[70UglyBird]

My 70 bumper on the car is dented. So I picked up what I thought was a nice 73 bumper to put on my 73 car. The body shop stripped and its in primer but looking at it I see that the middle top looks off center. Is this right? Bumper is in great shape but already have a bunch of money into it I don't want to waste anymore if its junk.

[Dens71TA]

Doesn't look right to me. I would install it on the car and see how it lines up before spending any more time or money.

[TTOP350]

It looks like someone has sanded it down from the center to 6"-8" or so to the pass side a bit to much causing the "off center" look.

[FunctionalShaker]

Agreed. Looks like there's a bit of a scallop in the edge.

[Formulabruce]

unless your running 73 grilles you do not want that bumper. To do a 73 correctly you'll need about 150 lbs more steel behind it and the short egg crate grilles. 73 grilles dont fit into 70-72 bumpers and vice versa

[70UglyBird]

150 lbs of steel? I know the grills are different, not sure what you mean about the steel. the bumper is seriously heavy. But from the looks of it I"m not going to be able to use it anyways. Ah well whats another couple of hundred thrown in the trash?

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by Formulabruce

unless your running 73 grilles you do not want that bumper. To do a 73 correctly you'll need about 150 lbs more steel behind it and the short egg crate grilles. 73 grilles dont fit into 70-72 bumpers and vice versa

I'm thinking that the grills WIll actually fit into the wrong year bumpers but don't actually mount up......

Seems to me I bought a 71 years ago with a 73 nose & 71 grills stuck in the holes...

[transam1972]

thanks for posting that clip 2MANYT/AS!!.I think they painted the shaker to dress up the car, and I read somewhere that Clint owned that T/A for a number of years..another early T/A that I remember used in a tv show that I doubt anyone else does was a 70 or 71 white striped T/A used on David Cassidy Man Undercover in one episode..teens were driving it and David even mentioned it as a Trans Am in the show..reminds me to try and track down dvds of that show just for those scenes!!

[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by 70UglyBird

150 lbs of steel? I know the grills are different, not sure what you mean about the steel. the bumper is seriously heavy. But from the looks of it I"m not going to be able to use it anyways. Ah well whats another couple of hundred thrown in the trash?

The 73 only has a big steel "box" just inside the bumper area, making the grille area much more shallow, this box , combined with the core support bars for 5mph bumper safety rules, adds a whole lot of weight. Even if you leave it off ( the box) and use a 73 bumper, you have to use 73 grilles as they are much more shallow than the 70-72 grilles

[72projectbird]

You can put 70-72 grills in a 73 nose, but not 73 grills in a 70-72 nose. My 71 has a 73 nose on it, and I've put in all three styles of grills in it.

My advice would be to put the nose on level ground, and measure both sides. It does look like the passenger side has been shaved, but it also looks like the two sides are on different angles. Maybe the nose was hit before?

[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by 72projectbird

You can put 70-72 grills in a 73 nose, but not 73 grills in a 70-72 nose.

My 71 has a 73 nose on it, and I've put in all three styles of grills in it.

I had not tried it the "other way around" all mounts/ lower brackets line up for the older grilles in the 73 nose?

[72projectbird]

Originally Posted by Formulabruce

I had not tried it the "other way around" all mounts/ lower brackets line up for the older grilles in the 73 nose?

The uppers lined right up. I dont remember how the bottoms lined up, but I do believe they also lined up. It 73 nose acutally looked really cool with the 72 grills in it.

[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by 72projectbird

The uppers lined right up. I dont remember how the bottoms lined up, but I do believe they also lined up. It 73 nose acutally looked really cool with the 72 grills in it.

Now I remember why it does for you/doesnt work. You are probably NOT ? using the factory whole 73 front end and all the steel reinforcements behind the "nose", which makes sense now. Glad it works that way.

[72projectbird]

Originally Posted by Formulabruce

Now I remember why it does for you/doesnt work. You are probably NOT ? using the factory whole 73 front end and all the steel reinforcements behind the "nose", which makes sense now. Glad it works that way.

I just have the big metal brace thats shown in the OPs pics. I also have a 73 rad support, not that it makes a difference.