81-87 Cutlass Front Bumper Lightweight Aluminum Guts?

[Blake442]

The RPO codes for them are:
VD6-FRONT BUMPER-REINFORCEMENT-ALUMINUM
VD7-REAR BUMPER-REINFORCEMENT-ALUMINUM

Not sure what the deciding factor was for what cars got them and what cars didn't...

 

[88hurstolds]

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.

Had a 1984 Diesel Cutlass and it was all steel. I thought it would have an Aluminum hood and bumpers due to the added weight of Diesel fuel, hydroboost system and other added components. That's one of the reasons why I bought it, that and the 350 DX block.

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.

This was a huge problem with the 76-77 Cutlasses, my moms 76 Wagon had the rear bumper fall off while we were driving back in 1986 and my Dad got a ticket once for using clothes line poles as bumpers on his 76 Cutlass since both bumpers fell off due to rust back in the 80's as well.

 

[High Roller]

Did you also check out the rear inner bumper, or radiator core support to see if they were also aluminum?