Can I remove the front bumper on my 91 GT without the cover saggin?

crazypete · 12-01-2002, 10:08 PM

I'm lookin to strip all unneccessary weight off my daily driver and I already got 292 lbs out of the ole girl with a full interior still in place (you couldnt even tell by lookin in it). The rear bumper is gone! I'm thinking that maybe the front bumper should be my next victim and I was wondering if that flappy, loose bumper cover is going to make a sad face in short order or if it will retain it's shape on it's own. BTW... I have the fogs clamped directly to the cover

RPM427 · 12-02-2002, 12:39 AM

That may not be a good idea, if you hit anyone, or anyone backs into you at ANY speed, it will destroy the front end.

Also, it may affect your airbag, so be careful.

Old Guy with 87 GT · 12-02-2002, 07:23 AM

friend of mine took em both off ,the front looks fine ....the cover itself can support itself ,but my friend added a few small sheet metal supports so it didn't sag after time

but .....my friends car is not a daily driver ......on a daily driver i wouldn't recommend it ....if sombody backs into you at 2mph it'll destroy the cover and probly bend up the radiator supports or the radiator

another option is to take a 1 inch drill bit and drill a few hundred holes in the bumper ..........it'll cut its weight in half and you'll still have a little protection agianst the soccer moms in parking lots

crazypete · 12-02-2002, 10:41 AM

Oh, I've already encountered this phenoma on the rear bumper when I backed into my fence at like 1/2 a mph and a huge chunk of paint flaked off the rear bumper. Some imbecile painted the bumpers with rigid paint so huge chunks of paint fall off all the time and this flexing might help me to get rid of it so I can paint the rubber black. Whadda think, purple/black 2 tone?

crazypete · 12-02-2002, 10:45 AM

Hey, look at it this way, I've got EXCELLENT crumple zones now! =P

Shaggy · 12-02-2002, 02:37 PM

I have done this to several cars. What i always do is get some of that spray foam stuff that expands as it drys from the hardware store and spray it in the bumper cover to support it without any support i have seen them flatten out against the radiator at the big end of the track on fast cars.

87BOSS351C · 12-03-2002, 03:43 PM

Unless the 91's are different, my '87 LX has a fiberglass front bumper. The pair of late '80's GT's that I've been robbing parts from at the Junkyard also have the 'glas bumpers. Not really enough weight to lose on a daily driver to be worth the risk. I was thinking of removing them until I discovered this (and thought about what a crash would do to my $7000 engine without the bumper).

crazypete · 12-03-2002, 07:39 PM

Yeah, but those bumper supports are solid metal! I have the pair of them out and they are heavy as lead. My nose actually rose up a bit, which make me happy after my motorsport c springs dropped it to the ground.

I'm working on the rear supports and the passenger side one is a real stubborn little &*%#$. I stripped the bolt and now trying in vein to drill through it or grind it off

RPM427 · 12-03-2002, 09:54 PM

So how did you drop 300 lbs outta of the car? Can you explian in detail?

USMC302 · 12-03-2002, 09:59 PM

I drilled 5 holes 1 inch in diameter in the front bumper, for better air flow to help prevent the bumper cave in at the end of the track and also to help with cooling while driving on the street. I left the rear stuff in because I want that weight to help me hook. I have the hardest time hooking already. With all that I have for suspension, the best 60ft I can pull is a 1.9 on the drag radials.

88workcar · 12-03-2002, 10:11 PM

My front bumper has been gone for quite a while, with no side effects.

gofastmercury · 12-04-2002, 12:45 AM

Hate to be a downer kind of guy, but... think of the liabilty. You have to rear bumper removed already, what if someone hits you? Well your ok, it your choice, but what about your ol' lady? friends? You think they won't sue after they're laid up in a wheel chair? put the dam things back in. Its just asking for trouble. besides, I think you'll probaly go faster with back one on, like USMC302 said. Your only looking to gain, maybe 10-15 pounds on the front. Probaly not that much. Whats that? 10 to 15 thousands? Not worth it.

