Z-11 Bumpers

TomO

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 3
The z-11 cars had all kinds of lightweight goodies on them including the bumpers. I know that the bumpers were made from aluminum but were the substructures that support the bumpers also aluminum? It seems to me that the front bumper substructure is very heavy duty (for good reason), has anyone tried to take some weight out of it?

TomO
 

SS425HP

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 3
Tom, I'm thinking all the brackets, etc. were aluminum. The fenders, the inner liners, the radiator core support, the bumper and all brackets is the way I remember them.
I had heard several years ago that some company in Akron, Ohio was looking into pressing some 62 and 63 Aluminum fenders. They supposedly had dies to do this with. Never heard any more about it, though. Not sure there is a big enough market to do them. Might be what they thought, too.

Fred
 

TomO

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 3
ss425hp - Thanks for the info on the lightweight parts. There were more lightweight parts on the front of car than I had thougtht!!!

What was the weight from the factory of the Z-11?

Has anyone modified/built new bracketry for the bumper. I know that the fiber glass stuff is around trying to work with what I have.
 

63z11

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
bracket lightening?

Hey tom, in the past I have modified and deleted certain bumper bracket on '66and'67 impalas that I raced. Have not gotten that crazy with my '63 YET! But you would supised at how much less will hold the bumper on the car.
 

walkerheaders

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 6
Z front bumper story

20 years ago, i had a z-11 front bumper. it was the three pieces, 2 aluminum brackets that resembled the steel ones and it was held together with aluminum bolts and nuts. i recall it weighing less than a 6pak of sodas. i got it from George Taylor in southern md. I gave the guy 65 bucks for it. it was in the attick of his barn. several years before, he asked me if i wanted it, well, at that time i was driving a 62, so..... i declined cause it wouldnt fit my car. (jeez what a bonehead) luckily, he asked me again. by then, i knew better and grabbed it up and bolted it on the 63 ss 425 that i still have. his story was, he had bought it and the frontend over the counter in 63 at lustine chevy in hyattsville md. using local racer (and the guy i worked for at the time) Malcolm Durham to get it. before he ever put the bumper on, the car was creamed in an intersection on his way to work. the wrinkled frontend went in the dumpster behind the safeway grocerystore. the bumper was still new in 1983. i drove it around forever till somehow (istill dont know how) a guy from indiana (Rusty Symmes) heard i had it and he wore me down till i sold it to him. i did'nt want to sell it. i also had a set of Malcolms extra Z-11 heads and intake on the car. at the time i gave $1800 for the topend and valvecovers. that and the bumper sure added some cool value to that $400 red ss.
in those days, the car went 12.20s @114 then i'd switch the 7 inch M&H's and drive home.
i wish i had kept those Z parts. i sold them back when they were worth something. (jeez what a bonehead) but i did keep the car.
 
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