When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Has anyone ever seen a one piece front end that hinges up w/o coming off the car? I started this project with no intentions of even doing a one piece front much less having it hinge. So what I have so far isn't ideal, but it'll have to do for now. This is my first fabrication project on anything automotive related (also my first time to TIG) so any suggestions/help is much appreciated. Here's where I am now
Good stuff, I couldn't find any factory dimension front clips for a lift-off or hinge up.
Are you bonding the bumper, hood, and fenders together to make a one-piece front clip? If so, you'll be able to trim a LOT of metal brackets and bolt-on points.
Where do you plan to put the hinge for opening without crushing something else?
I'm not molding anything together, it will still look stock from the exterior but everything will be mounted to the same structure. The hinge point will be almost level with the bottom of the bumper, about 10" back from the front tip. I'm going to have to make it slide forward about 2" before it starts lifting so it doesn't contact the doors. After putting some more thought in it, I may be able to use a couple cable latches and gas shocks (pull the lever and the front end releases and lifts on its own)
I have Eric at Midwest Chassis doing my car now, but it completely removes.
I'm sure with a simple tab or hinge one could make it so it just flips up(kind of like an 18 wheeler).
Thanks for the pics. My hinge point is going to be very similar to how your clip connects in the front. Do you have any pictures of the back of the bumper?
I started the project to shave weight and have more room to put whistle type things later on. However, with the addition of the hinge idea it will probably end up weighing about the same.
Yeah when I first started thinking about cutting that's what I was going to do. I just didn't like the look of anything stock in front of the shock towers and I knew I wouldn't be happy with it unless I got rid of all of it. I'll have a few mounting issues to deal with by taking out so much but nothing major.
We ran out of room at work so I had to bring the car home. I've been gathering tools to complete it at home. I bought a tig, tube bender, tube notcher, and some other misc. metal working stuff. I'm just waiting on some dies for my bender then I'll get back on it. I had to sell my toolbox in order to buy the tig, so I had to build something to store all my crap. Ended up with this
Also needed an easy way to move the car around so I built some wheel dollies. I wish I would have made these years ago.
Thanks. Yeah that shelf was my first real wood working project, I had a lot of fun with it. The dollies are a must have for my garage being a split door, and having the washer, dryer, and water heater all in the garage. The full set only cost about $100, and they're worth every penny.
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Slideshow: The controversial Ferrari F6 swaps its original flat-12 for a Corvette Z06-derived LT4 V8 and sends power to four rear wheels through a custom-built drivetrain.
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Slideshow:These GM engines didn't just make huge power, they survived abuse, boost, track days, and six-digit mileage with a reputation for refusing to quit.
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Slideshow: From wobbling harmonic balancers to failed EBCMs, these are the issues that define long-term C5 ownership and what repairs typically involve.
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.
Hinged one piece front end project 