crazypete · 12-04-2002, 11:31 AM

this is for you rpm427

This is what I've pulled so far

removed a/c compressor
removed all tubes and hoses for heater core
removed hood heatshield pad
battery to the trunk
rewired entire enginebay and dash, no wires hangin out anywhere!
moved ignitionbox, coil and most vacuum lines into fender
stripped cruise components
Stripped airbag sensors and airbag and brackets
Stock fuel pump removed along with all relays and wiring
stock EEC-4 removed with all relays and 25 lbs of wiring
Pulled all soundproofing except under carpet
Removed frame for dashboard (doesnt need it)
pulled entire fan and heater tract assembly including parts in dash
Installed 130 cfm pc fan hooked to central vents with tube pickup off headers
disabled rear defroster assembly and pulled all relays and wiring
Pulled radio support bracket
Pulled shifter boot plate
cut all wiring to console
Replaced armrest unit with 90' convertible plate
removed back seat support frame flipdowns
removed back seat support bars (it's SO soft now!)
removed rear bumper I-beam and supports
removed rear axle damper
removed pinion snubber strike plate
removed spare tire + jack + iron (never came with one)
removed tire well plate
removed front bumper and support beams

-315 pounds + tire/jack/iron (65 lbs?) and still going (~380 lbs)

with all that weight off the front, the nose rose up in the air, so a set of motorsport "c" springs really helped out. Yes, the rear seats are perfectly usable and they are so comfy now. If one leaves the center pivot and has the luggage cover bar, the seats stay put. The entire heater tract was removed and I hooked up a 130 cfm pc fan (than uses practically no power) to the central vents and snaked a tube from the back of the fan through the old evaporator core drain location to the back of the headers so it sucks in hot air off the top of the pipes. Works great, saved me about 80 pounds and cleaned up the enginebay a lot.

The carb conversion helped greatly. Wow, there's almost 25 lbs of wiring in these cars, most of it goes nowhere. I only have 1 intake now and I love the throttle response.

As for liability and so forth, would that crappy fiberglass board really make any difference, I dont think so. Besides, there's still tons of iron inbetween me and whatever it is that I'm colliding with. As for the rear, there's an entire cabin that has to collapse before I get hurt. I think I'm ok. Besides, I usually hit things sliding sideways anyhow =P

crazypete · 12-04-2002, 11:35 AM

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention for all you soundsystem freaks....

If you hollow out the interior under the plastic, the entire body acts as a woofer box. I have a plain jane $150 single speaker jbl woofer hooked to a medium nothing special kenwood amp with bridged outputs and the speakers just hooked to the stock amp.

It SHAKES the house! I can make the garage doors violently flap against their hinges. This is with the amp gain turned down to .7 out of possible 3 and the bass on the stock radio turned to midway.

GRIN GRIN GRIN

88workcar · 12-04-2002, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Grin Grin Grin

Your my kinda guy.

12-01-2002, 10:08 PM	#1 (permalink)
crazypete Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Boston Posts: 592	Can I remove the front bumper on my 91 GT without the cover saggin? I'm lookin to strip all unneccessary weight off my daily driver and I already got 292 lbs out of the ole girl with a full interior still in place (you couldnt even tell by lookin in it). The rear bumper is gone! I'm thinking that maybe the front bumper should be my next victim and I was wondering if that flappy, loose bumper cover is going to make a sad face in short order or if it will retain it's shape on it's own. BTW... I have the fogs clamped directly to the cover

12-02-2002, 12:39 AM	#2 (permalink)
RPM427 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Huntington NY Posts: 573	That may not be a good idea, if you hit anyone, or anyone backs into you at ANY speed, it will destroy the front end. Also, it may affect your airbag, so be careful. __________________ -1993 Mustang, 900rwhp 03-04 cobra based 4v swap, full Griggs setup, project underway -1994 Ranger w/ 427cid windsor (daily beater) check it out!

12-02-2002, 07:23 AM	#3 (permalink)
Old Guy with 87 GT Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Posts: 379	friend of mine took em both off ,the front looks fine ....the cover itself can support itself ,but my friend added a few small sheet metal supports so it didn't sag after time but .....my friends car is not a daily driver ......on a daily driver i wouldn't recommend it ....if sombody backs into you at 2mph it'll destroy the cover and probly bend up the radiator supports or the radiator another option is to take a 1 inch drill bit and drill a few hundred holes in the bumper ..........it'll cut its weight in half and you'll still have a little protection agianst the soccer moms in parking lots __________________ the "not so old",old guy 87 Mustang GT T-top >hanlon t-5, pro 5.0, centerforce clutch ,adj. cable/quatrant ,3.27s ,full 2 1/2 ex(off road H) adj. reg. ,e-cam ,70mm TB, cobra intake ,1.7rr ,ported/milled e7ets w/crane springs ,306 balaced/decked short block w/speed pro forged flat top pistons ...257rwhp/302rwt best et 13.7@102 (4/11 ) '80 Capri (future project,currently collecting parts for 351 moter)

