Making an 85 into an 81

[CTX-SLPR]

Howdy,

As some if not all of you have heard, I'm building a Bonneville (as in the salt flats) 81 Regal with a 3.0L destroker. I've been on the hunt for a block for awhile and I found an 85 that the dude bought to swap the interior and some of the suspension parts onto his El Camino. Since he doesn't want the motor or the sheetmetal he's willing to let them go for cheap just to be rid of it since he's gotten his money's worth out of the parts for his car mostly.

What does it take to make an 85 look like an 81? I know the whole header panel, bumper fillers, and grill is different but are the bumpers (front or rear) different? What about things like the door mirrors and stuff at the back of the car? I've got to make it "look" like an 81 even if the VIN is technically an 85.

Thanks,

 

[b4black]

Header panel & related stuff, tail lights and instrument panel are different. Everything else (bumpers, mirrors, quarter extensions, etc) is all the same.

 

[CTX-SLPR]

Header panel & related stuff, tail lights and instrument panel are different. Everything else (bumpers, mirrors, quarter extensions, etc) is all the same.

Thanks,

The instrument panel is not a "regulated" item but the rest is. How much of the list is 81 specific and how much is 81-83 generic? Looks like it's all just swapping parts out, no sheetmetal changes.

Where 81's offered with spoilers or front air dams like the Hot Air cars?

 

[b4black]

Only the grill is '81 specific. Changing an '85 to an '81 is very easy.

No spoilers or air dams in 1981. Those came out in 1982.

 

[b4black]

Find good, original filler panels is impossible and replacement are expensive.

You might be able to make the 85 front filler panels work with the '81 header & grill. The '81-83 grills have "wings" bolted to them. In '84 then moved this part to the filler panel. If you trim it off the 85 filler panels, or removed the wings from the grill, it should fit.

 

[CTX-SLPR]

Thanks for the advice. I'll try to get the 85 fillers to fit if they are any good (or even still there) but I've got to run the grill in unmodified configuration for Production.

That's not good news on the air dams. With the huge hood (by comparison) these cars are supposed to generate significant lift at speed and that air dam would help keep air out. Oh well, I can always add it or a better one in Altered and Gas Coupe.