Blake Brooks

Assuming that the damage from my wreck is as minor as it looks and the car doesn't get totaled, I'm really considering going with a wide booty kit or maybe even a full body kit. What would I be looking at price wise and who would you guys recommend?

Blake Brooks

Anybody?

ruxvette

Search is your friend. Several people have done it and posted. Depending if it's a DIY or a shop but seems to me $10 grand is a number.
In fact, g23crawler did a DIY a few months ago. Send him a PM and ask the $$$.

jrose7004

Check with forum member Myredhead I think is his screen name. He's done a conversion lately.

LowRyter

most of that can be repaired and not replaced.

Why in the world would you replace the body panels with likely inferior fitment and quality? I suppose it's a good excuse if you want a "wide body kit" but chances are it will be inferior to the original equipment pieces even repaired.

Blake Brooks

I was hit by a drunk driver in a semi truck so I won't be spending a dime on it. If I don't do a kit, these panels will be replaced with OEM ones so they are getting replaced regardless.

LowRyter

From what I saw, I would not replace the panels. I think the job would actually be better if the original panels were repaired rather than replaced. The material is easily repaired and sanded with an epoxy like 3M product- like plastic bumpers are repaired. Since they've been factory built to your car, the fitment should still be aligned. Otherwise you're taking the chance whether new panels will be quality repro and fit.

And I don't follow how you expect to not spend anything and get a full body kit. (Unless you were expecting the DV award to pay for the kit? see below)

Finally, you should asked for 'diminished value" claim for your vehicle. Google the "Georgia Ruling" and "Diminished Value". I would guess you might get another $ grand or two in claims.

Blake Brooks

Okay maybe I should rephrase that. I'm not spending a dime of MY OWN money. I am suing the company of the driver. He was drunk, tried to flee the scene, and had three unregistered firearms in his truck. So in other words, I will be spending my settlement money, but not technically my own money.

LowRyter

OK, so you're suing for some type of criminal negligence / fear of injury type stuff ? I admit that I am not all versed on the grounds to get more than the damage actually suffered (other than pain & suffering and DV).

Regardless of what you collect, I would still consider keeping the original panels rather than replacing them where possible.

Blake Brooks

Yes sir, that is correct. And I appreciate your response. I was not actually aware that the panels could be repaired "properly" and look stock. I will definitely consider going that route if I don't do the widebody. I have just always liked the look and what better time do it than now you know?

ncvette_1FUNRIDE

If insurance is going to pay for it, why would you think that it would be better to repair a body panel than replace it with a new OEM panel? That makes no sense. I would much rather have a new panel than one that was damaged and repaired.

If you use new OEM panels and have a good body and paint shop, no one would ever be able to tell it was even in an accident.

OP, if you do decide to go with a wide body, I HIGHLY recommend that you use all OEM parts. They will fit and look great.

And you will spend over 10K if you do it right. Contact Gene with Cultrag (a forum vendor) to get a price on all of the wide body parts you would need.

Mine used to be a regular body.

buckmeister2

Seems like nobody is thinking it's a good idea, and that is reasonable. Get it repaired beautifully back to stock, and sell it. Make sure your insurance company collects for diminished value. Then, buy yourself a nice GS, and you will have what you really want, and it will hold it's value better. Converting your car to wide body does nothing but make it look wider. It will not have the performance parts. Even if you put those in, it will still not be a GS.

In Aug./Sept., prices will start dropping again. If you can wait until then, you will be surprised at how much you can save versus now.

LowRyter

we have different opinions of "doing it right".

ncvette_1FUNRIDE

I'm always willing to hear another person's opinion. Please explain why you think repairing a busted rear quarter panel is better than replacing it with a new panel.

If you have a small crack in the door or rocker panel, I can understand repairing it instead of replacing but not an easily replaceable body panel.

Yarbie

Buy a z06 or grand sport.. would such to always have to tell people you have a base c6 and transformed it.

LowRyter

Since you didn't read it the first time (see #8 above), I'll repeat it:

"From what I saw, I would not replace the panels. I think the job would actually be better if the original panels were repaired rather than replaced. The material is easily repaired and sanded with an epoxy like 3M product- like plastic bumpers are repaired. Since they've been factory built to your car, the fitment should still be aligned. Otherwise you're taking the chance whether new panels will be quality repro and fit."

Now, I only saw the photo, so if there is worse damage like a rip or hole, then perhaps not. What I saw were scratches and gouges. The 3M filler is basically the same stuff as the panel once it's filled and sanded. It's not like gooped Bondo onto metal (although a skim coat of Bondo is fine and will bond with the primer). I think the fewer panels replaced and fitted, particularly taking the door apart, the better. Regardless of the repair job, it will still need to be painted.

Talk to the body experts and get their opinion. Unless the damage is worse than I saw, I'd be surprised if they didn't agree.

ncvette_1FUNRIDE

LowRyter, I think that the OP was considering going with an OEM wide body or possibly just the wide 'booty' (just the rear quarter panels) if he decided to go wide. He later stated he would be using OEM panels even if he just fixed what is damaged.

I agree that you don't want to be using aftermarket parts. They can (and probably would) have inferior quality and fit.

If he is going to use OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts to replace what is damaged or to even go to the OEM wide body, the panels will be the same quality and fit as what he has on his car now.

OEM parts are what they install at the factory on all Corvettes.

Maybe you were thinking he was going to use aftermarket parts?

Also, most of the Corvette body panels are very easy to remove and replace and getting them to line up is not hard either. I have personally taken my front bumper, front fenders, and rear quarters off and then put them back on without any alignment problems. All of my gaps are very even, probably better than when I picked up my new car at the Corvette Museum.

At any rate, we can agree to disagree.

LowRyter

Nope.

I was thinking that repair is better than replacement as I said before (unless there is more damage than shown) for the same reasons I said before.

ncvette_1FUNRIDE

If that's the case then we definitely don't see things the same.

OEM = same quality and fit as what's currently on the car so your reasoning doesn't make sense to me.

I'm done.

Blake Brooks

Found out today that my car is going to be totaled due to the amount of unseen damage. Then the company tries to offer me 2k less than what I owe on the car so I guess now I'm hiring an attorney. Can't even believe that they'd try and low blow me like that after their driver got drunk and caused an accident. I guess now it's just a waiting game. Hopefully I can get this resolved quickly and find another C6 to buy. I'm having serious withdrawals after only 3 weeks of not being able to daily drive my car. How do you guys manage parking these things all winter