Here's one for the rules nerds. I have a car that is listed on the ITCS line, with one weight for the coupe version and one for the convertible.

I've just learned that the coupe's metal bumper assembly is much lighter (about 40 lbs each end, which is a lot) than the reinforced bumpers on the convertible. I've seen a set of coupe bumpers on a car here in Raleigh, and it appears the manufacturer simply welded in metal reinforcing to same bumper assembly on the convertible.

So, it seems to me I could, at a minimum, find some coupe bumpers somewhere and bolt them on, correct? Same car, same ITCS line, different, lighter part on a different model?

BUT, what I want to do, as I am having trouble locating someone who will just sell me bumpers and not an entire rotted, rusted, 25 yeard old British coupe, is take the bumpers I have and have the reinforcing bars cut out. Is "making" my bumpers into an allowable part allowed? I'm not sure, as I seem to be in a gray area. I'm certainly making a modification to increase performance, if I do this. However, the modification is to make an existing part "into" a part that I could simply bolt on if I could find it.

Thoughts?

Thanks guys.

Jeff
1980 Triumph TR8
The Shape of Things that Break