Chrome Bumper Conversion
Thread Starter
2026 Loser of the Year
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 36,559
Likes: 7,006
From: New Or-leens Loo-z-anna
Chrome Bumper Conversion
I have seen a couple questions in the past about "Chrome Bumper Conversions".
My basket-case project is a '68 that the previous owner installed a '76 front clip onto (for whatever reason).
Since I didn't want to invest $50,000 into restoring what would be a daily driver, I am buying new/modifying existing body parts to "restore" the look of the front grill.
(I would NEVER do ANY cutting to an original '68 car....I will watch for/purchase a '68 clip later on when the "wallet recovers")
To eliminate double-posting in two separate threads, I will post the modification in my original build thread........ it may give you an idea of what needs to be done.
Remember....this is a "Rookie Venture" by me into unknown territory concerning body/fiberglass work.
For anyone interest in a conversion/costs/etc., I have included a "Table of Contents" on page 1 of my thread....
"Doorgunner's '68 Convertible Project"/"Chrome Bumper Conversion".......
Here is the link: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1590451458
All of my posts will be in the above mentioned build thread
Thanks.
On page 88 the Conversion starts at post #1756: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1590451458
My basket-case project is a '68 that the previous owner installed a '76 front clip onto (for whatever reason).
Since I didn't want to invest $50,000 into restoring what would be a daily driver, I am buying new/modifying existing body parts to "restore" the look of the front grill.
(I would NEVER do ANY cutting to an original '68 car....I will watch for/purchase a '68 clip later on when the "wallet recovers")
To eliminate double-posting in two separate threads, I will post the modification in my original build thread........ it may give you an idea of what needs to be done.
Remember....this is a "Rookie Venture" by me into unknown territory concerning body/fiberglass work.
For anyone interest in a conversion/costs/etc., I have included a "Table of Contents" on page 1 of my thread....
"Doorgunner's '68 Convertible Project"/"Chrome Bumper Conversion".......
Here is the link: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1590451458
All of my posts will be in the above mentioned build thread
Thanks.
On page 88 the Conversion starts at post #1756: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1590451458
Last edited by doorgunner; Oct 5, 2015 at 09:03 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 10,189
Likes: 206
2018 Corvette of Year Finalist
2017 C3 of Year
I have seen a couple questions in the past about "Chrome Bumper Conversions".
My basket-case project is a '68 that the previous owner installed a '76 front clip onto (for whatever reason).
Since I didn't want to invest $50,000 into restoring what would be a daily driver, I am buying new/modifying existing body parts to "restore" the look of the front grill.
To eliminate double-posting in two separate threads, I will post the modification in my original build thread, but, it may give you an idea of what needs to be done.
Remember....this is a "Rookie Venture" by me into unknown territory concerning body/fiberglass work.
For anyone interest in a conversion/costs/etc., I have included a "Table of Contents" on page 1 of my thread....
"Doorgunner's '68 Convertible Project".................
All of my posts will be in the above mentioned build thread
Thanks.
On page 88 the Conversion starts:
My basket-case project is a '68 that the previous owner installed a '76 front clip onto (for whatever reason).
Since I didn't want to invest $50,000 into restoring what would be a daily driver, I am buying new/modifying existing body parts to "restore" the look of the front grill.
To eliminate double-posting in two separate threads, I will post the modification in my original build thread, but, it may give you an idea of what needs to be done.
Remember....this is a "Rookie Venture" by me into unknown territory concerning body/fiberglass work.
For anyone interest in a conversion/costs/etc., I have included a "Table of Contents" on page 1 of my thread....
"Doorgunner's '68 Convertible Project".................
All of my posts will be in the above mentioned build thread
Thanks.
On page 88 the Conversion starts:
A basket 68 can be done for less than 50 large.......
WB
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 1,094
Likes: 16
From: Los Angeles California
Thread Starter
2026 Loser of the Year
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 36,559
Likes: 7,006
From: New Or-leens Loo-z-anna
I think calling myself a "Rookie" might be an exaggeration of the facts.
