GrandAlero Conversion

[KenshinZero]

I know there has been talk, but I’m wondering if any one has actually done it, I have been looking into this for a few weeks, trying to figure out how to go about it, the only thing that has me puzzled is the headlamps, more specifically, the mounting of them. I know the Alero headlamps are easy as pie, two little clips, but what about Grand Am ones, and what would I need to get/do to mount them. If anybody has any idea it would help, if not then wish me luck, lol thanks!

[Vic28]

I dont know about someone in this site, but I seen the one in cardomain.com , which has been posted on here before for sure, when they were talking about it.

[Nate's Alero]

why would you want to do this?

[kwhauck]

good luck.........

[Redog]

It's a lot to change.


Headlights
fenders
hood
front bumper cover
fog lights
header panelAnd that's just the front end

[Caboose73]

why would you want to do this?

im thinking about doing it just so i can get this hood http://www.pfyc.com/mm5/graphics/new/ga1003.jpg and the front bumper has two extra vents and i like how the head lights look with projectors in them http://www.andysautosport.com/images/detailed_product/lights/headlights/spyd_pro-jy-pgam99-bk.jpg

[kwhauck]

that hood is played out.......

[hok666]

yes it is I agree... just like those gay ass plastic hood scoops HAHA...

[bdyman]

well the grand am/alero/malibu are the same cars, same platform(n-body)
1. hood
2. fenders
3. bumper
4. headlight mount panel

the hood hinges are the same, re-bar is the same/ energy absorbor is the same/ primary and secondary latchs are the same, even the fender liners are the same for all 3 cars

can you do it?? yes/ will it bolt right up yes, costly try junk yards, or keystone aftermarket parts, cool factor?? maybe/ different? yes

[KenshinZero]

My main reason for doing this is because I think it would be cool, and a bit different. I haven't seen any like this in Michigan so passably a first in MI which would be even cooler ^_^ along with some other body mods.

[AlbinoMonkeyRat]

nobody has actually done it, but you're looking at $1500 - $3k for just parts, and just about $1500 for paint (or about 3k if you redo the whole car). So if you got 3k-6k just lying around, go for it.

[Rexter9x]

Ive seen this done with sunfires/cavaliers. I think it would deffinetly look different with an alero. Could be good though

[meadus101]

yes it is I agree... just like those gay ass plastic hood scoops HAHA...

Agreed.

I saw the hood scoop and thought about using it as a mold for a functional one.

Like. Actually mold that scoop into the hood, blend it and such.

Not that I would do it, i'd just like to see it done.

[Nate's Alero]

mmmm, proj. headlights

[will176]

I think this conversion would look a little wierd, as the grand am has body moldings going down the side of the car, that would not mach up to the alero
http://www.bestautosalespa.com/db_2000_Pontiac_Grand_AM_GT.jpg

[Cliff8928]

Not the newer SE 4 door... It would look fine... Well, as good as a grand am.

[worknprog.99]

why not just buy a gran am... its the same car anyways

[cherrington17]

i love those style headlights that were posted. much nicer looking then ours.

[SouthDakotAlero]

Agreed.

I saw the hood scoop and thought about using it as a mold for a functional one.

Like. Actually mold that scoop into the hood, blend it and such.

Not that I would do it, i'd just like to see it done.

If you are referring to the scoops in Kyle's sig...those ARE functional. They are Grand Prix heat extractors that are recessed into two holes cut in the hood, not the cheap stick on crap. I know cuz that hood is on my car now ;)

[Caboose73]

nobody has actually done it, but you're looking at $1500 - $3k for just parts, and just about $1500 for paint (or about 3k if you redo the whole car). So if you got 3k-6k just lying around, go for it.

1500-3k in parts:blink: what parts are you buying?Maybe if you went all out with fiber glass fenders and c/f with a body kit

[AlbinoMonkeyRat]

prices are approximate for OEM parts, can be more or less depending on where you get them; definitely more if you are getting Fiberglass or carbon fiber

-hood ($400)
-fenders ($100 each)
-bumper cover ($80)
-headlight mounting panel ($40)
-headlights ($50 each)
-headlight wiring harness (??)

total so far: $820 for the cheapo OEM parts. get Quality OEM and it will shoot up to around $1500. get aftermarket parts, and your price can go anywhere.

[-Alero-]

1500-3k in parts:blink: what parts are you buying?Maybe if you went all out with fiber glass fenders and c/f with a body kit


you dont even want to know what the honda guys pay for thier front end conversions

[KenshinZero]

lol I want a C/F hood, and I want to go with the GT bumper, thats another thing that kinda bothers me about this, is the front bumper looking odd, I figure i can probably think of something to do to make it flow. As far as paint goes, the whole car needs a new paint job and body work.

