anything other than the bumper cover NEED to be swapped?
IE: headlight lids, bumper support, etc...
TIA

 

i "think" your ok as is.

 

arent you an ASE certified parts specialist? anyways i would like to know the same.

 

yup, I am. BUT that doesn't cover body parts. that's a different certification.
also just because a part is listed as different doesn't always make it noninterchangeable.

 

why would you want to ruin the looks of your 87 with that not so pleasant 91 style?

 

I like the aerodynamics better, and I already have an 84 nose on the car.

 

I think the fenders are different on the 91-92 models due to the change in the wrap around "chin". The fenders are relieved at the bottoms to clearance the "scoops" if you will.

 

did a quick look on year one's site and it shows the fenders remaining the same.

 

Fenders and hood are the same. But everything else associated with the front end will need to be swapped: bumper cover; headlight cover(driver side only if you want the proper "Pontiac" piece, otherwise your 'plain' '87 will work); headlight bezels(trim pieces); turn signals and foglights(if applicable) and the wiring to them; bumper support and 'honeycomb' impact material; and underside airdam parts.

It's easy to do, but it's not cheap, as you can see. I've been accumulating all the parts for a couple of years, and I'll be doing the swap to a 'project car' soon.

But if do some searches, you'll find that a lot of people have done this swap. Have fun!

 

pics and part #s
nostly curious about the airdam actually. the support and impact absorber being different make perfect sense to me

 

You don't need no stinking pix and part #s! lol

Seriously though, you don't. And I haven't taken pix of the parts anyway. But most of it's easy to find just by looking for '91-'92 parts online. Some of the lights and trim are still available new, whereas some aren't. But very few of the body parts, if any at all, are still available new, so you'll prolly have to find them used.

Go to a junkyard, find a '91/'92, and start tearing it apart. Even if some of the parts aren't suitable to purchase, at least you'll see it all and learn what it'll take to do the swap. That's where I got most of my parts. It's least expensive this way too.

 

I've seen quite a few 91-92birds being parted out here in the forsale section. Check there frequently.

 

dont listen to what some of the guys say, it will look MUCH better with the 91 nose

 

If your going to swap the front bumper then do then swap all the 91-92 gfx it doesnt look right but any you need the bumper bar also it has the cut outs for the fog lights in it.

 

YES,LAFIREBOYD IS CORRECT! I HAVE DONE THIS SWAP(WELL NOT COMPLETELY FINISHED YET)ALTHOUGH,I DIDN'T HAVE 2 CHANGE OUT THE REAR INNER BUMPER ON MY 89.THE 91-92 BUMPER COVER FIT JUST FINE OVER THE 85-90 INNER BUMPER

 

Ah, I forgot to mention the rear. Timmy's right. The rear bumper cover is all you need to make the rear swap. It fits over the earlier model's structures without any modifications.

 

the formulas didn't get GFX though, only T/As did IIRC

 

This is all correct except for two things: Both headlights need to be swapped to 91-92 style. You can't just change the "lids" because the mounts (which are built-in to the bottom side of the lid) are different between the old, large rectangular headlights and the newer, smaller 91-92rectangular headlights. You can't just change the bezels because the headlights are physically smaller on the 91-92's & the bezels won't fit around the larger headlights of earlier years.

Also, you need the long bracket/brace that bolts to each fender and extends across the front of the car, holding the top of the bumper cover. It is 91-92 specific as well.

 

oh well, I guess I'll forgo the conversion then unless I find a donor car

 

If you're not in a big hurry to do it, yunkyards are your answer, and their prices can't be beat. And it's YOU who gets to decide if their quality meets your standards. You're not having to rely on some used parts dealer's opinion.

'91/'92 'donor' cars in yards are getting easier to find lately, but it will take time to accumulate everything because it's not likely you'll be able to get everything from only one car. And the hardest part to find will be the bumper cover, itself, because most of the cars will have been in front-end-totalling accidents.

It's taken me about 2 years to collect everything. So don't give up.

 

I'm not much a patient person.
Heck I've had about 18 cars in the last 3 years or so.
I'll probably switch it back to the stock bumper cover (unless there's a lighter alternative :naughty: ), weld the headlight doors to the hood, swap in 4th gen camaro head lights behind some clear covers. and I'll be Aero and legal :roll:

 

you sure?all hoods i've seen fiberglass or factory fit all82-92 models.i know the bezels &the headlights themselves are different(and of course the 91-92 logo on the drivers side lid)but aren't the housings all the same from 85-92?

 

Sorry about that,I not only read that wrong,but I also just checked my headlight housings the two styles are definately diff. So, now I am in the market for 91-92 headlamp lids,or trying to figure out how to make mine work.Thats bad news to me, I just painted these things a couple days ago.OH WELL!! I have come to expect this I've been working on this car for a little over a year now,& I think i've ran into every problem possible.It will be worth the effort though.I.M.O.