Stupid request from a newbie.

Could someone please post up pics of both type of bumpers large and small for a 73 comet. I am wanting the lightest possible as I am building a race car but I do not even know what type I have. LOL

Thanks for looking,
Bobo

 

Look in the gallery at 72's, 73's and 74's. That'll show you the differences, 71-72 will have the smallest front bumpers.

 

Better yet....post up pictures of your car and we will tell you exactly what you have.

 

When you find out which bumpers you have, fiberglass ones are available for racing!
Here's one vendor out of many: http://www.up22.com/amx68.htm

 

These are not the best pics and keep in mind I have been gutting it.

Here goes.

 

The REAR bumper Bo Bo! +1 on the Fiberglass.

 

You have, the one year only, mid sized 73 front bumper.

 

I am actually thinking about getting a full glass front on the front end of it. I have seen one on a pro stock Maverick and have been trying to find it.

Bobo

 

Id put a full cage in that beast.

 

Isn't that what I said?

 

here is one vendor that makes them.. but shipping and correct skidding/bracing would be key to a no hassle experience, I'm guessing.
http://www.showcars-bodyparts.com/maverick.html

The nicer racecars/showcars that I've seen utilize custom front clips and make use of additional bracing to keep them solid. Especially if it ever sees street duty on less than perfect roads.

 

Do yourself a favor, and do a quick search about the history of that company before you get too excited, around here no one will deal with them, they are a fairly local company to me, and they had a extremely bad reputation.

 

Thanks for the heads up

Bobo

 

yeah.. thanks for the heads up and I was just trying to help the OP, is all.

and to be fair.. many of the other "old mold" cheapo glass shops out there are going to be cutting corners whenever possible. I've done glass work and I also use Urethanes for a living. This stuff ain't cheap and shipping hazardous is also an added kick in the nuts when you get the bill.

We just had MAS close down in St Paul last year and they were nothing to write home about either.. but at least I could just drive right down there to get what I wanted.

I've also used.. heard/read many horror stories from the other shop linked above too, so it's a perspective thing sometimes.

In reality.. if you want great quality stuff for the street you either need to make your own molds?.. or pay someone else to do it for you so it can be done right. But this stuff gets pricy really fast because man hours eventually add up on top of the already expensive material cost involved.

I can tell you from experience and through others though.. that if you really want to use most of these pre-made parts?.. all you need do is look at them as a pre-molded canvas to start out with. They can more easily be preloaded, braced, and reinforced in key load areas to make them much more long lived for a street applications. You gain weight by doing it.. but it turns cheapo parts into higher dollar parts which last much longer.

 

I don't know that I would go full glass front end unless you are replacing the whole front clip and suspension anyway.

Fenders are pretty light and if you rub a guardrail, they will live a lot longer.

A factory Comet hood is 50 lbs ... race-weight tends to be about 20.

A thin bumper swap is good. On a race car, glass would be fine, and you will save more if fab your own brackets, those are the heavy parts in all the factory bumper set-ups.

More than anything, get the weight off the front of the car and move the balance back. These cars may be light, but they are nose-heavy. Same amount of mechanicals as a mid-size car, but less car behind it.

Aluminum heads and intake will be the bigger gains. Battery in trunk helps a lot ... its like moving the engine back 10% of the wheelbase.