I have a fiberglass front bumper (not bumper cover) from a 90 GT. I would like to mod it to work on the 86. I thought I saw a thread on this? Any ideas to start with?
I have a fiberglass front bumper (not bumper cover) from a 90 GT. I would like to mod it to work on the 86. I thought I saw a thread on this? Any ideas to start with?
Last edited by abqrb2000; 10-26-2011 at 08:59 PM.
1986 GT T-Top 460 Big Block Turbo C6 Project
1990 GT TKO 600 5 lug w/discs
not me. it should work on the 85/86 but the 86 turning lights wouldn't have a place to bolt to.
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was in 3rd gear, right foot to the floor and Cones where flying!
1)who cares if you don't like my functional illiterate
2)if i write like a 2nd grader, isn't that still better than texting?
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I am going to mod it to work with the turn lights. Saves significant weight.
I saw it done somewhere? I assumed it was on this site.
1986 GT T-Top 460 Big Block Turbo C6 Project
1990 GT TKO 600 5 lug w/discs
You can drill large holes in the oem bumper to reduce weight.
Or get an aluminum one.
Maybe just not run the fiber glass bumper. It's pretty worthless. Make some brackets for the turn signals.
-Mike
I might know "someone" who "might" have installed a four eye bumper cover on a areo car. This person had to drill the bumper shocks and slid the bumper back, after a little creative trimming, it fit. To deal with the missing lights, LED strip lighting was added to the areo bumper.
Jess
Previously owned;
1979 Mustang, v6 swapped to EFI 393, custom installed m122 blower, 4r70w trans, Megasquirt II, T-top swaped in.
1990 Mustang, 545 BBF, C-4 with brake, ladder bars.
1983 Mustang, 1984 SVO Mustang
1984 Mustang convertible, v6 swapped to 351
1986 Mustang GT, 1989 Mustang GT convertible
1992 Mustang coupe, 4 swapped to 302
Mustang-junky, thanks can you obtain any photos of this alleged process? Keeping full confidentiality of course as to not get flamed.
1986 GT T-Top 460 Big Block Turbo C6 Project
1990 GT TKO 600 5 lug w/discs
nope it wont work!
Rob
current cars:
83 GT Convertible
83 Project GT T-Top Coupe
84 GT T-Top Hatch
86 GT Hatch low mile car
00 V-6 Convertible
all white cars!
First, and most important, is that 10+/- lbs you might save, gonna be worth the extra effort to make it work, and that noone but you will ever know is there?
Is your original bumper shot? or are you doing it just to do it lol?
No Longer a 4I Owner
But Have way too much 4I stuff Collecting Dust.
Not shot but doing a full resto/mod so its off and I have the fiberglass one. Haven't weighed them but feels like 20-25 lbs lighter.
Might not be worth the effort.
1986 GT T-Top 460 Big Block Turbo C6 Project
1990 GT TKO 600 5 lug w/discs
An aluminum bumper will save more weight than the aero bumper will. Then you don't have to jack around with gouging holes, creating brackets, or fab'ing custom lights.
i have also seen where someone made just a small tube frame to hold the turn signals and then forgot about the bumper.
saves the weight
You can make a 87-93 fiberglass front bumper reinforcement fit a 79-86. Is it worth the trouble? Only you can decide that. As already mentioned you will need to cut and fabricate a way to install the front turn signals if the car is still street legal. If it's a track only car, then you can attach the lenses to the front bumper cover and call it good.
As others have stated, the simpler solution may be to find an OEM aluminum bumper support. If this is not an option for you due to cost, etc. then another option as mentioned already is to fabricate a new bumper support out of aluminum with brackets for the turn signals. Again if this is not an option due to time, skill, money, etc. that leaves your original option as the only way to go.
If you are like many of us that have more time than money and are willing to spend large amounts of time in order to save money (sometimes small amounts ) Then modifiying the fiberglass reinforcement is probably the best option. If you go that route, take pictures, and document the work and post up your results if you would so others can hopefully learn something from your experience and projects. That is really one of the main benefits to a site such as this.
Good Luck!
Trey
Trey
"I Don't build it hoping for your approval! I built it because it meets mine!"
"I've spent most of my money on Mustangs, racing, and women... the rest I just wasted."
Mustangs Past: Too many to remember!
