Tim240z Posted May 24, 2002 Share Posted May 24, 2002 Hey Van, Thanks for the info. Do you know of any way to apply for a legal exemption (I know that there is a way out of smog requirements for 500 cars per year in CA for altered/custom vehicles) to that section of the California vehicle code? I have read through the code several times and haven't found anything. I realize that this is not that big of a deal, leagally, and most likely will only result in a fixit ticket, but there will be other things on my car that could be a bigger issue and I don't want the bumper (most visible) issue to lead to closer inspections of other systems....ie smog equipment, fuel tank venting etc., which although exempt from regular testing, I will not be going through the inspection procedure, so technically my conversion will be illegal as a whole. Thanks, Tim p.s. I would like to see your Z, and am in Riverside fairly regularly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted May 24, 2002 Share Posted May 24, 2002 Can anyone speculate on how obvious the MSA fiberglass bumpers are? Most early Z bumpers end up painted anyway. Is there any chance they could pass for stock, at least at highway speeds? How many guys out there are running fiberglass units and have you ever been ticketed for them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted May 25, 2002 Share Posted May 25, 2002 They fool me and If they are good enough for the Flash in Georgia than they are good. Who sez you cannot beef the back side up to meet or exceed the original bumper's specifications Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awd92gsx Posted May 25, 2002 Share Posted May 25, 2002 I have the MSA front and rear skirts. They look like newer style bumper covers. Unless you knew any better, you'd probably think there were bumpers behind there... Think about it, how many law enforcement officials are going to know enough about Z's to know that you had to remove the stock bumpers to put on the MSA kit? Chances are very very very few...and then the chances of him actually pulling you over for it are just as slim... If anything he'd probably pull you over to tell you how cool your car looks now... Just my $.02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Flash Posted May 26, 2002 Share Posted May 26, 2002 Exactly right, they look like bumpers so there for to most cops and the general public, they are bumpers Sit back and enjoy the ride and don't worry about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted May 29, 2002 Share Posted May 29, 2002 Mine are fiberglass! When ever I go by a cop, they have a "What in the hell is that" look on their faces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datsun660z Posted May 30, 2002 Share Posted May 30, 2002 Hello I am also in Yakima WA and you DO have to have what came with the car as original equipment but you will only get bugged by the state patrol the locals will leave you alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 1, 2002 Share Posted June 1, 2002 Here is a good reason for bumpers. My friend recently bought a 1975 Z V8 converted 5.0 liter /5spd tranny from 94 ford mustang. Had flares, custom fiberglass detailing,tinting, brilliant orange paint, custom radiator, racing stipes, Holley Systemax 2, corvette air bladder racing seats, back battery mount. very nice-He sunk 12,000$ into it. Then, he is on the county roads going fast, his drums lock from road dust, spins off the road into a cornfield and taps a Irrigation Vlave assembly. No bumpers, of course, so he ruined 1000$ worth of fiberglass, a radiator, a hood, intake and front RH flare. Plus, the frame is tweaked in the spot you cant untweak it. Bye Bye 12,000$. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor Posted June 3, 2002 Share Posted June 3, 2002 And if he had a bumper on the car, he'd be out $12,279.00. The bumper's ability to absorb or deflect body and frame damage was probably exceded by the speed of that crash. Which makes me think of another funny thing..... I was watching a Steven Segal movie the other day. In a high speed chase he was driving a pickup truck and is forced into the scoop of a parked bulldozer. He is saved by the air bag in the steering wheel, although there is little damage to the front end of the truck. I got to wondering how much deceleration it takes to blow an air bag? At work there is a whole line of Volvos parked by people without lives who work long hours and I was thinking if I gave them a little nudge with the bumper of my C-15 beater.. ... what would they think coming out to find their air bag popped open....yet no visible mark left on the big ugly bumber? