told the only thing that did not work was the tach. The shipper drop it off faster than a pitstop at Daytona. Come to find out most of the car is a 73. The vin and title show to be a 69. I have spend alot of money on the car and now I would like to replace the front clip with a 69. My question is can a 69 front clip be installed on a 73 frame??? Please advise and Thanks in Advance.
Bud
And I thought that I had the only mutt in existence.........
I think the three of us have "car cousins"........LOL......look down
Thanks for the information and I will send some pictures ASAP. I replaced everything you can think of from the Headlights that were square to the mufflers which off of a motorcycle The 73 engine used a quart of oil every 40 miles and the radiator was completely rusted out. Tow trucks followed me for months? I put a 94 Corvette Lt1 engine in it and all new flywheel and clutch. and even the dash vents were missing. I didn't bother to go back to the business that sold me the car due to all the lies and etc. Just learned a lesson the hard way.
I have bought some brackets and grilles and looking for all the chrome pieces and looking at a one piece fiberglass front to put on. also looking for someone or place that would assist since I have limitations due to the service.. Thanks
Bud
I am located in Cheyenne, Wy but the Corvette is in Kingman, AZ.
Thanks for the information and I will send some pictures ASAP. I replaced everything you can think of from the Headlights that were square to the mufflers which off of a motorcycle The 73 engine used a quart of oil every 40 miles and the radiator was completely rusted out. Tow trucks followed me for months? I put a 94 Corvette Lt1 engine in it and all new flywheel and clutch. and even the dash vents were missing. I didn't bother to go back to the business that sold me the car due to all the lies and etc. Just learned a lesson the hard way.
I have bought some brackets and grilles and looking for all the chrome pieces and looking at a one piece fiberglass front to put on. also looking for someone or place that would assist since I have limitations due to the service.. Thanks
Bud
I am located in Cheyenne, Wy but the Corvette is in Kingman, AZ.
Hi Bud, pictures will help and I guess if the clip that is on the car can be taken off without damaging it you can sell it . It took me awhile to remove the clip off my donor car (6wks). I only worked on it when I was in a good mood. Their are many pieces that you will need so it might be a good idea to wait until you see if anything at all can be reused. My car had an Eckler one piece clip which looked pretty good.
Hey look at the bright side , its in a nice warm place unless its in Flagstaff. Keep us posted.
R
Hi Bud,
Have you checked the VIN tag on the driver's side a-pillar?
That would certainly help clarify what at least that part of the car actually is.
It might also help you decide just what to do about the front clip.
Or do you already know for sure that it's a 73?
If the car is a 69 then changing the front clip makes sense; but if it's a 73 then putting the 69 front clip on it does make as much sense.
Regards,
Alan
Love the wheels, I wouldnt mind them on my 69 but do you have any rust issues with them?
Like anything else, if kept outside they would eventually get brown spots, but a little elbow grease shined them right back up. I later put rallys on that car and gave the wheels to a friend of mine. That was about 8 years ago. I see the car every summer and they still look fantastic.
Like anything else, if kept outside they would eventually get brown spots, but a little elbow grease shined them right back up. I later put rallys on that car and gave the wheels to a friend of mine. That was about 8 years ago. I see the car every summer and they still look fantastic.
Here are some pictures I hope. The front clip that is on the car needs to be lower by the door on both sides. The Police verified that the vin is for a 1969. The frame in front has a tube running across the frame that holds vacuum which I believe was available for 69. I don't know where else to look. The bonding strips on the back side you can see where they are and I thought at first that it was pin stripping. The inside the Speedometer is 73 and the tach was 73 White instead of green. I think what happen was someone was restoring from both a 69 and 73 and threw pieces together and gave up. I have some more pictures but they are in AZ. I thought about having the current clip lower by the doors and live with it but really want the bumper front. Thanks everyone so far for your advise.
How about some pictures as I am curious why you think most of the car is 73,
Hopefully the price reflected a modded car...
My 69 convertible had a 73-79 front clip along with some other little mods, the interior of mine is all 69 sans the 80 style seats, the title is 69 it is a real 69 but many people thought it was a 73, nothing wrong with 73 it was a popular look I just wanted the 69 front look.
I am in the process of a frame swap I am using a 68 frame, and to answer your question a 69 front clip will go on whatever year frame is under there, some will take more work than others but nothing epic, from 68-82 any front clip can be swapped around just in some cases some people will say not worth the work involved,
Here are a few of my car before I started work on it.
Nice 69 to start with Bats . I see it already has the rear fender flares to accommodate the wider tires. You probably already changed the front end. Would probably be a good idea to add the flares on the bottom of the front fenders . They really save the paint. We are waiting to see some recent pictures.
It looks like your rear clip was also changed to a 70-72. You have fender flares and that is a 70-72 rear side marker lamp. The front bumper tube is simply bolted on and can be
removed to change to a 69 set-up. Lou.
