Just got the car back from the paint shop, its been a long process but its starting to come together. I have been having the hardest time getting chrome bumpers for this project, the back one finally came in from OPGI but nothing on the front.....whats everyone think of the Rallye 350 inspired painted bumpers?

 

I'm Old - I Like Chrome Better
even my new Sierra HD truck I had to have chrome
Denali HD Trucks come stock with painted but it is a free option to order chrome

 

I think it looks pretty good.

 

Looks like a really nice paint job on the car, very nice! I'm sure the finish line has you chomping at the bit at this point

Me personally, I think it would look much better with chrome bumpers, but I'm a bit old fashioned like that. Either way, do what makes you happy.

 

Thank you

 

I think so too, and for right now its my only option.

 

I am so ready to get everything else done! When the front comes in I will put them on and see how it looks.

 

I actually kind of like the painted bumpers. It is a tribute car so... Funny your stripes look better than the stripes on cars selling for stupid money.

 

The nice thing about this kind of customization is it's a pretty easy swap to chrome bumpers if you want to change it up in the future.

 

We used a stencil kit but my painter had to modify it quite a bit, he said he actually had to do most of the wheelwells freehand, it was funny he called me one day and said do you want these stripes to look right or be accurate to an original......im glad i said just make them look right.....lol

 

Try Auto Body Supply for a front bumper if you can't get one from OPGI.
https://autobodyspecialt.com/1971-19...-front-bumper/
If they have one, you should be able to cancel the order from OPGI. You may want to call Auto Body Supply for current pricing and shipping rates. I know when I bought mine a few months ago, the price I paid was more than the price listed on the website.

 

Thanks for the headsup on that supplier......ill check them out. Thank you.

 

Looks very nice. Glad you didn't put a wing on it. Are there trunk stripes or am I just not seeing them due to the angle of the pic? I'd keep the painted bumpers until you can get chrome ones. Then you have a choice. I'm old school, so I'd go with chrome myself, and it would compliment the wheels better, IMO. Looks like you're on your way to a nice resto tribute.

 

I have gotten a few things from ABS, and pretty happy with them.
Fortunately, they are less than a half hour from me, which saves tons on shipping

 

Thank you very much, I decided to not do the stripes on the trunk, to me it just did not really add anything to the overall look and since Im not doing a "correct" restoration we just left them off. I am excited to see it with the chrome bumpers, just have to be patient.

 

Thank you for your input.

 

Looks good, however it looks high in the pics, which springs are you using?

 

Im using the QA-1 coilover kit that replaces the factory springs, I don't have alot of weight in the car yet, no gas tank no engine or transmission.

 

I haven’t done a very good job updating pics of my progress but here are the latest.

 

What's the drivetrain?

 

The car is looking awesome! Did you relocate the wiper motor to another position, or are you just running no wipers?

 

Its a stroked 455, its 495 inches now and a turbo 400 and 12 bolt.

 

No wipers, I really don't plan on driving it in the rain.

 

I thought it looked like a 455. The gold paint threw me off. Did you go gold for a reason?

 

I like it! I like the painted bumpers, too. Stealth on that Gold 455

 

The car looks great, I like the painted bumpers! Admittedly I am a fan of the Ralley 350. The updated wheels are a nice touch as well. Cool car!

 

Yeah I knew that would be an issue for some of the purists, the correct color to me felt like it would be too close the the body color and since I went rogue and painted the firewall body color it just wouldn't look good to me....I have always loved the factory Gold on the small blocks and honestly most non-olds people cant tell the difference in a small block and big block anyways.

 

Thank you, it had painted bumpers on it when I got it 31 years ago so it just felt right to leave it that way, I have chrome bumpers on order with the rear having the exhaust cut outs, probably throw them on at some point and see what I like the best.

 

Thanks alot, when I got the car it was painted like a blue Ralley 350 with matching blue wheels and the 350 striping, I really wanted to take these wheels and paint the centers to make them look even more like the originals but I probably should have gotten the painted ones instead of the chrome ones to do that to.

 

Looks good!

 

Thank you!

 

Good looking car, nice work.

 

Thank you so much. I appreciate it.

 

Your car looks very sharp and the blue bumpers are growing on me. Even if you were doing a "correct" restoration, I'm pretty sure Olds never had trunk stripes.

 

I believe he was talking about the thin/thick transverse stripes going across the trunk above the bumper included in the W30 stripe package, not the "chevelle" stripes many add to their cutlass paint jobs.

 

Here in Maskachusetts to get a required annual Safety Inspection Sticker you MUST have wipers AND the washer squirter working as well - and they always check

 

You are correct, those were the stripes I was talking about.

 

Well hopefully Indiana won't get that crazy anytime soon, I guess if they do Ill figure out a way to make it work, we left the recess on the firewall where the wiper motor went so I guess it would not be that hard to put it back on if needed.

 

I think the painted bumpers add a modern look, alot of cars nowadays have that look with very little chrome and painted bumpers.

 

Finally got a chance to get outside and drive around the block. Everything is working great, just waiting to get my exhaust installed and seats to get back from the upholster.