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted June 3, 2002 Share Posted June 3, 2002 I T boned a Civic in my Tacoma PU, did $6000 worth of front end damage, twisted the frame from front to back and pushed the right front corner back 2 feet. No air bag explosion. I am not sure what it takes to set one of those guys off. I know they have computers that are suppose to keep them from going off in a rear end or side collision. I am told some tap into the speedo to disable the bags if the car is going too slow. But I also read a year or two ago cops were asking for cut off switches because people would wait until the cop had them stopped, put it in reverse and ram the front of the cruiser to set off the air bag. They would then take off and the cops couldn't follow because of this huge bag between their arms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 3, 2002 Share Posted June 3, 2002 i rear ended a dodge neon last week in my s10 truck going id say about 5 mph maybe less, 3000$ later and still needs to be repainted. stupid just stupid mistakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two40MuscleZ Posted June 3, 2002 Share Posted June 3, 2002 Here is the information as it is written within the California Vehicle Code: CVC 28071, article 11.5; CALIFORNIA PASSENGER VEHICLE BUMPER REQUIREMENTS "Every passenger vehicle registered in this state shall be equipped with a front bumper and with a rear bumper. As used in this section, "bumper" means any device designed and intended by a manufacturer to prevent the front or rear of the body of the vehicle from coming into contact with any other motor vehicle. This section shall not apply to any passenger vehicle that is required to be equipped with an energy absorption system pursuant to either state or federal law, or to any passenger vehicle which was not equipped with a front or rear bumper, or both, at the time that it was first sold and registered under the law of this or any other state or foreign jurisdiction." That is what the law states. It's basically up to the citing Officer, whether they are going to follow the "letter of the law, or spirit of the law." The latter being the usual with a warning! This isn't much help, but, if your car is clean and appears to be customized it is usually overlooked. Hope this info is of some help! Comps, Van Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted June 4, 2002 Share Posted June 4, 2002 Most air bags are set off by an electronic g-force meter. Basically, it measures the decelleration of the vehicle, which is why you won't pop the bag if you rear end someone on the freeway, but may activate it if you bump into someone in a parking lot. Eh, I suppose there is a method to the madness somewhere... Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 7, 2002 Share Posted June 7, 2002 I agree they don't look too good but when i was rear ended last summer those bumpers did their job well. Personaly i dont think whatever weight savings or increased asthetics makes up for the extra protection it provides. I've also noticed that inless you replace them with fiberglass ones or have work done, without them it totaly looks like somethings missing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awd92gsx Posted June 8, 2002 Share Posted June 8, 2002 ...well... There's a little more logic these days when it comes to air bags. It looks at alot of different variables involved in the crash. Speed, gforce, etc... It then makes it's determination to determine whether or not to deploy the air bags... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z_webslinger Posted June 15, 2002 Share Posted June 15, 2002 Pardon the ignorance, but what is MSA? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 15, 2002 Share Posted June 15, 2002 Motor Sport Auto 1-800-633-6331 Datsun Catalog . call them and get your free catalog. Now answer my illiterate metric question in the Brakes and Suspension forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z_webslinger Posted June 15, 2002 Share Posted June 15, 2002 LOL... thanks. I had a hunch but wanted to make sure I wasn't missing out on some hot deal for Z people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 15, 2002 Share Posted June 15, 2002 Z Webslinger Welcome to Hybrid Z. We all our looking for the secret "Hot Deals" but unfortunately the quest seldom ends at MSA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAZRNR Posted June 15, 2002 Share Posted June 15, 2002 Had the same concerns with my 78Z and those eye sores had to go IMO. The front bumper was an easy swap out with the MSA fiberglass unit. The back was a lot more work because the mounts on the rear qtr are in a different location. If you do this swap forget about buying the 240 brackets as MSA recommends, you can't use them. You will have to make your own for the front and rear which is not hard. I tried to add a couple of pic's so you could see the fitting process but I couldn't figure out the "how to" part of attaching the pic's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.