converting my 79 frontend to an 80-82 style...PICS
03-24-2008, 06:55 PM
#1
Drifting
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converting my 79 frontend to an 80-82 style...alot of PICS
I've always favored the 80-82 style front ends....so me and another forum member (Crazy81) traded frontend hardware (he has an* 81 and wanted a 79 front end) I bought the side fenders panels (from vancor, not a a fan of their quality) to convert my 79 fenders to the 80's style.......the honey comb won't be going back under the bumper. The new front bumper is is a fiberglass one from eckler's.....pretty nice quality piece, and fits well right out of the box......
keep in mind I've never really worked with fiberglass before......and oh yeah and a huge thanks to Crazy81 for dealing with my many questions and phone calls!
here's some of the pics I've taken along the way....i have more pics if you'd like to see them here:
http://s244.photobucket.com/albums/g...rvette%20pics/
fender pices:
test fitting:
keep in mind I've never really worked with fiberglass before......and oh yeah and a huge thanks to Crazy81 for dealing with my many questions and phone calls!
here's some of the pics I've taken along the way....i have more pics if you'd like to see them here:
http://s244.photobucket.com/albums/g...rvette%20pics/
fender pices:
test fitting:
Last edited by bluegtp; 03-24-2008 at 07:18 PM.
03-24-2008, 07:03 PM
#2
Drifting
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fender's marked and cut:
panel pieces held in place with some brackets I made and then glassed in underneath and brackets then removed
:
panel pieces held in place with some brackets I made and then glassed in underneath and brackets then removed
:
Last edited by bluegtp; 03-24-2008 at 07:05 PM.
03-24-2008, 07:12 PM
#3
Drifting
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and now I'm just working on the pass side.....I beveled out the glass on the fender side and on the new panel and got down to the glass I layed from underneath.....now I'm cutting strips of matte glass (small and then working my way up to wider strips) and filling the beveled valley I made in and working my way up......this is a time consuming process by the way, having to let everything dry well before you move on.....
oh, and I forgot to roll up my windows....so my interior is covered in glass dust....just got done wiping it down and putting the window up! it gets a little dusting sometimes, i havn't wiped the hood down since I've started!
oh, and I forgot to roll up my windows....so my interior is covered in glass dust....just got done wiping it down and putting the window up! it gets a little dusting sometimes, i havn't wiped the hood down since I've started!
03-24-2008, 07:39 PM
#4
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Looking good Ryan.
I can't wait to see it with primer on it.
You're really making me want to start on mine.
BTW-- No thanks are necessary, I've enjoyed meeting and talking with you.
I can't wait to see it with primer on it.You're really making me want to start on mine.
BTW-- No thanks are necessary, I've enjoyed meeting and talking with you.
03-24-2008, 09:57 PM
#5
Le Mans Master
Really good looking work! I too have always favored the 80-82 front end and how it points out, instead of turning back in. So could you replace the entire front fenders instead of cutting like you did on yours?
03-24-2008, 10:05 PM
#6
Burning Brakes
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If was ready for paint...I'd do this same switch deal with you.
03-24-2008, 11:44 PM
#7
Drifting
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you could replace the whole front cap with an 80's style from ecklers, but those are pretty expensive. I guess by the time you'd pay someone to mold these in to your stock fenders it maybe about the same price. They do sell the whole side fender pieces too, but you'd still be cutting into the fender.
if you're patient maybe you could find a wrecked 80's one.....bad thing with that is most of them are wrecked in the front....i wasn't patient enough though.....post you may beable to find someone local to trade front caps with you...
if you're patient maybe you could find a wrecked 80's one.....bad thing with that is most of them are wrecked in the front....i wasn't patient enough though.....post you may beable to find someone local to trade front caps with you...
03-25-2008, 12:34 AM
#8
Burning Brakes
i like the 80-82's a ton! what do you have on the rear over there? how 'bout an '80 rear end too.... then you could have like, a "CLONE" or as some say, a "TRIBUTE" 
03-25-2008, 02:05 AM
#10
Burning Brakes
i would love to see pics of the whole thing. y'know what else i always thought would be soooooo cool would be an earlier 70's (like, 74, 75...) converted as you have. that way it'd also have the two rear buttressess instead of the fastback. that'd be DIFFERENT, to say the least (but in a good way, i think). anyway - can't wait to see more pics of yours. yours is a beaut no doubt and it looks like you're doing some top notch work.
03-25-2008, 09:17 AM
#11
The work looks good and you are doing well, so I don't want you to think I'm criticizing your work.
