Special Front Bumper VE3 differences between OEM & aftermarket

[rsr]

Does anybody know WHEN the first VE3 bumpers were reproduced? I've gotten answers from long time parts suppliers saying 15-20 years?? I've seen 2 bumpers made from different colored urethane than the amber and gray mentioned here?? Come on James help figure this out...

[69Z28-RS]

Does anybody know WHEN the first VE3 bumpers were reproduced? I've gotten answers from long time parts suppliers saying 15-20 years?? I've seen 2 bumpers made from different colored urethane than the amber and gray mentioned here?? Come on James help figure this out...

Weren't all the original parts made from the orangish/amber? urethane?  (It's true for the ones I recall seeing long ago)

[rsr]

I've seen that material as well but how long after june 1975 was it before the 1st repo came out? Do you remember seeing any of those?Anybody got an original made in 1974-75 range to compare?

[cook_dw]

Ill look at the one I have at home tonight and take some photos.  I know its an original that came off one of the pc's that my father owned.

[z28z11]

Does anybody know WHEN the first VE3 bumpers were reproduced? I've gotten answers from long time parts suppliers saying 15-20 years?? I've seen 2 bumpers made from different colored urethane than the amber and gray mentioned here?? Come on James help figure this out...

Weren't all the original parts made from the orangish/amber? urethane?  (It's true for the ones I recall seeing long ago)

My original VE3 is molded from amber colored urethane, no doubt about it. I had a spare original (sold some years back to a CRG member), that, although with two coats of different paint colors on it, had the appearance of being molded from a different colored urethane. I did a lengthy photo session with the two to make sure of the originality to the new owner - I'll try and dig through the archives to see if I have any relative shots.

I've got the rat hoarder's collection of catalogs around here (dating back to late 70's) - I will research to see when they were first advertised. By the way - they are pretty easy to tell apart when you try to install them - repros just don't fit right -

Regards,
Steve

[rsr]

 I'm really interested in finding out about the different colored urethane! Thanks !!

[copo]

Does anybody know WHEN the first VE3 bumpers were reproduced? I bought a Repro VE3 bumper from Classic Camaro in 1985. I recall seeing them been advertised in the Classic Camaro Catalogs around 1984.

[rsr]

 Be nice to see the advertisement...Thanks for the info,very interesting!

[firstgenaddict]

I thought I had remembered them by the mid 80's, I can't recall how well they fit.

[cook_dw]

A day late but here they are..

[Mark]

Repro in front, real in the back

[Mark]

Same arrangement

[crobjones2]

Does anyone repair the originals? mine is bent and I would like to straighten it back to original shape

[69pace]

Never owned one myself but http://www.endurabumper.com/restorationservices/

or DIY http://www.goatsgarage.com/bumplft.html

[ZLP955]

Chris, how bad is it bent? Do you have a picture of it? My original VE3 (still fitted) took a shipping ding on the passenger side between inner and outer brackets when the car was in transit on the Pacific, and I've been putting off the straightening job for far too long. Going to make it a must-do project over our Southern Hemisphere winter (your summer, so next few months). No idea what the inner steel structure consists of, but if I can't reshape it with tools I have in my workshop, going to have to take it to a collision/body guy.....