(And I limited myself to $20,000 after reading build threads/I didn't want to start the project and then have to sell it for lack of $$,$$$.02)
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 10,189
Likes: 206
2018 Corvette of Year Finalist
2017 C3 of Year
When I see your great car and others similar to it....................
I think calling myself a "Rookie" might be an exaggeration of the facts.
(And I limited myself to $20,000 after reading build threads/I didn't want to start the project and then have to sell it for lack of $$,$$$.02)
I think calling myself a "Rookie" might be an exaggeration of the facts.
(And I limited myself to $20,000 after reading build threads/I didn't want to start the project and then have to sell it for lack of $$,$$$.02)
I was a matter of cleaning them up only, for me.....I did restore a base motor 72, that I paid 4000. to buy. After paint, body work, engine complete rebuild, suspension, new trans (re-converted from auto, back to manual), new interior, really a complete rebuild. My spending totaled just at 20,000. So, I had 24k into it, drove over 24,000 mile on it in a little over two years, and had a blast!!!
Sold it in Carlisle for 14,000. a few years ago, with NO regrets. It was never about the money......I had to prove to myself that I could build a car, and I did just that!
Anything I can do to help, just ask.....I really don't bite!
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 4,399
Likes: 792
DG, Thanks for the compliment! I was very lucky to find the cars! I was a matter of cleaning them up only, for me.....
I did restore a base motor 72, that I paid 4000. to buy. After paint, body work, engine complete rebuild, suspension, new trans (re-converted from auto, back to manual), new interior, really a complete rebuild. My spending totaled just at 20,000. So, I had 24k into it, drove over 24,000 mile on it in a little over two years, and had a blast!!!
Sold it in Carlisle for 14,000. a few years ago, with NO regrets. It was never about the money......I had to prove to myself that I could build a car, and I did just that!
Anything I can do to help, just ask.....I really don't bite!
I was a matter of cleaning them up only, for me.....I did restore a base motor 72, that I paid 4000. to buy. After paint, body work, engine complete rebuild, suspension, new trans (re-converted from auto, back to manual), new interior, really a complete rebuild. My spending totaled just at 20,000. So, I had 24k into it, drove over 24,000 mile on it in a little over two years, and had a blast!!!
Sold it in Carlisle for 14,000. a few years ago, with NO regrets. It was never about the money......I had to prove to myself that I could build a car, and I did just that!
Anything I can do to help, just ask.....I really don't bite!
ZIO
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,705
Likes: 983
From: Orlando FL
Thread Starter
2026 Loser of the Year
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 36,559
Likes: 7,006
From: New Or-leens Loo-z-anna
This is my first Corvette also.......and I'm learning a lot......especially with having to change the "Nose" and the tail light "clip" back to 1968 looks!
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Racer
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 474
Likes: 25
From: Springfield MO
Gotta throw my thanks out there for your thread. I'm more of a rookie than any of the other guys who've posted above, and man-oh-man am I thankful for you all! I had no idea what I was getting into when I bought my '68 with it's 73-74 nose and later interior. Reading chunks of rvzio, doorgunner and War Bonnet threads has been absolutely invaluable to the little progress I'm making.
Thread Starter
2026 Loser of the Year
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 36,559
Likes: 7,006
From: New Or-leens Loo-z-anna
War Bonnet....it's the PTSD mixed with A.D.D. in my case that brings about such decisions.
I wanted to make it easy for someone to do a Forum Search specifically for chrome bumper conversions without them having to sift through 50 different threads that popped up when the word "conversion" was used in the search (P/B conversion/Headlight conversion/Radio conversion/Etc.).
A new thread would also eliminate extra pages of discussions by different members into my "already self-inflicted scatter-brained thread"........
for example......Derek made a good point about the fact that there is an extra 2" between the headlight openings and the "lip" of the clip. That one detail could use some discussion among Forum Members about how to deal with eliminating the extra length.
