[roger1]

Rear Bumper:

Before proceeding to install the tailpipes, I decided I needed to have the rear bumper installed first so I could know if the exhaust tips would be where I wanted them to be.
So, I installed my new Ames bumper. I was immediately not happy with this bumper. Fitment problems in 2 areas.



Looks OK in that photo but take a look at this corner on the top left:



That corner is just misshaped and I can stick my finger in that gap up to my knuckle. The opposite corner is shaped OK though.

The other problem is at the top center. Here is a photo of how close it is to the tail panel:



It's almost touching. In this photo, the rubber blocks that fit on the pinch weld are not installed. I can loosen the bolts and install the blocks but it puts the bumper in a bind when the bolts are re-tightened. However it does increase the gap a little.

Next thing I did was dig out my original bumper off my junk pile and wash it up. I counted over a dozen dings and it has two slightly bent areas but it looked like it had never taken a severe blow. So I decided to mount it and see how well it would fit. Here's a few photos.











As you can see, the original bumper fits very, very well. (need to adjust the right taillight a little though).
I made a decision right then and there to research and find a shop that can restore this bumper and try to return the one I bought from Ames.
It had been over 60 days since I had received it so I wasn't sure what they would do.

I called Ames and dealt with Donovan who was very good. He had me send photos of their bumper as well as ones for my original bumper. After reviewing them, they will allow me to return it for a refund but I will have to eat the shipping. There is also a 10% restocking fee for being over the 60 days but I am going to request a waiver on that after they receive the bumper.

After doing some research on bumper restoration shops and getting a great reference from Ron Johnson at Potomac Classic Pontiac, I decided to go with a company in Tennessee called Tri City Plating. They charge $800 plus shipping both ways but I will be worth it to insure a perfect fit. Ten week turnaround.

Exhaust system:

I tack welded all the joints from under the car and then removed for welding up all the way around. I then used ceramic exhaust paint to paint the welds so they don't rust.







After reinstalling, I then started on the tailpipes. I decided to use the kit's band clamps instead of welding any of the joints.





The tailpipe hangers are a combination of what I think were factory frame top brackets and hanger kits I bought from O'Reillys. The frame top brackets were on the car when I got it and I blasted and painted them.



I tack welded the polished tips in 3 places on each one but where they can't be seen unless you look under the car.









Eye level to the bottom of the quarter:



So the exhaust is finished. However, I am thinking about removing and polishing the last sections of tailpipe from the tip joint back to the clamp. Since that pipe can be seen from the side of the car just a little, I think it might look better.