Bats, I hope that you will be adding the missing side marker lights to your car. Lou.
I never noticed the side markers before. Ouch??? Now begins the s
hunt for the parts needed. Not sure on the one piece fiberglass clip whether to go with the gig or the hand laded. Quite a price difference and since the car will never be completely original? I need all of the front chrome if anybody has any pls advise. Thanks
Bud
I mucked up and didnt even post a good shot of my front clip,
The OP's car looks like it was done far more stock idea than my custom 69,
Mine had all kinds of touches the nose was modded too, like the bumperettes and side lamps,
That clip is gone, went to south Florida, the reason I pulled it was to fix the rust at the base corners of the windshield under those fender mounts the clip has to come off,
I have a Mako front clip but to look better they need a fair amount of mods, and my tastes changed from Speed racer to vintage road racer.
I scored a new in the box Ecklers 69 front clip for 400.00, then I scored that L-88 hood, I will mock it all up, make a mold with hood on to use as a one piece tilt front clip without actually modding/ruining the original Ecklers clip or L-88 hood.
I have Zl-1 rear flares larger than in the pictures and hunting ZL-1 front flares,
I am hoping the car will be back from the frame swap very soon...
I mucked up and didnt even post a good shot of my front clip,
The OP's car looks like it was done far more stock idea than my custom 69,
Mine had all kinds of touches the nose was modded too, like the bumperettes and side lamps,
That clip is gone, went to south Florida, the reason I pulled it was to fix the rust at the base corners of the windshield under those fender mounts the clip has to come off,
I have a Mako front clip but to look better they need a fair amount of mods, and my tastes changed from Speed racer to vintage road racer.
I scored a new in the box Ecklers 69 front clip for 400.00, then I scored that L-88 hood, I will mock it all up, make a mold with hood on to use as a one piece tilt front clip without actually modding/ruining the original Ecklers clip or L-88 hood.
I have Zl-1 rear flares larger than in the pictures and hunting ZL-1 front flares,
I am hoping the car will be back from the frame swap very soon...
Looks like we both have our work cut out for us. Take pictures of your work and let me know how your doing? I can get a front clip hand laid from California for $1,395 plus shipping to Kingman, Az. Not a jig set so don't know what I can expect in putting it on. I will try and take care of the 73 clip if I can taking it off and make someone a good deal on it and since I will have the crate from the 69 clip should only be shipping cost. I am currently in Cheyenne, Wy. I have a house here and in Kingman but we came home for Xmas and my mother in law was admitted to the Hospital. She is 89 and has good days and bad days so we don't want to go back to Kingman until we know more on her health. I had most of the brackets and stuff shipped to Kingman and got a build sheet book to assist I hope.
Looks like we both have our work cut out for us. Take pictures of your work and let me know how your doing? I can get a front clip hand laid from California for $1,395 plus shipping to Kingman, Az. Not a jig set so don't know what I can expect in putting it on. I will try and take care of the 73 clip if I can taking it off and make someone a good deal on it and since I will have the crate from the 69 clip should only be shipping cost. I am currently in Cheyenne, Wy. I have a house here and in Kingman but we came home for Xmas and my mother in law was admitted to the Hospital. She is 89 and has good days and bad days so we don't want to go back to Kingman until we know more on her health. I had most of the brackets and stuff shipped to Kingman and got a build sheet book to assist I hope.
Bud
For us 2014 was a year of parents failing heath and dad passing in sept, I do hope the best for your mil.
I have a project build on here under bats restro custom,
Chrome bumper stuff is harder to find used, but clips are out there if you dont want new or want to shop around.
I dont know what your company uses to ship but my ecklers clip was in a huge cardboard box, but it had goner through a couple owners.
I left the box, toss clip on roof,
I had heard that many people run into fitting issues with one piece aftermarket clip, but in my case doing it tilt I will have a much easier time fitting mine, while that 73-79 front clip was on mine it didnt have the 73 or any front end extentions just the 69 stuff...
For us 2014 was a year of parents failing heath and dad passing in sept, I do hope the best for your mil.
I have a project build on here under bats restro custom,
Chrome bumper stuff is harder to find used, but clips are out there if you dont want new or want to shop around.
I dont know what your company uses to ship but my ecklers clip was in a huge cardboard box, but it had goner through a couple owners.
I left the box, toss clip on roof,
I had heard that many people run into fitting issues with one piece aftermarket clip, but in my case doing it tilt I will have a much easier time fitting mine, while that 73-79 front clip was on mine it didnt have the 73 or any front end extentions just the 69 stuff...
Sorry to hear about your Dad, I lost my Mom in August, she was 89 also. She held the record on tossing a Kirby Vacuum out the front door, she had asked my dad for a new one and finally she had enough and toss the Kirby. How hard is it doing the tilt? Will look up your site project.
Front Clip
