[lsejlowe]

I'm leaning toward the one-piece front end from Vanacor's for the rebuild of my '69. Anyone have experience with their larger body pieces? The price seems fair at $1300 for the complete unit including lower valance. Otherwise I'd be looking at replacing the left front fender, lower valance, and all or most of the hood surround. By the time you add all those pieces up along with bonding strips and extra labor it makes sense to me to do the one-piece. I've also heard that it's lighter than stock which would be good for weight distribution but hopefully it's not so light that it feels flimsy...

They're also running a special right now that when you order a front end you get both inner fenders for free. Sounds like a good deal to me!

 

[TimAT]

I can't help much on the whole front, but the hood on Ol' Red is from vanacor. It's way lighter than the hood that was on there. Not nearly as stiff either.

 

[Metalkid]

Are you able to even locate anything on Vanacor? I've read they had a fire last year and that everything for C3's was destroyed.

If you try their old webste, www.vanacorvette.com you get a japanese cosmetics website.:WTF

 

[GS81vett]

Are you able to even locate anything on Vanacor? I've read they had a fire last year and that everything for C3's was destroyed.

If you try their old webste, www.vanacorvette.com you get a japanese cosmetics website.:WTF

So that is why I got some lip gloss when I orded my fender!!:smack

 

[Sigforty]

The are still around here is the new site. http://www.vanacorscorvette.com/

I have their front end on my 71 after an incident. I am very please with the glass they make for our cars. The only thing I had to add to the front was the support bar for the chrome bumper. Other than that it fit great and the bodyshop had no issued with it. I would definitely buy their stuff again.

 

[saudivette]

For what it's worth...

I bought my rear bumper from Vanacor and I must say that I wasn't overly impressed.

Before starting on my Vette, I had no experience with fibreglass and what the making of large components (like a rear bumper) entailed. When my new bumper arrived, it looked pretty smart and finished in a satin black.

Without actually examining it, I assumed the black was the colour of the gel coat but when I actually started fitting the bumper, I removed the black paint in a few spots and was able to see the glass work underneath.

The glass work surprised me in it's general "shoddyness". Loads of air bubbles in it, loads of areas where filler had been wiped on, a few areas where large gouges had been filled and one chunk on the bottom corner that had been glassed back on.

I still make no claim to know anything of any substance about fibreglassing so I don't really know whether I received a badly made piece or whether it was pretty normal. For that reason, I didn't bother asking Vanacor about it (and the fact that they burned down and probably had other stuff on their minds) and once it was on the car, it didn't seem to matter too much, especially as nothing else on the car is perfect.

I've only said this on one other forum and have not said it here for the purpose of running them down - they were really great to deal with and shipped the part very quickly but I'm curious as to how I got what I saw as a very average part from a vendor held in such high regards by everyone? One school of thought was that they realized that the part was coming to Saudi, they took they opportunity to get rid of a piece of **** rear bumper they had lying around, knowing full well it would cost a mint for me to return it.

Who knows...?

But, I will not buy from them again.

Like I said, for what it's worth :lookinup:

 

[lsejlowe]

interesting, thanks for the info, Saudi. My mind isn't totally made up yet, but I'll let you guys know what I decide and how it seems to fit. Hopefully my experience is more like SigForty's and it all works out well...

 

[6880 Mike]

I have a one piece front end on my '68 but it did not come from Vanacor. My advice would be to locate the best quality replacement you can find close to home since you will be paying truck freight rates for shipping.

The one piece unit will seem a bit flimsy until bonding begins. The radiator support and inner fender panels add quite a lot of structural strength.

:thumbsup:

 

[lsejlowe]

I have a one piece front end on my '68 but it did not come from Vanacor. My advice would be to locate the best quality replacement you can find close to home since you will be paying truck freight rates for shipping.

The one piece unit will seem a bit flimsy until bonding begins. The radiator support and inner fender panels add quite a lot of structural strength.

:thumbsup:

fortunately I'll be able to ship it to my job where we have a loading dock. Then I can just trailer it back to my house. Should be a lot cheaper shipping it to work :thumbsup:

 

[Sigforty]

fortunately I'll be able to ship it to my job where we have a loading dock. Then I can just trailer it back to my house. Should be a lot cheaper shipping it to work :thumbsup:

That is a good idea! I personally just picked mine up, one of the nice things about being in Louisiana.

 

[6880 Mike]

That is a good idea! I personally just picked mine up, one of the nice things about being in Louisiana.

Same here; I literally drove to the vendor's, picked it up, and brought it home.

:thumbsup: