I hate the Firebird front end (too pointy, pop up head lights, etc.) and i would really love a Camaro front end on my Firebird. (Firebird Rear ends look better IMO)

Is it possibly to switch them and not have to worry about the front not lining up with the fenders? If you can do this, what all needs to be changed? and how hard is it?

 

Even though you weren't asking for it, expect responces pretty similar to these.. https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...firebird+front

This is another post on the subject... https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...firebird+front

Yes it can be done. You'll need the entire camaro front clip along with all the crap that bolts on undeneath (impact bar, light mount panel, absorber, etc...). If you can turn a wrench, you can swap the fronts. Time (skill too maybe ?) is in aligning the panels so evething lines up properly. You will also want the headlight wiring from the camaro.

 

You could but what a pain in the ***. The hood and fenders are contoured differently. Depending on the year of your car you do have a couple options though to make it look better. The 1985-1990 Trans-AMs are no where near as pointy as the other years of the thirdgen body style. So if you have a Firebird you won't have the TA style nose. You can get the ground effects and the rear and front bumper covers and get the boxier style. Which is my favorite IMO.

I don't know whos car this is, so if I offended anyone on this board who owns it I appologize.

The other choice is to sell your car and get a Camaro.

 

It'd be Frankenbird!!!!!!!! No offense, I like both cars, but I don't think they belong together as one. It's a crime against nature!

 

if you want to change noses on your car you will have to change the following:

nose
fenders
hood
impact bar
light mount bar
egg crate


basicly everything from the firewall forward (body wise).

 

Since both cars are in the same family, I guess it would still be considered an F-Body. Only the F would then stand for Flipper

Do you think it would be worth the possibility of constantly being pulled over because a cop thinks he sees a Camaro but the plates come up Firebird?

 

Well, its either swapping the whole front end body peices or getting a Ram Air hood. (Kinda makes the front end not look so pointy)

I really love the Camaro front end (the agressive look), but i like the Firebirds rear end alot more. Isnt there like a body kit or something to make it more "Boxy" and have the front end drop down like a Camaros?

BTW, i have an 89 Firebird.

 

What I would do is get the front bumper like the one pictured above and the Ram Air I hood, not the II. That would make it look sharp.

-Jesse

 

There is a Cam-bird about 1/2 mile from where I sit, that exact formation... I saw it driving down the road, thought "oh Camaro" it turned the corner, and drove away "oh firebird."

Just a FYI, the doors, windshield, firewall, inner structure are all IDENTICAL on Firebirds & camaros... THE Wheel wells however are 2" longer on a camaro. The Firebird has almost a perfect arc wheel well. A Camaro is (Eliptically) elongated.

Hope that helps.

John

 

Like I said the 1985-1990 Trans-AMs are not as pointy as a firebird. Get the gfx and the rear and front bumpers your set. Get an RA I hood if you want an even more aggressive edge. It would look good.

 

If you do it right I think it would be nice just need to find a parts car that the panels you need are nice, someone else did something simular a while back, so I searched for it, here ya go:
https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...threadid=99554

 

Please dont do it. Itd look strange. I agree with the others, you should get a Trans Am nose instead of going through all that work.

 

I've seen it before and I'll try to get someone to get pics.

 

Yeah, I've thought about that myself. If you did a swap like that, you'd have two different types of wheel arches front/back. Camaros are more prominent in appearance, while Firebirds are more smoothly contoured. I don't really think it would look right at all. To the untrained eye, some may not notice that slight difference. But to a purist, it would stick out like a sore thumb. Just my thoughts and opinions.

 

I have seen it done to cars, where they mix breeds, and I cannot explain it but there is something that does not jive... Its almost irritating to my eyes, because I know that there is something wrong but I can't put my finger on it. (Beyond the differences in the front and back ends of the car.)

ALL of the sheetmetal, save the Doors, is different from A Camaro to a firebird. Even the sail panels are different.

John

 

I would just make it look like a Trans-AM and not a Firebird. If you don't want to do that then sell your car and get a Camaro.

 

I Imagine you could cut the rear tailight/bumper section off of a camaro and install a firebird tailight assembly... I think that would look better (If done well) than to just swap the front clip IMO


John

 

I agree with 87WS6. Mix/matching front clips is ridiculous... looks like you're too stupid to buy the right parts. Why not put Toyota Camry front clips on Chevy Berettas? Or maybe an RX7 front clip onto a Mustang? So what if they don't bolt right up; if you have the tools, you can fabricate anything.

 

ill let you know how a front clip of a 1982 camaro rs will look on a 1989 firebird when i do my motor swap no one can get my front around here so i got my parts car 4 this and more

 

Wow you just brought back an 8 year old thread.

 

Here in-lies the problem... 8 years more experience.

Problem: Will a front clip of a Firebird fit on a Camaro, or vise-verse?
Answer: YES

Problem: But, why does it look funny?
Answer: 1) The wheel well openings are smaller (More round) on a Firebird, and more elongated on a Camaro, there is a bout 2" difference between them. 2) The shape of the fender flair is different. On the Firebird there is a softer line, that blends into the fender itself, the Camaro has a harder line.

Ultimately it will fit, but it will look odd.

John