Who's the biggest supplier of Corvette body panels? Specifically, mid-Sixties to 1982.
Thx!
00fxd
11-28-2006, 07:10 PM
There's a company called Simershiems [spelling?]. Been around for ever. No web site I think. They are who you want to buy your stuff from [older cars]. Ecklers used to be the top but are falling behind a lot. More into t-shirts and knick knacks I've heard.
vintageracer
11-29-2006, 01:04 PM
Depends on what you want? Chopper gun, hand laid, press molded, those are three of the methods used to make reproduction Corvette glass.
Rockwell was the largest GM OEM supplier for the period you mention. OEM GM panel production changed over the period of time you mention from true fiberglass to Sheet Molded Compound (SMC) panels.
Lot's of people make make hand laid and chopper glass sprayed frontends. Ecklers, Vanacor out of Louisiana, American Custom Industries (ACI) and MANY more are just a few. Most do not fit very well. I have found ACI out of OHIO to make the best aftermarket hand laid frontends and other fiberglass parts available. ACI parts are typically the most expensive than the others but they fit great!
Corvette Image and Sermersheims are the 2 suppliers of original looking, press molded type appearing fiberglass parts. Neither are exactly like original since neither has a heated 100 ton press like Rockwell and Owens Corning used during the OEM manufactuer of original GM parts. Both are good products. The Corvette Image parts are more correct in that the underside finish is closer to the original finish/texture than the parts made by Jim Sermersheim if NCRS judging is your goal. Jim's parts can be made to look correct also. Some like Sermersheim and some like Corvette Image. I have used both and would buy which ever was cheaper. A 57-82 complete frontend from these 2 suppliers will cost about $3500-$4700 depending upon the year model ordered. Quarter panels $300-$500. If you have a decent car from 56-73, these parts are worth the money. Both make all the individual panels that were glued together to make a Corvette body.
Before you poo poo the above listed expensive frontends, remember the $1000 cheap front end you buy will also need inner fenders, metal support, rubber parts, staples etc that ARE included with the expensive front ends to make a cheap hand laid/chopper gun frontend complete to install. You can typically add at least a $1000 to the cheap frontends to make them complete enough to install. We have not even considered the fact that you probably need new headlight assemblies, grills, bumper, bumper covers, parking lights etc. Might as well spend the extra money on correct appearing fiberglass if your car warrants the expense of panel replacement. That way, when the repair is complete, it will only be noticeable to the educated.
If you own a C3 vette that is hit in the front, figure at least $4500 start to finish to replace the frontend and repair the car. That includes paint. If you have a 74-82 C3 Vette that needs a frontend, junk the car as it is not worth the expense to repair. IT'S A PARTS CAR!
Ya, I know this is a whole lot more information that you asked for. That's what happens when I get on a roll!