Hi guy's I need a little help. I have a 1975 car that needs paint so what I want to do is install a new rear bumper that has a spoiler because I really like that look. What type of material should I buy?Does anyone know about these tru-flex bumpers? If that isn't a good choice what is. Thanks for your input. Darrell


(added topic title-aapple)

|UPDATED|3/4/2012 8:28:10 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

I replaced my warped urethane bumpers with tru-flex about 7 years ago. Theyre holding up great and no wrinkles or waves (other than other vette owners that is.....LOL).

My front and rear bumpers were replaced with fiberglass ones.  The rear one has a spoiler and frenched in tail lights.  I also glassed them in so that the seams don't show and feel it looks great.  They work fine, I just make sure I don't bump into anything.

______________

I heard Truflex was the preferred choice for ease of install so that's what I got for my '75 project. It seems whatever they used to make those out of in '74-75 just crumble with time . I got a reduced price set (front and rear) off Ebay, looks like they were taken off the assembly line 1/2 way through, no holes for mounting, but the alignment marks are there and for the price, I don't mind drilling 'em out. "bout a hundred bucks off on each one. Keep us posted on you choice and progress.

______________

Jimmy B.
Just can't wait to get on the road again.

 
                             Click to see larger views!

Most of them will not have the mounting holes already drilled, since no two cars are the same. They put the little indents in them to give ya an idea of where the holes go, but it's best to line up your retainers first, then drill. If you are not using the factory style retainers, and just using bolts/nuts, you still have to line them holes up with the holes in the body, before drilling.
The Tru-Flex is prolly the best replacement type cover there is. They do flex enough to make fitting to the body waaaay easier than hard 'glass, but not near as flexible as the urethane.


______________

Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Hopefully, attached are the instructions from Toledo fiberglass. I bought a rear tru flex cover over the winter, but have not installed it yet. Also bought the clips.

______________

 

 

I bought a rear flex-fit bumper for the '74 from Ecklers and it was pre-drilled. Matched the originals perfectly. Holes are set large enough to adjust. The OEM's were made of urethane and about 30 years of age, they turn to dust eventhough the car has always been garaged, most of the time with climate control.

And just to answer your original question, the Flex-Fit and Tru-Flex are made of fiberglass, same as the body of the vette. The flexible bumpers are manufactured with a few less layers of material so the material does not get so thick that they are inflexible. I do not know if they use some type of flex agent in the resin, but they are relatively easy to adjust when mounting them.