O, where can I find the headlamp mount, I cant seem to find one online, I havent had time to check any junk yards yet.

[AlbinoMonkeyRat]

lol I want a C/F hood, and I want to go with the GT bumper, thats another thing that kinda bothers me about this, is the front bumper looking odd, I figure i can probably think of something to do to make it flow. As far as paint goes, the whole car needs a new paint job and body work.

O, where can I find the headlamp mount, I cant seem to find one online, I havent had time to check any junk yards yet.
http://cgi.ebay.com/01-02-03-04-05-ONTIAC-GRAND-AM-HEADLIGHT-MOUNTING-PANEL_W0QQitemZ200294290334QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMoto rs_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item2ea278539e &_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1205%7C 240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

there's more too. I'm surprised I found one so cheap. lol

[AleroDrime]

y do all that work, why not just do what you would do with an alero to a grand am

[Vinalero]

I'm actually thinking about doing this, because my rocker panels are starting to rust badly.

I'd like to find a great looking GA 2.4 manual and swap my current hood, fenders, bumpers and headlight.

I always thought the rear end of the GA is better looking than the Alero. Especially with the newest GA's taillights. However I dislike the front end of a GA, so it makes sence.

[GA_turbo]

heeeeey i have a grand am, you guys dont love me LOL.......... i was going to do the alero front on my car because of the one that comes with the stock body kit, i love that front bumper. Also i came across this

http://www.hyts.hu/autok/oldsmobile/alero-convertible/oldsmobile_alero-convertible_r2.jpg

[AleroDrime]

thats the gm protype convertable, i wish it had went in production

[AlbinoMonkeyRat]

while the idea of the convertible is cool, the follow through wouldn't have looked as good as the concept. The concept doesn't have a top...and the buldge back there is empty.

Though I at least wish we had the same doors...you know..no window frame.

[lonnie]

If you want a grand am then buy a grand am. I just don't see the point in throwing a bunch of parts off of one car onto another to make it look like the donor car. I've owned a grand am and could never see putting anything from those cars on an alero other then the side view mirrors. I wouldn't even do that unless I had a body kit cause it looks alittle weird without one.

[jturkey69]

well the grand am/alero/malibu are the same cars, same platform(n-body)
1. hood
2. fenders
3. bumper
4. headlight mount panel

the hood hinges are the same, re-bar is the same/ energy absorbor is the same/ primary and secondary latchs are the same, even the fender liners are the same for all 3 cars

can you do it?? yes/ will it bolt right up yes, costly try junk yards, or keystone aftermarket parts, cool factor?? maybe/ different? yes
certifit out of milwaukee has new fenders for like 20-30 bucks per side...they are very cheap.

[KenshinZero]

heeeeey i have a grand am, you guys dont love me LOL.......... i was going to do the alero front on my car because of the one that comes with the stock body kit, i love that front bumper. Also i came across this


I would ask if you wanna trade parts, but my front bumper is cracked, my headlamps are... well lets just say they work, lol my hood is rusting in more places, my fender is developing a hole (slowly I might add) all this is bits and pices of the Grand Alero conversion.

[GA_turbo]

^^^ damn everything in my car still new, i dont drive it in the winter.

[KenshinZero]

the car was in some kind of front end crash before I got a hold of it, then in my hands, I crashed into a snow bank, lol some lame person cut me off, and slammed on there brakes, i tried to swerve to moss hitting her and blam, snow.

[Dhoyle]

im soo happy i dont live where there is snow and salt on the roads :) not a single part of rust on my car :) the body anyways

[01OldsAleroGt]

o.O my car was from up north.. it spent time in Colorado, Minnesota, and Wyoming and not one stitch of rust but honestly it would look good to do some sort of merge with the alero/grand am

[Runaboveit]

Does anybody have pictures of the guy that did the conversion? I followed a link to a car domain page from another thread on here of the same topic... but no photos on their page.

Personally, I would of rather gotten a Grand Am over an Alero. But the Alero has grown on me, though I still love the front end of the GA GT's.

If anybody comes across pics, let me know! Thanks!

[pimpalero2003]

I'm prolly going to end up doing a ga front also. My reason can't find good alero parts seems all of them took front damage in the yards. Most of the ga's are rear and side

[BlackJack]

and all the time I'd been praying this thread died off and everyone forgot about it. The nightmare continues.

Just sell the freaking Alero and buy a Grand Am.

[JLw7123]

I though about the Cf hood for the grand am. but it is not worth it to me any more.

[pimpalero2003]

For me um yeah wish had the luxory car is junk and no money I like the front end of aleros better! Did like the aed ga front bumper better though

[wrestlingandrunning]

I though about the Cf hood for the grand am. but it is not worth it to me any more.

