Custom Front Bumper

[TheDrumAndTheBass]

Well since my head gasket blew I kinda have some free time on my hands to do some misc upgrades. One of the things I have planned is installing a Third Gen RX-7 front bumber onto my 89 KA24E. I have done similar work to one of my old cars and the final outcome wasn't too bad. Just wandering what everyone's opinion were of the cosmetic aspects of the RX-7 and how they think it might turn out. Not that it will effect my decesion to take this project on or not. Just wanted to hear what some people thought. O yeah, and I got the bumper peice from a friend of mine for free, so cost is'nt really an issue. I will be sure to post pictures as the work progresses.Ryan

[LaureltheQueen]

Once I saw someone with a late 80's corolla hatchback(not a cool one) with an integra bumper molded on. It was... interesting. I'll have to track down the guy and talk him into letting me take pictures.

I personally dont think that the lines from your car will match up with the 3rd gen rx7 lines. but thats my opinion.

[Eklectrick]

Hmmm, more power to ya if you think you can do it, but I agree with LTQ, I don't know how you think those lines will work. you'll kill yourself doing the fabrications and then all you'll end up with is a rounder front end? I actually had to look up a pic of the RX-7 cuz I don't get to see too many of them 'round here and I couldn't imagine what it would look like. this is the third gen right?

[LaureltheQueen]

yep thats the 3rd gen alright. the new miatas look like miny rex's

[TheDrumAndTheBass]

Yep, thats it. As for getting it to match the lines of the 240. From preliminary drawing/blueprints it doesn't appear to be too far off, just a little too wide. But I do have a good friend of mine that works at a body shop and has a good bit of experience doing these types of things. He himself molded a WRX front bumper onto a 2nd gen RX-7. To give you a rough idea on how were going to go about the whole process is this. First we're gonna take off the 240 bumper (obviously) and then cut the top two or 3 inces off to maintain the stock mounting points, while doing the same to the RX-7 bumper peice. Then we weill fiberglass/40-50 the top of the 240 bumper to the bottom of the RX-7 peice. I know this sounds kind of strange, but it's how we went about getting the WRX bumper on his car. And if the RX-7 peice is to wide, we will probably cut it vertically down the middle, and take out the appropriate amount of space to make it the same width of the 240 body. I know this will all take a good bit of time, but like I said above. I'm also in the process of changeing my head gasket, so I have time on my hands to get it all done anyway. Going to start the major work tommorw so I'll try and take some pictures and post them.Ryan

[TheDrumAndTheBass]

Well, sometime around four this morning, I got a bug up my arse and decided to go out and put my head on and torque it down. (I don't know if this makes me a total car nut, or a total loser for having nothing better to do at 4:00 A.M. but it seemed like a good idea at the time) So as a result project "RX-7 bumper" as it's become to be known as around here, as officially been put on hold. Now that I have my head on the rest of the engine is ready to be put back together. Which will hopefully take alot less time then it took to take it apart. Thanks to everyone for their feedback though. And when/if the time comes around and I finally get that peice on, I'll be sure to let everyone know.Ryan

[AznRide]

do a conversion when you do a headgasket? The headgasket doesn't take more than a day to do dude. Might as well change your engine to a RB or something while you are at it...jeez

[TheDrumAndTheBass]

Well, when it's the first time changeing a head gasket, plus the fact I have limited time each day to work on the car, yes it can take more then a day. Exspecially when you considder it takes at least a day to get the head machined and pressure tested.