But I can't understand if you wanted the 1980-82 look, and had a '79, why didn't you just trade your '79 for an '80-'82?
It would have been a lot less work.
And in your case, you had a friend who had an '81 who wanted the '79 look. The swap of cars was obvious.
I can understand the changing of the look of Corvettes years ago. A person would have an old '63 and want the new '66 or '67. But their old '63 was worth $3000 and the new '67 was worth $6000, so they were out $3000 (a lot of money back then) to get the new car. So it was cheaper to cut out the split and install the new glass, cut out the louvers and install the new ones, and change the grill and hood.
But with most of these cars today, there is almost no difference in price of them within a couple of years, and so financially, there is NO reason to not just trade cars.
I just don't get it.
But I can't understand if you wanted the 1980-82 look, and had a '79, why didn't you just trade your '79 for an '80-'82?
It would have been a lot less work.
And in your case, you had a friend who had an '81 who wanted the '79 look. The swap of cars was obvious.
I can understand the changing of the look of Corvettes years ago. A person would have an old '63 and want the new '66 or '67. But their old '63 was worth $3000 and the new '67 was worth $6000, so they were out $3000 (a lot of money back then) to get the new car. So it was cheaper to cut out the split and install the new glass, cut out the louvers and install the new ones, and change the grill and hood.
But with most of these cars today, there is almost no difference in price of them within a couple of years, and so financially, there is NO reason to not just trade cars.
I just don't get it.
03-25-2008, 11:02 AM
#12
The work looks good and you are doing well, so I don't want you to think I'm criticizing your work.
But I can't understand if you wanted the 1980-82 look, and had a '79, why didn't you just trade your '79 for an '80-'82?
It would have been a lot less work.
And in your case, you had a friend who had an '81 who wanted the '79 look. The swap of cars was obvious.
I can understand the changing of the look of Corvettes years ago. A person would have an old '63 and want the new '66 or '67. But their old '63 was worth $3000 and the new '67 was worth $6000, so they were out $3000 (a lot of money back then) to get the new car. So it was cheaper to cut out the split and install the new glass, cut out the louvers and install the new ones, and change the grill and hood.
But with most of these cars today, there is almost no difference in price of them within a couple of years, and so financially, there is NO reason to not just trade cars.
I just don't get it.
But I can't understand if you wanted the 1980-82 look, and had a '79, why didn't you just trade your '79 for an '80-'82?
It would have been a lot less work.
And in your case, you had a friend who had an '81 who wanted the '79 look. The swap of cars was obvious.
I can understand the changing of the look of Corvettes years ago. A person would have an old '63 and want the new '66 or '67. But their old '63 was worth $3000 and the new '67 was worth $6000, so they were out $3000 (a lot of money back then) to get the new car. So it was cheaper to cut out the split and install the new glass, cut out the louvers and install the new ones, and change the grill and hood.
But with most of these cars today, there is almost no difference in price of them within a couple of years, and so financially, there is NO reason to not just trade cars.
I just don't get it.
03-25-2008, 07:48 PM
#13
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The work looks good and you are doing well, so I don't want you to think I'm criticizing your work.
But I can't understand if you wanted the 1980-82 look, and had a '79, why didn't you just trade your '79 for an '80-'82?
It would have been a lot less work.
And in your case, you had a friend who had an '81 who wanted the '79 look. The swap of cars was obvious.
I can understand the changing of the look of Corvettes years ago. A person would have an old '63 and want the new '66 or '67. But their old '63 was worth $3000 and the new '67 was worth $6000, so they were out $3000 (a lot of money back then) to get the new car. So it was cheaper to cut out the split and install the new glass, cut out the louvers and install the new ones, and change the grill and hood.
But with most of these cars today, there is almost no difference in price of them within a couple of years, and so financially, there is NO reason to not just trade cars.
I just don't get it.
But I can't understand if you wanted the 1980-82 look, and had a '79, why didn't you just trade your '79 for an '80-'82?
It would have been a lot less work.
And in your case, you had a friend who had an '81 who wanted the '79 look. The swap of cars was obvious.
I can understand the changing of the look of Corvettes years ago. A person would have an old '63 and want the new '66 or '67. But their old '63 was worth $3000 and the new '67 was worth $6000, so they were out $3000 (a lot of money back then) to get the new car. So it was cheaper to cut out the split and install the new glass, cut out the louvers and install the new ones, and change the grill and hood.
But with most of these cars today, there is almost no difference in price of them within a couple of years, and so financially, there is NO reason to not just trade cars.