CF not always lighter than original hood though it would be for our car, but if you get hail damage I'm pretty sure you can't or it's not worth it to fix.

[JLw7123]

ya I know fiberglass can be just as light as CF but I am lucky I do not have to worry about hail.

[Runaboveit]

and all the time I'd been praying this thread died off and everyone forgot about it. The nightmare continues.

Just sell the freaking Alero and buy a Grand Am.

This isn't a bad discussion, I'm not sure why you are calling it a nightmare? Do you personally just prefer leaving an alero an alero and a grand am a grand am?

I like the idea because like I said the Alero has grown on me. And I don't want a Grand Am instead of my Alero now. But doing a conversion on the Front end I would.

In my opinion the side profile of the front end of a stock alero looks too .. compressed. The Grand Am goes closer to the ground. Our cars don't have many aftermarket cosmetic options, so to do something completely different that hasn't been done very often is appealing.

As far as the cost goes. It can be done quite cheap. There are tons and tons of later model cars that sell everyday for 500 on craigslist and the like because the motor is blown. You most likely could find a whole grand am cheaper than to buy the parts by themselves.

[BlackJack]

The irritation occurs because 1) it's a bastardization, and the visualization of such a conversion makes one want to vomit because the front end of a grand am doesn't match with the rear end of an Alero, and 2) I think if you like the look of a certain car, then buy one instead of trying to make one into what it isn't.

[JD1]

The irritation occurs because 1) it's a bastardization, and the visualization of such a conversion makes one want to vomit because the front end of a grand am doesn't match with the rear end of an Alero, and 2) I think if you like the look of a certain car, then buy one instead of trying to make one into what it isn't.

Agreed.......the cost doesnt equal the wow factor.

why not get the grand am hood and take it to a shop to have it made to fit the alero?

[Runaboveit]

I found that Alero Grand Am current page. Turns out it is actually an Alero but with grand am side moldings.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/312322

[BlackJack]

subtle enhancements such as the side panels on Greg's alero doesn't look that bad, but again because it's a very minor addition. To change the entire front end, hood, lights etc into a GA is much more drastic and stands out way more. Changes the entire appearance.

[Ttop191]

Thats CrazyTaxi I know he used to be here, IDK what happened to him though.

and I agree with BJ that its dumb to do it just because it can be done, but if you need to redo your front end because of rot or an accident and the parts are readily available and cheaper, I would say go for it, I mean yeah it'll look different, but it'll function just as well

[AlbinoMonkeyRat]

he still posts here...just not on as much...

Last Activity: 02-18-2010 12:12 AM

[El Pablo]

If you decide to go through with it, keep us posted. Do whatever you feel is best. I wouldn't personally but that's my $.02

[99-alero]

haha alero/grand ams are gonna get like civics/el's doin front end swaps

[rida125]

well actually bkathsalero did a complete interior swap

[tw0123]

i did it to my mini van... bought a venture, found a silhouette with a rotten frame, so i swapped the parts that were in better shape and now have a bastard van... mine was for cheap better parts, not because i wanted to... it was just what was given to me and available at the time... its also 2 tone... haha... i feel like such a redneck!!!

[rida125]

And there is also a thread that I have already started asking this same question, :lol: not many people liked the idea. and yeah it probably would be less work if you just bought a GA rather than trying to swap everything.

[mrmike]

The Malibu is an N-body, but the front end doesn't bolt up to the alero, right? Never looked at it too closely but I wonder if it would fit (just out of curiosity)

[pimpalero2003]

Not to much work just spinning a wrench. Woo one yard had like 5 aleros in it today so I hid headlights and taillights lol.

[worknprog.99]

can i has heads?

[pimpalero2003]

Sure lol 1 set needs some tlc pretty hazzed

[KenshinZero]

and all the time I'd been praying this thread died off and everyone forgot about it. The nightmare continues.

Just sell the freaking Alero and buy a Grand Am.

lol I am selling the alero sometime this summer, as soon as I get my hands on my buddys car, its a 98 Lexus GS400, originaly from tennessee, the car looks like it just drove off the showroom floor. The only damage is the pass mirror, its a little scratched up, it was owned by an old lady.

Thats partly why I havent been arround as much, ive been researching the Lexus. Ill be sure to post some pics and such when I get my gruby mits on her, lol

[BlackJack]

way cool man, keep us posted :)

[KenshinZero]

I definatly will, i never thought i would ever own a sedan, or a Lexus for that matter, lol

[My-Alero_03]

One question on the Ga after market hoods. If you had the know how or the$$$ to do it couldn't you have it skinned onto the alero hood? just a hypothetical question

[jturkey69]

My car was almost the same as gregs (Crazytaxi37) I just didnt like the door ribs