The Evil Regal ~ 1978 Buick Regal (NO 56k!)

[Blake442]

The tucked bumper looks great!

Just make sure there's enough wiggle room around it once it's mounted on there, so it doesn't come in contact with the body and chip the paint when the car flexes...

Are you going to paint it silver or body color?

 

[Evil_Regal]

Goin body color with the bumper, just like the front. Thanks for the comments/suggestion. I can always shim it out a bit if i have to but i think it will be fine. it is about a paint stick thickness away. Still gotta make a filler for under the license plate. its also not centered all the way (i wasnt there when it was cut/welded) I might just leave it, minor detail but if it bothers me ill fix it or go fiberglass.

 

[kingcolbert83]

Can I get some more information on that tucked bumper? As far as how you did it and everything.

 

[Evil_Regal]

King,
What was done was that we removed the aluminum support inside the bumper(since you cant really weld steel to aluminum), cut the bumper "shell" down on both ends to get the desired width. The bumper was welded back together to the proper width and held at the desired location, used steel stock tubes with end plates which were actually from i think a leftover fence post support, cut it to the proper length and welded it to the bumper in the location we wanted for the tuck. It was raised up higher and moved inwards from the stock location to eliminate the filler panel in the rear. We are going to make a small filler for the license plate area and along the back so no light gets thru since there is still a small opening along the back which is required to remove the taillight bezels. I dunno if this answers your question but let me know if i can provide any more info. This work was actually done by my cousin and a helper while i was at work one day but thats what was done. We were originally considering scrapping the stock bumper and use a fiberglass piece but i guess he had some free time that day and got it done. Now I might just go ahead and cut down the stock aluminum bumper support and bolt it in for more structural rigidity, we'll see. One thing that was overlooked by them while they did it was they cut too much off of one side so now the indentation for where the license plate goes is off center, but i'll live with it. If it bothers me that much well redo it or go fiberglass so measure twice, cut once.

 

[FlintBuick4Life]

Awesome job! I have a 78 I`m working on too, just finished the body work and its all primed and surfaced up ready for paint... I like how you connected the back with the two tone body lines from the back quarter panel window to the trunk, I see many different ways people do it, but never seen it done like that... very nice! and the bumper tuck it the s**t! Just about everyone with a 78-80 Regal is missing that damn rear bumper filler! You cut it and had it re-chromed I imagine? I want to do that, but idk if I have the balls to do it lol

 

[Evil_Regal]

Thanks man, post pics of yours up when you paint it, hell post some now too, i love seeing what diff ppl do with these cars. Ive seen many ways to connect those body lines as well, i didn't like them so we went with something different and I also like the way it came out. Almost got the bumper filler part right, i've replaced that rear filler many times in the past and now its one less piece to worry about finding. Also, no chrome on the car we painted the bumper the same color as the car. Do it! It looks much better that way IMO. I always hated seeing the wings sticking out.

 

[FlintBuick4Life]

Thanks man, post pics of yours up when you paint it, hell post some now too, i love seeing what diff ppl do with these cars. Ive seen many ways to connect those body lines as well, i didn't like them so we went with something different and I also like the way it came out. Almost got the bumper filler part right, i've replaced that rear filler many times in the past and now its one less piece to worry about finding. Also, no chrome on the car we painted the bumper the same color as the car. Do it! It looks much better that way IMO. I always hated seeing the wings sticking out.

I will post some pics soon. I might just try that bumper tuck... I hate the way it sticks out too. I found a site that sells newer aftermarket fillers for 78-80 that have better plastic, but there $250 bucks and I`m broke as ever... just not really worth it. I`v been checking in on this site and have been watching everyone's progress, but didn`t join till a couple months ago... idk why it took me so long But keep it up, I`ll be keeping an eye on your progress :wink:

 

[Evil_Regal]

There are rear fillers on here for a bit cheaper. http://www.replica-plastics.com/EditPar ... Make=Buick
and here http://www.autobodyfillersusa.com/servlet/Detail?no=7

 

[Doober]

Another Flint guy, sweet 😀 Whereabouts do you live? I grew up in Swartz Creek & I just flew back up here yesterday to spend a few weeks w/ family for Christmas.

 

[FlintBuick4Life]

There are rear fillers on here for a bit cheaper. http://www.replica-plastics.com/EditPar ... Make=Buick
and here http://www.autobodyfillersusa.com/servlet/Detail?no=7

Sweet thanks... that`s a little more like what they should be.