Urethane or Fiberglass????
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 21,457
Likes: 463
From: Massillon,Ohio USA
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Cruise-In VI Veteran
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12
Re: Urethane or Fiberglass???? (77Dream)
I went with a "TrueFlex" front and rear bumper, directly from Toledo Pro Fiberglass for $322 for both front and rear shipping included. Thicker than OEM urethane, but not as "brittle" as fiberglass, 
Pics BEFORE the bumper was painted-bumper PAINTED "On-Car" Came out great :yesnod:
Pics BEFORE the bumper was painted-bumper PAINTED "On-Car" Came out great :yesnod:
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 248
Likes: 0
From: Houma LA
Re: Urethane or Fiberglass???? (77Dream)
I live right near Vanacor. Stopped by the other day. People were less than friendly. I've yet to hear anything good about them. Most everyone I talk to says their stuff doesnt fit, and then you have to pay a 20% restocking fee.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 6,213
Likes: 1
From: South Alabama
Re: Urethane or Fiberglass???? (77Dream)
Have any of you guys bought from vanacor? Someone told me they make the body parts for ecklers, is this true?
I have a Tru-Flex rear bumper and it's far superior to the urethane. Great fit and will never wrinkle or crack again.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,339
Likes: 0
From: Hampton Georgia
Re: Urethane or Fiberglass???? (Cajun75)
I have bought from vanacor alot.The only reason being that I can get a discount from him.Sometimes I dont think that its worth it because it usually requires alot more labor to get them to fit.They dont make ecklers fiberglass.Ecklers makes there own and they usually fit alot better but you will pay a higher price.And yes he is not the frienliest cajun Ive ever met :D
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,556
Likes: 0
From: Seattle WA
Re: Urethane or Fiberglass???? (paintdaddy)
I have an Ecklers TrueFlex that was poor quality. we had to put more work into it to get it to fit then we would have had to for a fiberglass one. for my vote i say buy from Zip.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,269
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From: St. Charles IL
Cruise-In 5-6-7-8-9-11-12 Veteran
A CI-6 Car Show Winner
Re: Urethane or Fiberglass???? (77Dream)
I think I've mentioned this several times before, but I believe fit is a crapshoot at best, doesn't matter where you bought it. I believe fit is directly related to any body repairs that have been done on the car in the past. I spent 3 weeks fitting my front bumper, and looking back I would probably have bought the GM urethane bumpers from GM and not had to worry about fit. :banghead: I do believe the truflex or fiberglass bumpers are better from the fact they don't ripple and fade differently. Either one is going to need some work if you bump into something however.
[Modified by Big Fish, 7:01 AM 1/22/2003]
[Modified by Big Fish, 7:01 AM 1/22/2003]
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 5,768
Likes: 3
From: San Diego CA
Re: Urethane or Fiberglass???? (Big Fish)
I think I've mentioned this several times before, but I believe fit is a crapshoot at best, doesn't matter where you bought it. I believe fit is directly related to any body repairs that have been done on the car in the past]
Any fiberglass part for a vette will most likely require fitting - unless you get very lucky. I got lucky on my rear cap which required 1/16" of filler to match the body.
As to which is better.
>Fiberglass is harder to fit than eurathane.
>Fiberglass is easier to repair and paint
>Eurathane can withstand low speed impacts
>Fiberglass will fracture even with low speed hits
>Fiberglass is cheaper
>Fiberglass is more plentiful
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,813
Likes: 1
From: JOPPA MD
Re: Urethane or Fiberglass???? (jimtreber)
Funny you should ask this question as I just went through this.
I was going to use the glass bumper on my 73, as I had heard all the good things about them ,especially the cost. I was talked out of it by the body shop I use (VETTE'S ONLY) for two very good reasons.
1. if you have the hard nose bumper and are tapped or you tap something, the results could be that you most likley will need fender repair as well as another bumper. Think about it.
2. the cost savings flies right out the window due the fact they are labor intensive in fitting. So what you saved on the part, gets eaten up by all the additional labor, and you end up spending the same if not more than if you had went with the urethane
Now, my GM urethane replacement came out fine paint wise, but it does exhibit the waves, which I could do without. However, the NCRS tells me this is a good thing-as original. I can say one more thing here, my car was in and out in less than 48hrs, and that was great with it being winter here.
Just some food for thought.
GREGG-73
:thumbs:
I was going to use the glass bumper on my 73, as I had heard all the good things about them ,especially the cost. I was talked out of it by the body shop I use (VETTE'S ONLY) for two very good reasons.
1. if you have the hard nose bumper and are tapped or you tap something, the results could be that you most likley will need fender repair as well as another bumper. Think about it.
2. the cost savings flies right out the window due the fact they are labor intensive in fitting. So what you saved on the part, gets eaten up by all the additional labor, and you end up spending the same if not more than if you had went with the urethane
Now, my GM urethane replacement came out fine paint wise, but it does exhibit the waves, which I could do without. However, the NCRS tells me this is a good thing-as original. I can say one more thing here, my car was in and out in less than 48hrs, and that was great with it being winter here.
Just some food for thought.
GREGG-73
:thumbs:
