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My car is this way. I like it, but may put bumpers on again at some point. Still need the brackets...they stabilize the body, and also I dont really like to alter the car into something like a few of the customs....They look too plain.
This is a racer, and this is what I pattterned mine on. To me the bolt heads and other seams make the car look better. The detail is important. The corner support holes are filled on this one. Mine they are connected.
My car is this way. I like it, but may put bumpers on again at some point. Still need the brackets...they stabilize the body, and also I dont really like to alter the car into something like a few of the customs....They look too plain.
This is a racer, and this is what I pattterned mine on. To me the bolt heads and other seams make the car look better. The detail is important. The corner support holes are filled on this one. Mine they are connected.
Yeah man... thats definitely mean. And details make the car. personally, i'd fill those seams though.
To the OP, sorry for my sidelining your original posted question......bad day. Anyways, I also like the look of the early models with bumpers removed. I would say the pictures of KidVette's car is probably what ALL C3 Corvettes after 73 would have looked like had Chevy found a better way to pass the five mile protection without the way they did it in 74. If they could have fit a more substantial bumper behind the original flat back, and maybe made the last ten inches of it rubber, .....but kept the shape. Just my own speculation.
I think KidVette's car is beautiful with the tail section the way he did it.
Last edited by Shovels and Vettes; Oct 14, 2021 at 06:54 AM.
I think they call those "LeMans" style caps. I`ve seen some members post that some go right to the original filler neck, but there are some that just bolt to the deck & cover the original cap. I believe there are a few parts vendors that carry the LeMans caps, but I`m not sure which ones.
My car is this way. I like it, but may put bumpers on again at some point. Still need the brackets...they stabilize the body, and also I dont really like to alter the car into something like a few of the customs....They look too plain.
This is a racer, and this is what I pattterned mine on. To me the bolt heads and other seams make the car look better. The detail is important. The corner support holes are filled on this one. Mine they are connected.
Thanks for posting this photo of your beautiful car.
I have about a half dozen other photos of your car that I droll over.
This look with the exposed bolt heads and seams is still one of the end results I am considering.
That way there is really no modification to the rear tail section.
I was thinking about replacing the oem hex head bumper bolts with round flat button head allen bolts powder coated black.
I'll still be running the exhaust under the car so I'll still have the exhaust tip cut outs in the lower valance.
This weekend I plan to remove the bumpers, bolt everything back up and see if this look grows on me.
To the OP, sorry for my sidelining your original posted question......bad day. Anyways, I also like the look of the early models with bumpers removed. I would say the pictures of KidVette's car is probably what ALL C3 Corvettes after 73 would have looked like had Chevy found a better way to pass the five mile protection without the way they did it in 74. If they could have fit a more substantial bumper behind the original flat back, and maybe made the last ten inches of it rubber, .....but kept the shape. Just my own speculation.
I think KidVette's car is beautiful with the tail section the way he did it.
Flyboy1958, What sidelining?
All is good.
This is a discussion forum and in any of my threads all comments are welcome.
We are all welcome to agree to disagree and we all have a bad day every now and then.
Thanks for the comments and sticking with the thread.
Greg.
I bet if I lined up with my '74 nose to nose or tail to tail with a chrome bumper C3, the '74 would win both times
win in what category? looks or demolition derby? yes the 74-up will take more damage and drive home. but the repair price will only be lower because the body parts are less expensive. and many 75-up cars no longer have the battering ram-egg crates that go under the bumper coves as the replacement covers don't fit over that stuff. my front cover has grille mounts built into the glass since the makers know everybody is removing all the metal the grille brackets attach to. our air tank is probably a better crash bar than the 68-72 crossmember and horseshoe, but not a lot better...
Hardin Marine has been around since before many of us were born.
I've purchased their marine hardware for many boats over the years and their quality is one of the best.
This is what my '75 looks like with the backdate bumper and no bumpers. With the Superlite wheels it look kinda racy.
, , I have that panel for my '75 roadster also. Its planed for a winter project, im still hunting the desired tail light lens, (im not wanting the 75 lens in it) I'm looking forward to haveing a 73 look-alike one season,, and switching to a 75 for another season. [ Yea, im goofy like that. ,,,,
. . Yours will look great 👍.
I have been looking at numerous 68-73 photos where the rear chrome bumpers were removed and the lower valance has been molded into the rear tail panel.
I really like the clean lines without the chrome bumpers and the absence of the seams between the two panels.
My questions are:
1. When this is done, are the bumper support brackets removed as well, if not how are the brackets connected to the valance so the bolts are hidden?
2. If the bumper brackets are eliminated, does the license plate to frame bracket supply enough support to the lower valance to prevent any vibration or movement that would cause cracking over time?
If you have any pictures, please post.
Thanks
I know the look your looking for. I’ve seen many c3’s have that done lately. Unfortunately, I don’t have any intel on how to do it. Maybe call dynamic corvettes.
Today I had some spare time, so I pulled the rear bumpers off the car, stood back and made my final decision.
When I removed the bumpers I noticed that with the exhaust tips and bezels cut into the lower valance the rear tail section didn’t have that clean smooth look I wanted.
I decided to leave the rear bumpers on the car and have them painted black to match the body color.
I still believe this is a great looking mod to the car, but it really only looks good on cars with side exhaust and the smooth solid lower valance.
Last edited by OldCarBum; Oct 17, 2021 at 07:07 PM.
Today I had some spare time, so I pulled the rear bumpers off the car, stood back and made my final decision.
When I removed the bumpers I noticed that with the exhaust tips and bezels cut into the lower valance the rear tail section didn’t have that clean smooth look I wanted.
I decided to leave the rear bumpers on the car and have them painted black to match the body color.
I still believe this is a great looking mod to the car, but it really only looks good on cars with side exhaust and the smooth solid lower valance.
Yep...it took me a week to do some weird rookie cutting/re-forming/re-glassing to make my exhaust valence look smooth
I decided to leave the rear bumpers on the car and have them painted black to match the body color.
I still believe this is a great looking mod to the car, but it really only looks good on cars with side exhaust and the smooth solid lower valance.
Keep us updated with pics,, I believe it will look great.
. Thanks for your vue on exhaust out valance vs side-pipes. I have side exhaust, and was thinking the same. I'm going through with this mod ,
Keep us updated with pics,, I believe it will look great.
. Thanks for your vue on exhaust out valance vs side-pipes. I have side exhaust, and was thinking the same. I'm going through with this mod ,
I think it is an awesome mod and looks great without the exhaust tips and bezels, and with the lower valance molded into the rear tail section.
After I removed the bumpers, I was disappointed with the look.
An instant later my thought was, “side exhaust and glass in the openings in the valance”? Hummmmmmmm?
But decided to stick with the under car exhaust since I already purchased the headers, exhaust tips and bezels.
,,
