[Marcus]

I've found a one piece glass front end for my '73 Laguna and was wondering if anyone has experience installing these things. Firstly, I understand that the lower fender by the doors will have to be cut in order to tilt...I don't like this idea. Is their a hinge that will allow me to slide it back and then tilt? Where would I purchase such a hinge? US Body Source only sells the standard hinges I'm told. Also what is the best way to latch it at the cowl area? I'm going to use rubber snubbers (is that the correct term?) to allow the back part to rest on but obviously it needs to be locked in place somehow and I should be able to release it from within the car. Should I also have some mechanism to secure the fenders from flapping about or is the fiberglass ridged enough to omitt this. I would like this to be as simple as possible...I'm not going to use any electric tilt devices at this point although this sounds kind of neat. Anyway, I'd appreciate any pointers before it arrives. Thanks.

 

[Killo.Richards]

I don't have any first-hand experience with fiberglass front-ends, but I have read several articles on this subject.

I want to give you a heads-up on this...
Many of the fiberglass pieces will not align out of the box...sometimes you will need to remove the bracing from the part, and physically cut the fiberglass, and then re-glass it to get it just right.

If I was going to do a glass front end, I think I'd set it up on pins like a race-car. Remove the whole front end when you need access to the motor.

 

[TurboS10]

I dont know where you would buy hinges, but they would not be too difficult to make. You could use a series of small alternator bearings and small steal channel. You could attatch the standard hinge to the manufactured slide. Then the front end could slid forward and then tilt. This way you could keep the fenders in tact.

chris

 

[Killo.Richards]

good walk-through:

http://www.clubfte.com/users/jniolon/tiltfrontend/goingfulltilt.html

 

[Marcus]

Thanks for the replies. I have heard that these front ends don't align sometimes and have to be reworked to fit properly, including cutting the internal bracing etc. That's a depressing thought...enough so that prehaps it really is better to use pins to bolt the entire thing in place although it's a little impractical at a gas station to check the oil...

 

[Killo.Richards]

you know what would be kind of slick? Is maybe pin the thing in place, but put it on two slide-out supports. So if you are at gas station, you can unpin it, and pull it out...kind of like the ramps on u-haul trucks. Then you wouldn't really be lifting the whole weight of the thing yourself, and you wouldn't have to put your nice front-end on the deck.

just ideas boss.

 

[Wadegcs]

I made some brackets, attached them to the radiator support, and pinned them at the front bumper bracket hole in the end of the frame rails. I had to set the radiator back 1" on it's own brakcets. The front clip still hangs on the the radiator support and all is bolted. Bracing is required for stiffing and an alignment mechanism at the rear when it comes down. On the 41 I am using the inner fender wells and my master cylinder is on the fire wall which is somewhat in the way at this time. A brake system under the floor would eliminate clearance at that point. I have some photos I you think that might help.

 

[NEW INTERIORS]

I cut the one's on my 57 .Don't look bad,When done right.Pics in my album. :thumbup: