81-87 Cutlass Front Bumper Lightweight Aluminum Guts?

[442kid]

Has anybody ever come across a front bumper for 81-87 cutlass with an aluminum inner frame? I took one off a parts car last week 85 cutlass supreme. Bumper is in very nice condition. It is very light pick up one hand easily. Inner frame looks identical to original steel ones just wondering if anybody knows if this is aftermarket inner guts? Or maybe original on a certain year or model?

 

[kustomkyle]

I don't know about Cutlasses, but Regals had aluminum inner bumpers on various models. I think all of the turbo cars had them, but I just pulled one off a V6 Limited to replace the rotted steel one on my car. I believe it was part of an RPO option code. Definitely not aftermarket, but they might be rare.

 

[442kid]

Thanks I parted many but this the first I seen in aluminum.

 

[88hurstolds]

They are pretty common on Cutlasses, my 84 Calais came with them and an Aluminum hood and my 84 H/O came with them as well.

 

[442kid]

Thanks. Were they specific to models or year do you know? Interesting. I have heard about the aluminum hoods but yet to part a car with one on it but never heard talk of the bumper cores. Rears also?

 

[kustomkyle]

Not sure about Cutlasses, but since the Regals had both front and back aluminum bumper cores, it make sense that the Cutlass would too. Maybe if there is a car that has one steel and one aluminum, it was in an accident and the body shop ordered the wrong one. I think the aluminum ones are better since I have yet to see a steel one that is usable, plus they are much lighter. The only drawback is that you have to be careful about the steel touching the aluminum, which can be very bad (electrolysis, the dissimmilar metals eat each other away). I think the factory used a thin plastic film on the mating surfaces, which seemed to be effective.

There is also the aluminum radiator supports. These seem to be on random cars from the factory too. I think the only cars that had all/most of the aluminum parts were the diesel Cutlasses. But then again I'm not sure because I have never seen one in person.

I think all Monte Carlos had aluminum bumper reinforcements. I can't really say for sure but all the ones I have seen torn apart at salvage yards, regular, LS, SS, had aluminum.

 

[dan2286]

My 86 Cutlass Supreme had them, both front and rear.

 

[DelOhio]

I wonder what the total weight savings would be :?:

 

[Blake442]

My 442 has the aluminum reinforcements front and rear.

--Weights--------------Alum. ----------------- Steel
Frt. Bumper Core------8 lbs--------------------25 lbs
Rr. Bumper Core------11 lbs-------------------35 lbs

 

[kustomkyle]

Were they just randomly installed on cars at the factory or is there a specific option code for them? Performance models got them, but why would a Cutlass Supreme/Regal Limited have them?