I just don't get it.
If you were talking about stock vehicles in similer condition you would be correct. But, bluegtp has already done a lot of work to his car like building his own 383 stroker and custum interior. I on the other hand have mine torn down to almost nothing.
bluegtp is building the car he wants just as I am. I really don't care what the value of my car is or what it will be. This is just a hobby for many of us here and we just like to build and work on things.
03-25-2008, 10:00 PM
#14
Drifting
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The work looks good and you are doing well, so I don't want you to think I'm criticizing your work.
But I can't understand if you wanted the 1980-82 look, and had a '79, why didn't you just trade your '79 for an '80-'82?
It would have been a lot less work.
And in your case, you had a friend who had an '81 who wanted the '79 look. The swap of cars was obvious.
I can understand the changing of the look of Corvettes years ago. A person would have an old '63 and want the new '66 or '67. But their old '63 was worth $3000 and the new '67 was worth $6000, so they were out $3000 (a lot of money back then) to get the new car. So it was cheaper to cut out the split and install the new glass, cut out the louvers and install the new ones, and change the grill and hood.
But with most of these cars today, there is almost no difference in price of them within a couple of years, and so financially, there is NO reason to not just trade cars.
I just don't get it.
But I can't understand if you wanted the 1980-82 look, and had a '79, why didn't you just trade your '79 for an '80-'82?
It would have been a lot less work.
And in your case, you had a friend who had an '81 who wanted the '79 look. The swap of cars was obvious.
I can understand the changing of the look of Corvettes years ago. A person would have an old '63 and want the new '66 or '67. But their old '63 was worth $3000 and the new '67 was worth $6000, so they were out $3000 (a lot of money back then) to get the new car. So it was cheaper to cut out the split and install the new glass, cut out the louvers and install the new ones, and change the grill and hood.
But with most of these cars today, there is almost no difference in price of them within a couple of years, and so financially, there is NO reason to not just trade cars.
I just don't get it.
thanks for the compliment.....in my case as with crazy81s are cars were both at two different stages. I just finished up redoing my whole interior, and putting a new transmission, and months before that built my stroker motor. Crazy81s is stripped out up on jackstands. You do the math.....
The way I figured is these cars are about 30years old and some have been through many owners and there's really no telling what you're getting into until you actually buy it and dig in. At this point I know exactly what I have and everything that was "rigged" is fixed and the new modifications are done right.
Even if I had the money to go buy an 80's style, i don't think I would.....I mean, really.....where's the fun in that? I can't tell you how much I have learned doing all this stuff myself..... from electrical stuff, to how to wrap leather seats, to fixing rust, to building a stroker motor correctly, now fiberglass work, and hopefully soon paint/body work. And when it's done I can pretty much say "yeah, I built it!"
I guess that sums up why, hope you "get it."
Later!
ryan
03-25-2008, 10:55 PM
#15
Melting Slicks
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St. Jude Donor '06
Great work!
I am in the process of replacing my whole nose on my 82, and the one-piece front end is less than stellar. The fiberglass front bumper is a lot of fun too.
I am in the process of replacing my whole nose on my 82, and the one-piece front end is less than stellar. The fiberglass front bumper is a lot of fun too.
04-07-2008, 01:11 AM
#16
Drifting
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finished up the pass side this weekend (sorry about the bad pics) and started on the drivers side today.....boy, it looks bad starting out....
pass side
and while the glass was drying I got after the paint with the razor blade
pass side
and while the glass was drying I got after the paint with the razor blade
01-29-2010, 03:17 PM
#18
Le Mans Master
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When I was looking for my Corvette I considered buying an 80-82 and converting it to the 78/79 body style but gave up on that idea when I found out it wasn't simply a bolt on affair. I also thought of converting my 79 to the big block hood, but now that I see a late model corvette with that hood I don't think it looks right.
01-29-2010, 06:06 PM
#19
Burning Brakes
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St. Jude Donor '10
i'm doing the same thing. well sorta- i bought a used glass front bumper like the one ecklers sells and i bought a used stock rubber rear bumper....changing to a stinger hood and going with fixed headlight buckets
01-29-2010, 08:03 PM
#20
I totally get your response to the "Why didn't you just sell the 79 and get an 82" crowd. Any Vette you buy is a can o' worms (Even one that looks to be totally "restored"). If you've already opened that can and are comfortable with the worms you got, then stick with it! I admire your work and your willingness to try something new! Good Luck!
Temvette72
Temvette72