Current Mustangs:
1969 Mach 1
1979 Pace Car now 5.0/5 speed
1982 GT Stalled RestoModification
1984 SVO Still Waiting Restoration
1986 GT Under going Wide Body Conversion Currently
Current Capris:
1981 Capri Roller
1981 Capri Black Magic Roller Basket Case
1982 Capri RS 5.0/4spd T-top Full Restoration Stalled in TX
1984 Capri RS T-top Roller
1983-84 Gloy Racing Trans Am/IMSA Body Parts
^^^^ Awesome, great answer. This is why I love this forum. THANKS
I will post up progress on the findings of this mod.
Last edited by abqrb2000; 10-28-2011 at 01:54 PM.
1986 GT T-Top 460 Big Block Turbo C6 Project
1990 GT TKO 600 5 lug w/discs
No pictures exist, they were destroyed after viewing. My "source" tells me it was not much work, other than cleaning up the mess that came out of the bumper shocks that is.
An aluminum bumper support would have been much easier, but at the time, the aero to 4eye bumper cover swap offender was not aware of the existence of aluminum bumpers.
Jess
Previously owned;
1979 Mustang, v6 swapped to EFI 393, custom installed m122 blower, 4r70w trans, Megasquirt II, T-top swaped in.
1990 Mustang, 545 BBF, C-4 with brake, ladder bars.
1983 Mustang, 1984 SVO Mustang
1984 Mustang convertible, v6 swapped to 351
1986 Mustang GT, 1989 Mustang GT convertible
1992 Mustang coupe, 4 swapped to 302
Anything can be done to a car if you have enough desire and guts to try it. People will say you can't do it simply because it doesn't bolt in but most "mods" don't just bolt together or they wouldn't be "mods" in the first place. So basically, if you want to do it bad enough then you can do it.
+1 ^^^^
Project "WinBacK" 1986 LX Hatchback
- CA car, 5.0 w/5 speed
- Cobra 17x8.5's + Modded Mach1 Chin Spoiler + 83-84 Hood & Scoop/85-86 "Blackout"+ FMS Mass Air Kit+ MM Clutch Cable & Quadrant + Fiore Cable Adjuster + MM SFC's+ Wild Rides "Battle Boxes" + Explorer Intake, Converted TB & Injectors, 70 mm Mass Air Meter + BBK Ceramic Shorties + 2.5" Bassani O/R X-Pipe & Cat-Back Exhaust w/ 3" Tips + 3L27 w/ Carbon Fiber Clutches(out of retirement) + Pistol Grip Shifter + 99-04 GT Front/00 Cobra Rear Disc Brakes
I have read that the 87 bumper support can be used with the aero nose but you need to fabricate a spacer plate. I cant remember if it was 1/2" or 1"
Not sure what is different on later aero bumper supports. Did see a plastic aero bumper support that had been swiss cheesed to reduce weight.
[spoiler][/spoiler]
Last edited by Anlushac11; 10-30-2011 at 07:49 PM.
85 Mustang Coupe, 3.3L I6, C4, 8.8 3L23, 17x8 wheels. About 70% towards firing it up.
Previously owned;
1979 Mustang, v6 swapped to EFI 393, custom installed m122 blower, 4r70w trans, Megasquirt II, T-top swaped in.
1990 Mustang, 545 BBF, C-4 with brake, ladder bars.
1983 Mustang, 1984 SVO Mustang
1984 Mustang convertible, v6 swapped to 351
1986 Mustang GT, 1989 Mustang GT convertible
1992 Mustang coupe, 4 swapped to 302
I laid both bumpers out tonight and started measuring. They are pretty darn close. I will do a thread with details and pictures soon.
1986 GT T-Top 460 Big Block Turbo C6 Project
1990 GT TKO 600 5 lug w/discs
The stock 86 steel bumper is 33 lbs. and the fiberglass 90 bumper is 12 lbs. Sounds like significant savings on the nose to me.
1986 GT T-Top 460 Big Block Turbo C6 Project
1990 GT TKO 600 5 lug w/discs
Aluminum bumper is 16 lbs, and everything bolts ran onto it just like the steel bumper. No custom spacers. No custom lights. No custom brackets for stock lights.
I have a fiberglass bumper for free and it's 4lbs lighter than aluminum. Plus I just like to modify things.
1986 GT T-Top 460 Big Block Turbo C6 Project
1990 GT TKO 600 5 lug w/discs
I would like to go with the aluminum but I don't want to spend $$$ since I already have the fiberglass one.
1986 GT T-Top 460 Big Block Turbo C6 Project
1990 GT TKO 600 5 lug w/discs
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