12-02-2002, 02:37 PM	#6 (permalink)
Shaggy Registered Member Join Date: Feb 1999 Location: Houston,TX Posts: 466	I have done this to several cars. What i always do is get some of that spray foam stuff that expands as it drys from the hardware store and spray it in the bumper cover to support it without any support i have seen them flatten out against the radiator at the big end of the track on fast cars. __________________ A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week. George S. Patton, General (1885-1945)

12-03-2002, 03:43 PM	#7 (permalink)
87BOSS351C Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Midland, Michigan Posts: 92	Fiberglass Unless the 91's are different, my '87 LX has a fiberglass front bumper. The pair of late '80's GT's that I've been robbing parts from at the Junkyard also have the 'glas bumpers. Not really enough weight to lose on a daily driver to be worth the risk. I was thinking of removing them until I discovered this (and thought about what a crash would do to my $7000 engine without the bumper). __________________ Black '87 LX 5.0 5 spd T-top with 450hp '71 351 Cleveland 4V, C6 tranny, "and some other stuff" Rice Haters Club Member #124

12-02-2002, 10:41 AM	#4 (permalink)
crazypete Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Boston Posts: 592	Oh, I've already encountered this phenoma on the rear bumper when I backed into my fence at like 1/2 a mph and a huge chunk of paint flaked off the rear bumper. Some imbecile painted the bumpers with rigid paint so huge chunks of paint fall off all the time and this flexing might help me to get rid of it so I can paint the rubber black. Whadda think, purple/black 2 tone?

12-02-2002, 10:45 AM	#5 (permalink)
crazypete Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Boston Posts: 592	Hey, look at it this way, I've got EXCELLENT crumple zones now! =P

12-03-2002, 07:39 PM	#8 (permalink)
crazypete Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Boston Posts: 592	Yeah, but those bumper supports are solid metal! I have the pair of them out and they are heavy as lead. My nose actually rose up a bit, which make me happy after my motorsport c springs dropped it to the ground. I'm working on the rear supports and the passenger side one is a real stubborn little &*%#$. I stripped the bolt and now trying in vein to drill through it or grind it off __________________ 91 GT Carb conversion, holley 600 double pumper, edelbrock performer intake, FMS "C" drop springs, march 1000 underdrive pullies, crane 1.7 roller rockers, GT-40P headers, bassani x pipe, american thunder catback, FMS 4.56's, msd aL6, trunkmount battery, A/C eliminator kit, 3000 stall tci streetfighter, AOD with transgo kit, A+ servo, 300M hardened lockup shaft, kevlar bands and 28,000 gvw trans cooler, 3 core radiator, 300 lbs stripped with a full interior

12-03-2002, 09:54 PM	#9 (permalink)
RPM427 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Huntington NY Posts: 573	So how did you drop 300 lbs outta of the car? Can you explian in detail? __________________ -1993 Mustang, 900rwhp 03-04 cobra based 4v swap, full Griggs setup, project underway -1994 Ranger w/ 427cid windsor (daily beater) check it out!

12-03-2002, 09:59 PM	#10 (permalink)
USMC302 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: San Diego, Ca Posts: 1,266	I drilled 5 holes 1 inch in diameter in the front bumper, for better air flow to help prevent the bumper cave in at the end of the track and also to help with cooling while driving on the street. I left the rear stuff in because I want that weight to help me hook. I have the hardest time hooking already. With all that I have for suspension, the best 60ft I can pull is a 1.9 on the drag radials. __________________

12-03-2002, 10:11 PM	#11 (permalink)
88workcar Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Pierre Part, La. U.S.A. Posts: 1,834	My front bumper has been gone for quite a while, with no side effects. __________________ 88workcar 1988 Mustang LX 342. 408 @ 6800. Radial tires, 3.55s, 11.83 @ 123.57 so far. Rice Hater # 42 To be old and wise, You must first be young and stupid I'm somewhere in tthe middle.

