Front End Conversion from 1st Gen to 2nd Gen

[Artesia]

Hey, is it possible to change the lights, bumper and front grill of a '91 Taurus SHO with a '93 Taurus SHO? Or do you have to change the fenders as well?

I've seen pictures of someone that's done this conversion and it didn't look like they used the fender from the newer car.

- Brian C.

<small>[ December 27, 2003, 11:27 PM: Message edited by: Bizzy ]</small>

 

[RStalveyARFF]

you have to change the fenders to accept the gen II sidemarker lights. I was just thinking about doing such a conversion so I could get a lower cowl hood instead of the 2+" Gen I

 

[94shoboy]

to my knowledge steve speel(cincySHO) stopped making the 2 1/2" cowl for the gen one and is making them both 1 1/2".

 

[speedy91]

Hey now, I like my 2 1/2" GEN I hood on my 91. It fits well with the GEN I body style.
Eric

Edit: I am interested to hear about this conversion and some images would be great if someone could find them.

[This message has been edited by speedy91 (edited 01-17-2002).]

 

[Artesia]

Oh well...if I can't change my front end to look like the 2nd Gen SHOs, it's not a big deal. Is there any way JUST to change the bumper to the second gen? That's what I'm mainly wanting. I may have just looked at it wrong and that's why I don't see how I can change it, but surely there's a way!! "Where there's a will there's a way", right?? I guess some modifications could be done. We shall see.

QUESTION!!!!
Can you take the bumpers off of a SHO (front and back bumpers) and take the metal out from under the bumper and put the bumper back for weight reduction? With my old Rx7 I was able to take my front and rear bumpers out and put the plastic covering back on and no one could tell the difference, and the car was like 60+ lbs lighter! It was great!! I'm just curious if it can be done with this car. I'm doing my best to eliminate as much weight as possible without making the car unsightly or uncomfortable to drive or be in. I want to keep most of the interior items so it looks stock and feels stock when you sit in it. But I want to eliminate a lot of things in the engine bay and underneith such as heat sheilds and stuff like that. I want a glass hood since that metal hood is so freakin' heavy! Rx7 had an aluminum hood on it that was light! T'would be nice to get a carbon fiber hood that was black, on my white SHO, then get a black trunk lid as well, and then put a fake police light in the window and trip out some people! LOL Anyway, gotta' go. Later guys!

- Brian C.
5576 Ragan Dr
The Colony, TX 75056
(972)625-2123
[email protected]

 

[94shoboy]

i would think the bumper thing might come back to bite you if you use it on the street. in MA they do a VERY thorough(sp) inspection, crawl under your car and check everything, also if you get caught street racing the state police check every inch of your car while its impounded(you automatically get arrested and they impound your car if the cop wants to be a dick) other then someone finding out, what if you get into an accident, it would cause a lot more damage. i believe the back 3"x4" piece behind the back bumber on the gen 2 is PVC too. not sure, but i remember it being very easy to drill into when i was mounting my street glow lights.

 

[Artesia]

Well, here in Dallas the inspection people don't do a very thorough check at all. We don't even get sniffed in my county, so emmissions don't matter. They will after May of this year, but oh well. My inspection's good till December. Plus, I have a friend there that doesn't inspections and he says he'll pass me anytime.

As for the police, I don't care. They don't bother us much here in Dallas either. No impounding or anything like that...we're fairly safe.

As for safety, my friend's Rx7 is done the same way and he's gotten in a couple of wrecks recently. One, his bumper popped right back out and it didn't hurt it one bit. The other time this lady hit him at an angle fairly hard and it bent his frame...but this had nothing to do with the bumper. lol Eitherway, I haven't seen any dangers so far...and I've never been in a wreck before, so I don't think I'll have to worry about that stuff...but you never know. Stuff happens. Let's hope it doesn't. But that's the beauty of racing...you do stupid things sometime to drop weight or get horsepower that may effect your health later, and you don't think about the consequences...you just do it. LOL

Then you have to be more careful because you know that if you mess up you're screwed...so in turn you become a much better more alert and perceptive driver. Or that's my theory anyway...could be wrong, but hey...ya' never know.

 

[Artesia]

How do I get my signature to display?? It's not coming up on my posts.

- Brian C.

 

[sdpatt]

When you post a topic or reply, select the checkbox at the bottom for "Show Signature." If you haven't added data to your signature, go to the "Profile" section where you added your personal information.


------------------
Scott

1991, 254K miles, glass hood, police grill, SVO shifter, Catz fogs,
K&N, 73mm MAF, Superchip, PP Y-pipe, Borla cat-back, 190 lph pump
Eibach/Tokico/polyurethane, SHO Shop front & rear strut braces,
16x7.5" Moda R1, 225/55ZR16 Bridgestone RE730, -1 deg camber x 4,
6 disc CD, Class II hitch, Silver award at SHOklahoma Car Show

 

[Artesia]

Great! Thanks for the info. We'll see if it works at the end of this post.

Question: What's the widest tires you can fit on the stock rims? I wanna' put 235/50-R16s on the stock rims...will it work?

------------------
- Brian C.
5576 Ragan Dr
The Colony, TX 75056
(972)625-2123
[email protected]

"We do not see things as they are...we see things as we are."

 

[GreenBird]

Artesia:
QUESTION!!!!
Can you take the bumpers off of a SHO (front and back bumpers) and take the metal out from under the bumper and put the bumper back for weight reduction?

Yes, however if you were to get in a moderate accident your car would be totalled.

Artesia:
I'm doing my best to eliminate as much weight as possible without making the car unsightly or uncomfortable to drive or be in.

I would not be very comfortable in a car with no bumpers.

Artesia:
....and then put a fake police light in the window and trip out some people!

Unless the cops in your area use gen 2 tarui, your not going to "trip out" many people, and I doubt the officers would find it funny.

 

[K-Dawg]

Artesia!!! My hero!!! rofl

 

[Bizzy]

Oh boy, the brain child from the past. Looks like somebody was bored today. laugh_ti

 

[Dr. Tweak]

As for safety, my friend's Rx7 is done the same way and he's gotten in a couple of wrecks recently. One, his bumper popped right back out and it didn't hurt it one bit. The other time this lady hit him at an angle fairly hard and it bent his frame...but this had nothing to do with the bumper. lol Eitherway, I haven't seen any dangers so far...and I've never been in a wreck before, so I don't think I'll have to worry about that stuff...but you never know. Stuff happens.

Yeah stuff happens, especially if you're racing. A moderate collision will total your car with no bumpers, and a more than moderate one will put you in a wheelchair for the rest of your life being fed baby food by a nasty old lady. I'll keep my bumpers and somehow manage to deal with the extra 60 lbs, thanks slap