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**BLLDOGG** · 09-21-2004, 06:04 PM

car looks real nice. i dont know the difference of the firebird and TA bumpers though

**'98 BlackBird** · 09-21-2004, 06:06 PM

Looks very nice, very black. I like it.

**DarkEcho** · 09-21-2004, 06:18 PM

the difference is that the TA bumper doesnt stick out quite as much making the back a little more "square" or flat looking, i like taht look, and the TA bumper has the area where the exhaust can sit, it surrounds the exhaust basically on 3 sides. look at a picture of a firebird rear and a TA rear and you will see the difference... heres something to compare:
T/A Bumper:

Firebird Bumper:

maybe not the best images but just compare the ta pic to some birds rear.

**BLLDOGG** · 09-21-2004, 06:22 PM

o' i understand. i have never noticed that the firebirds i have seen, that the bumper was different then the TAs im used to seeing.

**DarkEcho** · 09-21-2004, 06:28 PM

u guys think i should put in the chrome pontiac lettering in the back or should i leave it black, i think there are pics in my sig on my cardomain sight of once when i had the firebird bumper with the pontiac letters, check it out and let me know... i kinda like the BLACK look ;)

**'98 BlackBird** · 09-21-2004, 06:29 PM

Dont you mean the differecne between the firebird bumber and the WS6 bumper? the pic on the top is the the WS6 rear bumper. the pic on the botton is the same bumper for the T/A and anf firebird.

**DarkEcho** · 09-21-2004, 06:37 PM

I am pretty sure that only firebird have the bottom bumper... i have never seen a trans am with anything other than the top bumper, i guess i could have only been seeing ws6 TAs.... hmm but i am still 90 percent positive that the TA bumper goes on TAs and WS6s while the firebird bumper only goes on birds... perhaps im wrong..

**Flying high** · 09-21-2004, 06:46 PM

Originally posted by DarkEcho:
I am pretty sure that only firebird have the bottom bumper... i have never seen a trans am with anything other than the top bumper, i guess i could have only been seeing ws6 TAs.... hmm but i am still 90 percent positive that the TA bumper goes on TAs and WS6s while the firebird bumper only goes on birds... perhaps im wrong..

The WS6 and the Trans am have the same bumper, the firebirds bumper is different, but heres the thing the W68 firebird has the rear bumper just like the Trans am's,

So firebird and formula,have a bumper like the bottom pic.

Trans am, ws6, W68 have the bumper like the top pic.

**DarkEcho** · 09-21-2004, 06:52 PM

yea thats what i though thanks for clearing that up

**C.O.Jones** · 09-21-2004, 07:58 PM

1) Did you place the aluminum in from the back, or over the top of the felt?
2) Is it two pieces?
3) Don't know if you'll be able to get really thin aluminium... tin flashing with the edges sealed might be your best bet.

Looks good

**DarkEcho** · 09-21-2004, 08:10 PM

i called around and i can get the right size aluminum sheet for a single door panel but it will cost 40 bucks which is kinda... well expensive for my situation lol. Tin flashing huh? ill have to find some of that. wonder if it will "brush" the same way. anyway aluminum came in .025" thickness and what i used as my test panel was .065" so it will be quite a bit thinner, which is good in some ways but bad in others, it will be lighter, easier to cut, but it will be easier to crease and it is very expensive which means, one mess up and 40 bucks down the drain. decisions decisions....

**DarkEcho** · 09-21-2004, 08:16 PM

oh and to answer your othe questions, its is one peice (i used a sheet of zinc steel from homedepot for 10 bucks and a pair of metal snips and cut the shape i needed out of a 24"x36" sheet) andi put the leather on behind it for added support but it would be fine on its one, it is held in by some screws that also serve the purpose of adding structure and connecting other parts of the door back together where the melted plastic tabs used to be.

**silvachris1** · 09-21-2004, 08:30 PM

What if you had a drawing done up with the right dimensions and had the aluminum sheet laser cut. There is a huge machine shop (www.RCBI.org) where I used to go to school (Marshall University). They let the public "rent" the tooling. I think it's like $30 bucks an hour there. I'm sure you could prolly find a cheaper rate, but dang, if you had say 100 bucks invested in those door panels, I can see it looking REALLY GOOD.

**DarkEcho** · 09-21-2004, 08:41 PM

hmm laser cut...
that is a possibility... but then if i go and get em laser cut i might as well get them anodized afterwards for added protection againt scratched and stuf which will be abot 45-50 bucks... so lets see

40 (x2 plus tax) probably 87 dollars for the aluminum

lasercutting (not sure but maybe 30-50 dollars
anodizing 45 bucks

that wouldbe about 180 bucks into the doors

i might want to instead of getting them laser cut, save myself the cash and attempt hand cutting (since you dont really have to be precise, the edges are covered by the plastic part...) and if u were to mess up you could use the other 30 u were going to spend laser cutting and try again lol... im not sure... i love the idea and the look especially with the rest of my interior but im thinking that this project will be a little pricey if i keep trying new things so im going to think about it all for a while before i make any decisions.... i think laser cutting will be too much of a hassle so ill stick with the snips... now i have to decide if the aluminum will crease too easily... and i thnk that the only way to know that is by experience... maybe i can get my hands on some aluminum for cheap via my girlfriends dad (electrician) somehow and try it out... thanks for all of the replies i will update as the project progresses!

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T/A Bumper conversion, Aluminum Door panel, lots of eye candy folks!

T/A Bumper conversion, Aluminum Door panel, lots of eye candy folks!

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