I was in the junkyard yesterday thinking about how to reduce the weight of my malibu (1981 4 door) it's already got the aluminum rad support, aluminum drums, etc. + i swapped out my dented rear doors for a set of '78 rear doors to eliminate the awkward looking vent windows. (i've run across a diesel cutlass wagon which will donate its aluminum hood and hydroboost).
Specifically, though, i was thinking about the bumpers. I've gutted out the innards of both front and rear bumpers, which were equipped with aluminum supports, but the remaining chromed steel shells feel like they weigh a ton. It's a street car, so i've ruled out those fiberglass drag racing bumpers.I was looking at Ford Fairmont aluminum bumpers, which are super-light, but they're too wide and their shape doesn't work well with the Malibu's lines. Quite by accident i stumbled across a GM X-car Buick Skylark (fwd), which apparently (i never knew this before), was factory-equipped with aluminum bumpers, front and back. They're a really similar design to the Malibu units, but shorter by a couple inches and narrower by about 3-4 inches. :idea: With a little more hunting, i found an Olds Omega, also with aluminum bumpers, and a Chevy Citation, with steel ones. IIRC the fourth X-car, the Pontiac Phoenix, had urethane bumpers, so it seems only the Buick and Olds versions got the aluminum ones..
I pulled both bumpers and they weigh next to nothing. Once I got them home, some quick measurements showed that the 3-4 inch narrower width will put these bumpers just slightly wider than the Malibu's body lines, so hopefully, besides being much lighter, they will also give that "tucked" look that would normally require cutting, rewelding and rechroming the stock ones. ($$$$)
Naturally, the mounting points don't line up, but they're only a few inches out from the Malibu's bumper shocks, wider front, narrower rear. Fabbing up some small adapter plates should be all that's necessary.
My schedule being what it is, I probably won't actually get around to doing it for a while, but I'd like to know if anyone out there has done this swap before, and if so, how did it look?
Specifically, though, i was thinking about the bumpers. I've gutted out the innards of both front and rear bumpers, which were equipped with aluminum supports, but the remaining chromed steel shells feel like they weigh a ton. It's a street car, so i've ruled out those fiberglass drag racing bumpers.I was looking at Ford Fairmont aluminum bumpers, which are super-light, but they're too wide and their shape doesn't work well with the Malibu's lines. Quite by accident i stumbled across a GM X-car Buick Skylark (fwd), which apparently (i never knew this before), was factory-equipped with aluminum bumpers, front and back. They're a really similar design to the Malibu units, but shorter by a couple inches and narrower by about 3-4 inches. :idea: With a little more hunting, i found an Olds Omega, also with aluminum bumpers, and a Chevy Citation, with steel ones. IIRC the fourth X-car, the Pontiac Phoenix, had urethane bumpers, so it seems only the Buick and Olds versions got the aluminum ones..
I pulled both bumpers and they weigh next to nothing. Once I got them home, some quick measurements showed that the 3-4 inch narrower width will put these bumpers just slightly wider than the Malibu's body lines, so hopefully, besides being much lighter, they will also give that "tucked" look that would normally require cutting, rewelding and rechroming the stock ones. ($$$$)
Naturally, the mounting points don't line up, but they're only a few inches out from the Malibu's bumper shocks, wider front, narrower rear. Fabbing up some small adapter plates should be all that's necessary.
My schedule being what it is, I probably won't actually get around to doing it for a while, but I'd like to know if anyone out there has done this swap before, and if so, how did it look?