Thought I'd gussie up the old C5 with some seat back hoops, and provide some info on the install for those of you who have been contemplating them. I found my pair online, on sale, and with the epoxy they were $318.00 to my door. The dealer offered me free shipping on top of the sale price. These are the 2 inch diameter chrome ones. The epoxy idea didn't sound too good to me, but worked real good. I understand they are using epoxy the put door hinges on trucks now. This stuff is STRONG. These bars can be bolted on, but great care has to be taken not to puncture your fuel tank or other things that are back there. Dropping the tanks is recommended for bolt on but imo the epoxy will work just fine. Removing the carpet and the waterfall was easy. I dry fitted the hoops and found a few places where they didn't lay down just right. There were epoxy welds that were in the way. They can be trimmed off using a razor scraper. I also had a corner seam that protruded a little that I hammered down. They then layed down perfect. You'll want to center them using your seat backs. Stand at the back of the car and eyeball them with relation to the seat back latches. It was at this point that I discovered that one of my seats was not actually centered in the car exactly right, because the hoop on one side was not in the same location as the other. I had to remove the passenger seat and ream out the holes on the feet so that I could shove the seat over towards the console (about 3/8"). Everything came together and I used a piece of tape to mark my locations. The epoxy is workable for a while but you don't want to take too long re-centering once the epoxy is on. I then scuffed the places where they were going to go with some 100 grit sandpaper. After that I cleaned the area with alcohol. Cover every thing up so as not to get the epoxy on something. Divide the epoxy in half and mix to the instructions. It don't harden real quick so don't get excited about that. I had to work it back and forth for awhile until it got to the right consistancy. I traced out the hoop on the car and put the epoxy in the traced out area and then installed the hoops. Piece of cake. As for the carpet, I considered doing it myself, but if you look at other installs up close you mostly notice crappy carpet work. After all I'd been through, I decided to pay a pro at an interior shop. It cost me $100.00, and looks great. I really think they added a nice touch to the car. No problems with raising or lowering the top at all. Hope this might help someone to pull the trigger on the ol wallet and get them.

 

Great write up! Congrats on the install and I agree 100% about having a pro cut the carpet in. Any close up of their work showing how the carpet fits up against the hoops?

 

Thanks, Here's some pics and thanks for all your help pre-install.

 

Wow! That's a really clean job!

Did they cut in through the side or did they simply measure and cut out the holes?

I went in through the side and then installed some trim rings to cover the cuts. Now I'm thinking about getting a new section of carpet and having a pro finish it off like yours!

 

They cut in from the back middle of each pipe. I thought the pics of yours looked good. I was really worried about the outcome of mine even though I was paying to have them done.

 

Just bought a set from West Coast Corvette last week . They have a really good deal on these right now. This is going to be a spring project. Thanks for the great write-up and pics.

 

Excellent , I wanted to do this since I bought the 04 , looks great . I'm going to do this now , thanks . Can somebody send me a link or a place to buy these, thanks Ron

 

Thanks for the write up They look great on your car! I wonder how black ones would look on a silver car, since I have every thing else blacked out. Hmmm... Here we go again

 

I know what you mean ,I was just on a site that has them on sale , I wonder if they can ship to Canada and not have the epoxy freeze.

 

They did a great job. I cannot see the cuts!

 

Very nice hoop install

 

Looks awesome!! They sure do finish off the look. Chevy should have done them from factory instead of BSM

 

What exhaust have you got?

 

great job, mine are epoxied and been on the car for over 6 years and no problem

 

Factory for now.

 

I didn't know they came with oval tips.

 

Those look GREAT! I'm going to do it soon. And good call on the pro cutting the carpet, looks like factory. Very nice and good write-up.

 

Came out really good!

BUT man that was hard to read

Thanks,Matt

 

I custom. Design roll barsfor all vettes