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full cost of going smoothie bumpers

6K views 32 replies 10 participants last post by  dennymac94to$$ 
#1 ·
anyone have an idea .....bumpers, prep, labor and paint ?
 
#2 ·
Pretty expensive if the body shop doesn't know how to properly prep bumpers and the common issues come up which means they would have to be prepped again and resprayed. I had mine done for 150.00 a piece, but he knew what needed to be done. Unless u go the fiberglass route, wish i did that from the get go. my .2 cents.
 
#4 ·
408

408.... What do you have there? Fiberglass front and urethane in the rear? What did the cost of those bumpers set you back? Thanks...
 
#5 ·
elniperSs, I do have fiberglass frnt and urethane rr. I originally had a urethane frnt also, but changed the style. I had the usual issues everyone has seen and read about, some do get lucky and have no problems at all. I paid 300.00 each for urethane plus shipping. I'll be changing the rear for fiberglass soon, I really don't like the fitment(gaps).
 
#7 ·
Street Trends.
 
#8 · (Edited)
I have Street Trends urethane Smoothie front a rear. These are made from a different material from stock bumpers and have a different prep and paint process defined. You need a shop that is willing to follow the ST steps to the letter, or you will be doing them again. Also, find a shop that is used to working on newer cars. A shop that does 60's muscle car restoration will take longer and more money to get them installed right.

Expect $2k to $3k total. Maybe a little less of you know someone, but for a full turnkey. Jason at ST told me to expect $800 to $1000 at a reputable body shop. I ended up paying more, a lot more, than I should have needed to pay.
 
#9 ·
I have Street Trends urethane Smoothie front a rear. These are made from a different material from stock bumpers and have a different prep and paint process defined. You need a shop that is willing to follow the ST steps to the letter, or you will be doing them again. Also, find a shop that is used to working on newer cars. A shop that does 60's muscle car restoration will take longer and more money to get them installed right.

Expect $2k to $3k total. Maybe a little less of you know someone, but for a full turnkey. Jason at ST told me to expect $800 to $1000 at a reputable body shop.
jking is correct... u have to follow the steps ST provides or find a shop who has had experience w/ THESE bumpers.
 
#11 ·
Baby Jesus, I thought all Lionels were fiberglass?
 
#13 ·
408,

I bought my 96 BBB in 2006 from the original owner (NJ Police Officer) who got it off the dealer floor and used it as his personal cruiser. He was an active member before the Great Forum Depression whom I was able to pull all his old posts from where he broke his first mod virginity down to his custom Black Cherry paint job he did in 2004.

Upon receipt of the car, I was given a mod list of everything he done to it and it stated it had custom Lionel bumpers. We talked for awhile and he said he had Lionel custom make him some urethane because he needed bumpers to withstand everyday abuse. He was right about that cause they have been holding up ever since...

Unfortunately, the rest of the paint job hasnt held up (sun hazing, spider cracks) since I left the Impala parked outside in TX heat with no roof or cover during my tour in Afghanistan in 2009 :( But not to worry, it is gonna get re-sprayed with the same Black Cherry very soon :D
 
#16 ·
baby jesus, never knew that! Everyones told me those are the best fit and easy to spray bumpers ever. U got the good ones for sure;) Get those pics up!
 
#17 ·
I aint gonna lie, them bumpers fit wayyy too perfect and I compared the fitment to my buddy 50k mile DCM original bumpers and he was at AWW and b*tch that GM should've provided these in the beginning lol.

Keep in mind that I went out the way and installed the the 3M Clear Bra film to protect the paint and the front bumper and it has proven it self over and over **The best 450 exterior investment I ever spent on that car**

The only abuse it has ever received is underneath the bumper lower lip where it connects by the air dam, you can feel some deep scratches if you run your finger but you cant see it all unless you are underneath the car. Since I'm running Hotchkis lowering springs, I first demolished the factory air dam on every driveway or bump stop so I toke off the remaining pieces cause it had lost its battle. Little by little the bumper started to get the hits off the driveway but by then I had parked it for my deployment.

All I know if I was running some f-glass, they wouldnt have lasted the way I put these urethane to test.

408 - GET THE CLEAR BRA, YOU WILL THANK ME LATER LOL
 

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#18 ·
baby jesus, hit me up if u sell'em:D
 
#19 ·
Dammit!!! I wish I had said that. :p
 
#27 · (Edited)
yes the new set after the minor facelift , what are the imperfections ?
I'll try to get some closeups of what my issues are. Most are minor. There is a line mismatch at the RF wheel well molding where it meets the front cover. The biggie that bothers me is the bottom part of the bumper, in what I call the "chin" area, looks like it is frowning. I don't know if this is normal, but my stock bumper wasn't this way. i don't know if this is the bumper or the install. Like I said, when I am back near the car, I will post a pic of what I mean.

Has anybody else seen this "frown?"
 
#29 ·
My car is Frowning

Here is a shot from straight on. Notice how the "chin" area under the bumper, but part of the front bumper cover, curves up in the middle. If the peak was in the dead center, I might think it was normal, but my stock one didn't do this. This is driving me nuts!! Is this the bumper or the installation?

 
#31 ·
I've seen it b4, it's hit or miss. I had mine sit in the sun for a couple weeks before I put mine on.
 
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