The13Bats

While people do install 78 to 82 columns in 68 to 76/77
77 has a few one year only parts some include dash parts,
So i dont know if you will have to trim the 79 column collar like when they go into the early cars, which btw the are 2" shorter which again i dont know if that includes 77,

And wiring and comnectors are different yours morseo as 77 had the signal switch with the wiper switch, um, dimmer switch too i believe,

But long answer a 79 column will fit, but i would try to work out the 77 column, one year only stuff is cool, well, to me.

Marmaduke, lol ill look like a rat fink monster,

Im 6 foot 2 and have driven kit cars with rooflines less that 38inches, from the ground,
But that was in my 20s more limber.

I have in some kits sat on the floor some we dropped the pans,
When i learned a 69 floor cant have an 80 electric seat i am considering dropping my floor to add the 80 style electic seats, i had 2 81s the electric seat track is nice,
But i also like old vintage style racing buckets so who knows,

Thick mud is typical old customs, right or wrong people did it,
I have also pulled chicken wire and plaster out of customs,
I trashed it until learning even names like barris did it, still isnt right but i trash it with respect now, lol,

I like your car very much but i still believe my vision of the front is different to what the builder wanted,
I wouldnt want to kill the old school feel that dark blue car i posted has some weird feel to me, not old school but too old school to be restro mod,

I just believe some careful trimming reworking of your front flares and where they mold in at the front could really do wonders, im not talking big cutting either half inch here maybe an inch off the flare, perhaps less,

You will know more as you get that mud out of there,
If its as thick as those pics like 1/4 inch thats just too thick,

You also have to dream up a one off hood treatment

1977c3widebody

The13Bats

Okay here i go again saying what i would do if it were mine,

The outer bottom corner of rear flares, i would round it out and flow it into the flares, too boxed off for me,

The shot from the front shows what i have been saying, the front flares overpower things they are so big, the cool grill and headlights are lost,

Plus this car has a chop top it will from that look lower and wider

Please do not ever get offended at my suggestions, im kind of living vicariously through you,

I havent touched my car for a few weeks but in a few days my upstairs bathroom project will be done and ill try to endure the hotter than hell weather and get back on my car,
So you can come and tell me what you would do to mine

1977c3widebody

She's nekked!

Hey no problem. I respect your opinion, not offended at all.

I'm totally with you at this point the flares are much too large up front. I've been thinking of a few different ways to do it that I'll share later when I have more time.

I have so many ideas I have to start putting them on paper. I have ordered a few things here and there and will give a full update next weekend. Life has prevented me from doing much work on the car in the last week and I've been working overtime to raise funds for the project.

I'm currently looking for a place to store and work on the car, my other project is taking up my garage. It's been hot here too but I took advantage of that as the heat really helped in removing the goddy but impressive vinyl. I almost felt bad removing it even though it was pretty much toast. I wouldn't think it would have been easy to make a vinyl like that back in the day the pattern would have had to have been in the correct places which can't be easy to figure out but I'm moving on to bigger better things now. I'm thinking some kind of gloss gray. For the hood I'm thinking I will put some kind of polycarbonate window sort of like the C6 ZR-1 use tinted just like the headlights and park lamps. I certainly couldn't have anymore rise to it, wouldn't be able to see a damn thing lol.

Denpo

My two cents : first find the wheels you want to fit and then adjust the flares to them. With the current flare you'd have to run 315 all around, with may be a bit over the top, especially if you want to put vintage wheels.
Keep it up

1977c3widebody

I am going to purchase the wheels shortly.

I know what you mean about buying the wheels first. I have another car I put flares on and purchased the wheels afterward and the wheels aren't flush with the lip of the flare. It certainly seems best to buy the wheels first and then shape the flares around them. I figured I better pick up new a arms and offset trailing arms before the wheels so they actually fit in there. I ordered these last night :
http://www.globalwest.net/corvette-f...lover-c-3.html
http://www.globalwest.net/corvette-f...5-1976-19.html
http://customimagecorvettes.com/prod...trailing-arms/

FINWOLF

How did I miss this thread. Keep up the good work. I though I had big flares on the back of mine. But you win that prize. I'm in the camp of making the front ones smaller.
Cant wait to see what you decide to do. When I get the money I will get a bigger wheel and tire combo under mine to fill it out more. Bats wont lead you wrong.

The13Bats

Thanks fin,

Im so stuck in my 15" old school wheel rut. I have 2 15x10s deep dish for the rear, and plan the 295 50 15s,

The if they dont fill it to the lip im just gonna space them out, very old school low end,

If they will fit gonna do the same up front

FINWOLF

if I ever get to FL I will look you up. 15" rims are hard to find let a lone tires I might end up with 17" one day but with tires that have side wall. I run 265 50 15 now. I hope the OP gets it finished. I have been doing a lot of motor work.

The13Bats

Im being a die hard i know, i just will not run rubber band tires and big diameter pos offset wheels on my classic,

I could live with 17 but even they are getting limited on tires,

scrappy76

I cant stand the bologna skin tires.
I am old school myself and love the 15s. Till I find a nice set of used 10" wide vectors, I will run 10" old school rallies on my flared 76, with spacers in the rear.
imo, tires going to the lip of the flare is perfect.
I am digging your car C3 widebody, keep rolling.

The13Bats

Scrappy, i feel i havent seen your car, flares? Did i miss seeing it or my mind slipping?

1977c3widebody

sorry for the lack of updates guys I've just been buying and saving up for the parts I need for the car. Next month I m bringing the car to a friends shop to remove the body will update then.

chazde3

I agree on rounding the square corners of the flares. Here is the rear flare on my '68.

1977c3widebody

I know you all have probably wondered whatever happened with this car, sorry I haven't updated. It's been 3 years. I really haven't gotten that far on the car slowly but surely. A friend and I pulled the motor, trans and body mounts. Shout out to Andy at Cross Border in Langley for giving me a hand. I started buying the suspension goodies, picked up Global West front A-arms and QA-1 coilovers. Vansteel offset rear trailing arms an L94 6.2L engine (LS3) out of a 2010 Yukon Denali and a 4L80e transmission out of a 2012 Express van. I also picked up a used body dolly off of Craigslist. Title is now sorted. Next month I am having the car towed down to my old work, Corvette Specialties in Surrey, in order to remove the body. I picked up a sandblaster to do the frame and next month a welder friend of mine is coming over so we can see about fabbing up brackets for the steering rack. Will update further once more progress is made.

Richard Daugird

I don't know if it was mentioned in the last 100+ posts, but have you considered how the rear flares would look if they were raised up on the body? The front flares are pretty much in line with the fender tops, matching that in the rear may look good.

1977c3widebody

I'm totally open to suggestions. You guys have much more experience than I and I'm sure have spent much more time staring at these beauties lol. I want to say it will be awhile before I go about cutting anything I'll probably buy wheels first but the flares will be cut down in size and reworked some. I don't really like the little platforms in the back. I'd rather it tapered and came under the body a more natural look. Anyways when it comes to the reworking of the flares I'll start a new thread and get as much input from you all that I can lol. Not sure if everybody is still using the forum here? it seems very popular here still, most of the other car forums I'm a member of kind of died out with everyone on Facebook I much prefer the forums.

Cheers

Richard Daugird

I agree, Facebook is good(I guess) for socializing, but lousy as a searchable tech/data source.