poll 550 vs 575 bumper

i'm thinking of converting/modifying my 550 front bumper to a 575 bumper. i am frustrated trying to drive the 550 on los angeles streets. between speed bumps and drainage gullies, i can get around town faster in the suburban. i have bashed the 550 front winglets twice. does anyone have experience on converting? does anyone with a 575 have problems with the front bumper scraping? looks to me like ferrari changed the 575 bumper in response to 550 owner complaints.
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Bob- My 575M has way more ground clearnce than the Z06s I had. No scrapes so far.

What is your plan for the parking lights? Differently shaped radiator inlets, I believe.

Make sure you save the original. Specialized Italian Recycling had a couple of 575M bumpers recently.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

terry
this is very exploratory... i was thinking of reworking the existing 550 bumper to replicate the 575. will check out s.i.r thanks. BOB

 

I wish some one would make a polyurethane replacement piece to bolt on where the black section is now.

 

Dave- Affirmative. The C5 Z06 spoiler was ~$100 and the C6's was ~$180. Bought a couple.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

or......you get one shaped like a Fiero.

 

I never scrape in the 575, and there are abrupt inclines EVERYWHERE in reno/tahoe.

I do like the looks of the 550 bumper better, but I like the ground clearance the 575 provides.

 

Hi Terry, did you ever find out the color to touch up that part of the bumper?
Thanks, Bill

 

Bill- Have been out of town, hence all the typos using this Blackberry Qwerty pad. On my list as soon as I get home. Too tough to do on this teeny thing.


Any problems scraping yoir front spoiler?

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

I've got the protective "horseshoes" on the front winglets of my 550 and they work great protecting from scrapes etc.

 

TRIED THAT, IT SEEMS TO ACTUALLY LOWER THE CLEARENCE

 

that is the answer i was looking for, have you had experience with both a 550 and a 575?
i agree on looks, but i want to drive the car!!!

 

Rather than go through all the time and expensive of swapping out the front bumper, why not just trade in your 550 for a 575??

Plus- a 575 bumper on a 550 is going to make it a tough sell, when you are ready to move on to something else.

 

NO none at all and I live in a canyon with speed humps (as they call them) and I don't even slow down and I'm fine.
I do slow down when I see a deep water run off rut between two streets when in the flat land down the hill..
Have a great Thanksgiving !

 

project is a go. have sourced a 575 front bumper and grille. will keep the 550 original in case i ever sell the car. i'm not planning on ever selling the car. can't wait! car goes to damian this week.

thanks for the tip terry.

 

I have never really looked at the 550/575 side by side. I actually like the 550 bumper better because of the fog light look eventhough they don't work worth cr@p and the lip spoiler has the potential to be more functional at high speed. The R/L lip on the 550 vs the 575 decreases the possible departure angle thus more scraping vs the 575. I wonder what would happen if you just sanded off the R/L winglets off and painted the bumper to look like the bottom of the 575. I bet that would help scrapiong right there. Unless the actual ride height at the nose is different that's all I see different is the winglets. Also, I'd check your overall rideheight because a 1/2" makes a difference and I'd also check to make sure the shocks are still good. These cars are getting to be about 10 years old and some are on the original shocks.

 

Definitely prefer the 550 bumper.


Onno

 

+1

 

+1
Doesn't make sense to do this.
Trade it in and buy a 575 is what I would do if i would be in your shoes.

 

probably cost just as much to convert the 550 to a 575 look alike. got a deal on a used 575 bumper and grille. i can keep the 550 bumper if i ever sell to car. way cheaper than selling and trading for a 575. i don't want a 575 anyhow. i have been told that there have been many conversions like this done already. the 550 will never be a 'collector' car. and this way i can drive the car and be happy!

i like the 550 bumper better than the 575...this is a question of practicality. not that the 575 looks bad.

i will check the ride height....i have about 7.5 inches from ground to winglet, checked against a superamerica....it had 8 inches.

 

Jaysus, no wonder I'm having problems, I just checked mine........6 inches exactly from ground to bottom of winglet.

 

i would guess so!! anyone else out there measured clearance?

 

Yeah, I would really like to know. I checked mine, car level in the garage. From the floor to the bottom side of the winglet is 6 inches.

I'm the 4th owner of this car, so who knows what has happened in the past, it may have been lowered.

Other 550 owners please post their clearance......Thanks

 

QUOTE: i will check the ride height....i have about 7.5 inches from ground to winglet, checked against a superamerica....it had 8 inches.


My 575m is 6 inches from floor. How could any be 7.5"? It would have to have been raised!

Then as you go back from the center of the bumper it goes to as little as 4 1/2" clearance.

I always go over ANY hump at an angle.

Jay

 

My 550 has 6.5" clearance with 19" 575 modular wheels on it.