I installed a fiberglass front bumper on my nova and saved 17 lbs:hurray: But I have seen so many crashes lately until I wonder how much safer is the original bumper? Would it also save the car some? Sorry If I posted this in the wrong section!

really think the bumper is mainly cosmetic, might save it from a shopping cart, but probably not much more than that. Jim

Yeah them old bumpers IMO wern't all that good except for little things like shopping carts and kids running into them with their trikes and such. As bad as the 1973 5 mph crash bumpers were hated, they were probably more practical in terms of hitting something.

My friend used to call his 66 Mustang's bumpers vanity bumpers. Made sense. Mostly for looks, but I'd still go ahead and use a real bumper. Unless I had a tri five Chevy. I'd have to ditch it in that case. :)
Do you have the fenderwells out of the car. I wonder how much that affects the crushability of a front end? Or using fiberglass hoods?

What's even funnier I've heard lots of folks say "these newer cars have plastic bumpers not worth a darn in a crash....but back in the day them old cars had bumpers that were connected to the frame rails...."

But then I went to remove the rear bumper off of my Chevelle one day and learned it's not even attached to the frame at all....it just hangs on the body...

The rear bumper on my '69 is certainly attached to sheet metal. However, my brother is certain that the rear bumper on his '67 was attached to the frame...

Obviousely I would prefer to have my bumpers attached to the frame...

I bought a '56 210 2dr in '63. No front bumper, just tow bar brakets. Went through at least a dozen engines including 1 bigblock. Sold it in 2001.

Having a glass bumper is like having none. The trick is: Don't run into sh!t!! I never bent anything on that car in 39 years. It was driven on the street from daily at first, to only a few thousand miles/year toward the end. The present owner hasn't fit a bumper either.

Have to give kudo's to my friend when he worked at the speed shop. He lost the shop some big dollar sales in the name of safety. He had a lot of youg guys wanting everything from fiberglass bumpers to doors and complete front clips for their cars. Street cars they were driving every day. He did his best to discourage them from putting these parts on their daily drivers pointing out that the bumpers and especially the front clip are vital to your safety ina crash. Sme with doors. He would ask if they were puting in door bars and a cage and that even at that unless they put anything less than what Nascar puts in the door area a side crash would be deadly. How would they feel about their girlfriend sitting on the other side with little to stop a car from coming through the door! There are some serious things to consider when it comes to safety!:)

you think thats bad my dad has a 75 corvette stingray L-44 that is all fiberglass!

Which is why I will never buy or probably ride in a Corvette.

I know someone who had an accident in their '72 Chevelle with a glass hood and bumper.The hood was damaged,as was the radiator support and radiator,obviously the bumper was trashed,but the frame was fine.We think if the stock bumper would have been on,the frame would have been toast.Maybe he'll chime in here.

Why are you scared... Do you have a habbit of smashing into things with your Chevelle?

Don't hit nuttin' Won't Be Nuttin' !!

that's like saying "why wear a seat?...do you plan on getting in an accident?"

in a crash that matters i doubt theres a significant advantage of steel over glass and i think there are way to many variables to judge them in minor bumps. in low speed fender benders, i can see a few scenario's where both would have advantages. i think replacement price would be a big factor though, and, ive never priced glass bumpers.

as far as vettes go (even/especially the older ones, since from what i've seen, which, admittedly, is not a lot, the newer vettes are built more like race cars than traditional street cars) i think these days it's a given that the idea that impact "absorbtion" rather than resistance is a far more desirable characteristic. everything from air bags to nascars "soft walls" would seem to bear that out.

Why are you scared... Do you have a habbit of smashing into things with your Chevelle?

Don't hit nuttin' Won't Be Nuttin' !!

But what if some dumb nuttin drivin a ricer hits you while they are talking on their cell phone and putting their make up on? :p

But what if some dumb nuttin drivin a ricer hits you while they are talking on their cell phone and putting their make up on? :p
Make up? why does it have to be a girl?!:o
And vettes are a sweet ride, you dont know what your missing.

The subject was touched on my HRD...it is all about impact absorbtion! If you get in a major wreck in you classic car with a steel bumper that is connected directly to the frame it is going to damage the frame, not only the bumper and front sheetmetal. The plastic bumpers in modern cars are not just plastic, they are covering a foam crush structure. This deforms, absorbing some of the energy of the impact. Now definitely the damage to a modern car can be more extensive and more costly, but more of the energy is absorbed by the car and not the occupants. Another interesting point is that fiberglass is a great energy absorber when you crush it.

that's like saying "why wear a seat?...do you plan on getting in an accident?"



I don't wear a seat! I usually sit in them.

I know poor taste.. but couldn't resist.

Make up? why does it have to be a girl?!:o
And vettes are a sweet ride, you dont know what your missing.

Because they are the worse drivers. I thought everyone knew that. :D:p

Who says it's only women that wear makeup. ;)

The subject was touched on my HRD...it is all about impact absorbtion! If you get in a major wreck in you classic car with a steel bumper that is connected directly to the frame it is going to damage the frame, not only the bumper and front sheetmetal.

So you'd rather drive something with a bumper mounted onto the body?

Because they are the worse drivers. I thought everyone knew that. :D:p

Who says it's only women that wear makeup. ;)
Pfft, everybody knows old people are the worst drivers.
Do you wear make up? ;)

Only on occasion. :D :p

uh huh :D
i thought so ;) :p

you think thats bad my dad has a 75 corvette stingray L-44 that is all fiberglass!

Must have been a COPO or 'one only'. No Corvette was all fiberglass. L-44? If your talking engine, Corvette didn't have an L-44 in '75.

Don't be hatin. :D

:( fine. lol

Its on a Nova not chevelle sorry-But I have a chevelle too:) Not plan on hitting anything:noway: Just seen some cars brush guard rails with fiberglass bumpers and they all flew too pieces:( When you start getting older like me you just start looking at more safety I guess:D The car also looks alot better factory to me!

So you'd rather drive something with a bumper mounted onto the body?

On a modern car you are talking about a uni-body. That uni-body doesn't have a frame and it is significantly more stiff than a body on frame, especially when you are talking about a C-channel frame!

Use the original Bumper, the fiberglass bumper is used for race/track applications only! Remember safety first! what is your life worth and the life of your car?? 17 pounds :thumbsup: