'73 Nose - Which one?

[Lonnie Wiggins]

Wandering through my latest Eckler's looking a '73 noses to replace the one which self destructed on my brother's car, I see....their part number 13028 1973-1974
" Original Equipment" Front Bumper at $579.99, part number 10257 - Fiberglass, and part number 33661 - Flex Fit....one at $299.99 and the other at $329.99.

I'm inclinded to bite the bullet and get the "original" one as the rest of the body and paint is original. I'm not inclined to look at the fiberglass bumper - seems like an oxymoron. Any recommendations or comments?

[Harmon C.]

Re: '73 Nose - Which one?

Lonnie Try your local GM dealer the last one I got was black as original and with a discount about $520. and no shipping charge. Lyle

[Paul B.]

Re: '73 Nose - Which one?

Bite the bullet. Went through this 2yrs ago with my "original paint" Survivor/5 Star Bowtie '74 Corvette. Ordered an Eckler's "Flexi-Fit" bumper. Bumper had created a 1/2" gap on the passenger side on the vertical seam in front of the marker light. Did NOT EVEN ATTEMPT to "close" this gap by tightening bolts. It does not take a Rocket Scientist to know what the result is when you try to tighten two pieces of rigid fiberglass with a 1/2" gap with bolts. So, I sold that bumper on a Corvette Internet site and bought the $520 one. This bumper is IDENTICAL in every way to the original GM urethane bumper except that it does NOT have the "INLAND" logo & manufacturer part # "on the inside" of it.
Also, DO NOT have it painted "on the car" as paint will "puddle" in the upper seam. I had mine painted "on the car" CORRECTLY. I mounted it loosely(the retaining studs are quite long) 1/2" away from the body masking off practically the first three feet of the car, wrapping the headlight pods in baggies, and "cardboard" grilles in place of the real ones. I probably spent over 4hrs masking it, but the result is SUPERB. Not a trace of overspray and people think my front bumper "is the original one" with the "original paint". You get the right results when it's done right.