body off frame and sanded but have a major damage to front clip from poor repair work by others. I and body shop agree a new front clip is in need. Which is fine. My question is my body is on rolling dolly, and can a new clip be installed there or does the body need to be back on the frame. Hopefully not. Thanks for any help.

 

Hi 1lkydog I am up to that part of my restore on my 69. I removed the original front clip from my donor car and nee to do some work to try a dry fit. So as far as what I am being told the body MUST be on the car with as much we natural weight that you can get. Full gas tank, seats, etc. Now I guess nothing stops you from doing it anyway you want but that's what I have been told.
r

 

I also think that would be the right thing to do. That will change my plans

 

Hi 1,
I agree that having the body on the frame to mount and align the clip is a good idea.
If I may, a one piece clip or a jig assembled clip?
Regards,
Alan

 

We`re doing a "frame on" resto, and test fitting the clip ON the frame was tough enough... (we had it on & off 3 times before ever even loading the glue gun!).... I couldn`t IMAGINE doing a front clip with the body off the frame!

 

Having the body back on the frame and properly shimmed....will make it so when you bond it on...it will be where it needs to be and TAKE any possibility of a 'CLUSTER' occurring.

Maker sure when you are test fitting your new front clip....you also install ALL front end parts including the bumper brackets etc. ALSO....PAY VERY CAREFUL ATTENTION to the riveted on special metal retainers GM riveted on the original body so when you go to check you FIT of your 'egg crate fender vents'....you have these in place. I do NOT use pop rivets...I use the CORRECT SOLID aluminum rivets like GM used.

ALSO...the metal retainers in the upper corners for your front park grilles need to be installed.

AND....the upper trims that go at the end of your top hood surround by the windshield. Some call them the 'eyebrow trims'. The SPECIAL retainers (2 per side) need to be installed VERY CAREFULLY so you can CORRECTLY install these trims when completed....and THIS ALSO means that small piece of metal GM riveted to the underside of the top hood surround so the screw that is used to HOLD these molding in place is riveted in place so the screw has METAL to thread into ...instead of having the screw go directly into fiberglass ONLY and it will FAIL if you do that.

There is a lot of preliminary stuff that need to be done before you go and bond this on...because doing it afterwards...can be NOT a wise idea...if you are wanting it RIGHT.

Make splash shields to protect your new front clip above the tire. I always do. You can cut up your old front top hood surround for this.

DUB

 

Just got home from a Bob Seger concert that was better than thinking about replacing that front clip. Any way Alan I was thinking a one piece clip from Eckler's

 

Hi I,
Depending just what you're doing to and with the car, and what might be done with it in the future, you need to think carefully about a 1 piece front clip and it's effect on various people's perception of the finished car and how deep they'll dig into their wallets to buy it.
Regards,
Alan

 

Is this a numbers matching car? If it is, I personally would lean to the jig assembled clip, more original. Buyers paying for numbers prefer originality.

 

Is Seger on tour? Worth seeing him again if I get the chance.

 

Mike, last for dates I found listed are Mar. 20, 22, 26, 28. K.C. Indianapolis, Detroit, and Nashville. Any thing near.

 

It is easy to tell a aftermarket front clip versus an original press molded type without me getting to look a the underside of the panel. Work can be done on the aftermarket clip to 'trick' some people when viewing it from the outside....but there is no way to change the texture effect on the underside of the panels.

DUB

 

alan 71 and BB Corv 70, not sure what a jig assembly is and have not seen them in parts book. Any price differants and any harder to install. Not a #matching car but has a 71 454 365hp corvette motor. Very new to body work, will need lots of help.
Thanks Gary

 

A jig assembled front clip is when the original panels that are bonded together in a jig...and make the front clip....and are like what was originally used by GM.

DUB

 

Thanks DUB for letting me know the difference, Where does one find this assembly and how much price difference. Don't if I need to go that way. Not fixing to resell it's just my project but want a nice car to drive
Thanks again Gary

 

Gary,
Look at the bottom of this page and you will see that jig assembled front end is $4K+ and the handlaid is about $1600+.

The difference is getting a handlaid front clip takes time and possibly some modifications...where the jig assembled is a consistent thickness part and that can make a difference in some areas where bonding is an issue.

Building a front clip from all the panels is also very doable and I actually prefer doing it that way....if I have a choice so I can put the panels where I need them to go....and this takes more time. Either way you plan of choosing to do it....it will take time....and A LOT of patience....BUT....IF YOU WANT TO DO IT.....YOU CAN!

DUB