12-04-2002, 12:45 AM	#12 (permalink)
gofastmercury Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: calgary alberta canada Posts: 366	Hate to be a downer kind of guy, but... think of the liabilty. You have to rear bumper removed already, what if someone hits you? Well your ok, it your choice, but what about your ol' lady? friends? You think they won't sue after they're laid up in a wheel chair? put the dam things back in. Its just asking for trouble. besides, I think you'll probaly go faster with back one on, like USMC302 said. Your only looking to gain, maybe 10-15 pounds on the front. Probaly not that much. Whats that? 10 to 15 thousands? Not worth it. __________________ 93LXcopcarSOLD14.3@96 @ 4500ft 2.02 60ft on street tires. my 67 ranchero NOT A 390 ANY MORE! 460! 3.70's cast manifolds, comp cams 262H, performer, 750DP 100K out of 79 F250 NEW(oct20/02)14.58@95mph 2.3 60 ft corrects to:13.86@100 66 merc comet351w, isky roller 600 lift 268/260@.050, vic jr. 700DP, 5000stall, 4.56's c-4, 3400lbs with driver 12.3@110 @ 4000ft 1.69 60 ft corrects to:11.69@115

12-04-2002, 11:31 AM	#13 (permalink)
crazypete Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Boston Posts: 592	this is for you rpm427 This is what I've pulled so far removed a/c compressor removed all tubes and hoses for heater core removed hood heatshield pad battery to the trunk rewired entire enginebay and dash, no wires hangin out anywhere! moved ignitionbox, coil and most vacuum lines into fender stripped cruise components Stripped airbag sensors and airbag and brackets Stock fuel pump removed along with all relays and wiring stock EEC-4 removed with all relays and 25 lbs of wiring Pulled all soundproofing except under carpet Removed frame for dashboard (doesnt need it) pulled entire fan and heater tract assembly including parts in dash Installed 130 cfm pc fan hooked to central vents with tube pickup off headers disabled rear defroster assembly and pulled all relays and wiring Pulled radio support bracket Pulled shifter boot plate cut all wiring to console Replaced armrest unit with 90' convertible plate removed back seat support frame flipdowns removed back seat support bars (it's SO soft now!) removed rear bumper I-beam and supports removed rear axle damper removed pinion snubber strike plate removed spare tire + jack + iron (never came with one) removed tire well plate removed front bumper and support beams -315 pounds + tire/jack/iron (65 lbs?) and still going (~380 lbs) with all that weight off the front, the nose rose up in the air, so a set of motorsport "c" springs really helped out. Yes, the rear seats are perfectly usable and they are so comfy now. If one leaves the center pivot and has the luggage cover bar, the seats stay put. The entire heater tract was removed and I hooked up a 130 cfm pc fan (than uses practically no power) to the central vents and snaked a tube from the back of the fan through the old evaporator core drain location to the back of the headers so it sucks in hot air off the top of the pipes. Works great, saved me about 80 pounds and cleaned up the enginebay a lot. The carb conversion helped greatly. Wow, there's almost 25 lbs of wiring in these cars, most of it goes nowhere. I only have 1 intake now and I love the throttle response. As for liability and so forth, would that crappy fiberglass board really make any difference, I dont think so. Besides, there's still tons of iron inbetween me and whatever it is that I'm colliding with. As for the rear, there's an entire cabin that has to collapse before I get hurt. I think I'm ok. Besides, I usually hit things sliding sideways anyhow =P __________________ 91 GT Carb conversion, holley 600 double pumper, edelbrock performer intake, FMS "C" drop springs, march 1000 underdrive pullies, crane 1.7 roller rockers, GT-40P headers, bassani x pipe, american thunder catback, FMS 4.56's, msd aL6, trunkmount battery, A/C eliminator kit, 3000 stall tci streetfighter, AOD with transgo kit, A+ servo, 300M hardened lockup shaft, kevlar bands and 28,000 gvw trans cooler, 3 core radiator, 300 lbs stripped with a full interior

12-04-2002, 11:35 AM	#14 (permalink)
crazypete Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Boston Posts: 592	Oh yeah, I forgot to mention for all you soundsystem freaks.... If you hollow out the interior under the plastic, the entire body acts as a woofer box. I have a plain jane $150 single speaker jbl woofer hooked to a medium nothing special kenwood amp with bridged outputs and the speakers just hooked to the stock amp. It SHAKES the house! I can make the garage doors violently flap against their hinges. This is with the amp gain turned down to .7 out of possible 3 and the bass on the stock radio turned to midway. GRIN GRIN GRIN __________________ 91 GT Carb conversion, holley 600 double pumper, edelbrock performer intake, FMS "C" drop springs, march 1000 underdrive pullies, crane 1.7 roller rockers, GT-40P headers, bassani x pipe, american thunder catback, FMS 4.56's, msd aL6, trunkmount battery, A/C eliminator kit, 3000 stall tci streetfighter, AOD with transgo kit, A+ servo, 300M hardened lockup shaft, kevlar bands and 28,000 gvw trans cooler, 3 core radiator, 300 lbs stripped with a full interior

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