Hvymtlc5

Will the nicer looking 80-82 - rear bumber cover and front (with spoilers) bolt to the 78, or is there alot of fiberglass work required?

Easy Mike

The rear bumper cover ought to bolt up without much trouble. You will probably have to run 80-82 taillights. The doghouse is a different matter. 80-82 front bumper arrangement is decidedly different from what you will find under the previous models. Good luck.

Twin_Turbo

The rear bumper will look stock but the front is just terrible, the pre 80- front clip is different and those retrofit bumpers look awful. The difference is in the shape, the front section in front of the wheel slopes inwards a lot more on the pre 80 model, also the seam across the side is missing. I never liked it, never will. If you want that look get the front fender sections for the 80-82 so you can bolt in a stock 80-82 bumper.

matchframe

I have the 82 rear bumper on mine, and like the look of it better than the stock 78. It was a direct bolt on, but you have to use the 80-82 tail lights.

Not sure about the front end. One option on the front end is to use the Pace Car spoiler.


www.bigdogvettes.com

VegasJen

i agree with TT on this one. those aftermarket front bumper "upgrades" for the earlier sharks just look like hell to me.
as everyone else said, the rear is a bolt-on. the front, however, is vastly different. if you wanted to go with the aftermarket upgrade, i would suggest you give thought to an aero kit sold through ecklers or ACI. if you just bolt on the new front, the car just look weird.
why not just put pace car spoilers on? they give very much the same look and the car will look "finished". maybe it's just me, but everytime i see an early shark with the '80-'82 bumper on it, it just jumps out at me. not that i think it looks bad, because it doesn't, but it just looks out of place. then again, i say the same thing about the early c4 with the late rear bumper, but i digress...