Thanks for the question.
Last edited by doorgunner; Sep 13, 2015 at 01:22 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,399
From: SW Florida.
i want to do this to a rubberbabybuggybumper car some day. i noticed the length and mentioned it to tony. i asked about this in another thread and got a couple of kits for doing the rear. once the front bumper is removed, it looks like the front of the clip is just about where the lip that goes under the chrome bumper starts. it would take some filling between the headlights where the bumper curves in on 74 and later noses. does anybody make a bond-in piece to put the 72-earlier lip on the front of the 73 or 4 and later front clip? or do we hafta make it from scratch?
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,399
From: SW Florida.
ok, we need a mold. that's the way to go. somebody with a 72 front clip that is off and needing paint. spray it with mold release and lay up a couple of layers of glass to make a negative of the bumper lip. then clamp it to the 73-up nose, lining up the headlight holes, mold release again, and lay up the bumper lip, glassing it to the nose. we would probably need 3 seperate molds. one for the lip, and one for each fender front. cuz it looks like they are a lil shorter. or mebbe not? no, there is some diff around the grilles, or is it just the 2 trim pieces?
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,399
From: SW Florida.
ok, here is a 72 nose. overpriced, but he has a zillion good pics. especially the close-up side view of the front... http://www.ebay.com/itm/Corvette-Original-Black-Fiberglass-Front-Clip-Assembly-with-A-C-1970-1972-/201140912238?fits=Model%3ACorvette&hash=item2ed4eec06e&vxp=mtr now, here are some pics of my 75 nose that is a twin to your 76. these will show you where the bumper is glassed to your nose. and it looks like the edge between headlight openings and the bumper lip on the 72 is even shorter than the distance between 75 headlights and the bumper mount edge.
Last edited by derekderek; Sep 13, 2015 at 04:15 PM.
Thread Starter
2026 Loser of the Year
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 36,559
Likes: 7,006
From: New Or-leens Loo-z-anna
Derek.......since I already have new '68 grills and brackets ($300) I will have to modify/shorten the length myself rather than spend another $300 on a later model nose piece which I would have to modify anyway.
I would like it to look like the original '68, but....since it's a restomod car......close is close enough (I don't want to sink any more $$$ into the fiberglass panel modification in case I find a '68 clip or nose=piece for sale.
The '68 lower valence will do a good job as far as appearance goes.
(I guess I am trying to make a conversion that doesn't require $2,000-$4,000 to complete the change-over.....something "simple-to-do" that Vette owners with limited skills-"like me"-could accomplish)
I would like it to look like the original '68, but....since it's a restomod car......close is close enough (I don't want to sink any more $$$ into the fiberglass panel modification in case I find a '68 clip or nose=piece for sale.
The '68 lower valence will do a good job as far as appearance goes.
(I guess I am trying to make a conversion that doesn't require $2,000-$4,000 to complete the change-over.....something "simple-to-do" that Vette owners with limited skills-"like me"-could accomplish)
Last edited by doorgunner; Sep 29, 2015 at 10:34 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,399
From: SW Florida.
you won't need a later model nose piece. you already have one on there and that is the problem. i am talking about cutting the nose to the correct length and fabbing the bumper lip right there where it belongs. not buying a clip. it would be a LOT easier if somebody could pull a mold of the bumper lip, but not absolutely necessary. because you still need to fab a lip for the bumper to mount over anyway.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 4,399
Likes: 792
you won't need a later model nose piece. you already have one on there and that is the problem. i am talking about cutting the nose to the correct length and fabbing the bumper lip right there where it belongs. not buying a clip. it would be a LOT easier if somebody could pull a mold of the bumper lip, but not absolutely necessary. because you still need to fab a lip for the bumper to mount over anyway.
ZIO
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,399
From: SW Florida.
little resin, mat and some mold release wax, and he has the real deal! cuz the lip looks a little complicated to try to do from scratch. possibly with a bunch of measurements and a sheet metal brake, a back piece could be made to glass over.