I've never minded the big bumpers but that's probably because I bought my first Pinto new and it was a 1974. At that point, it was one of the few identifying characteristic
s that announced to the world that I was driving a
new car! That was important to me, being a 16-year-old... owning a brand new car was a major accomplishment! Of course, they were essentially added on to the original design due to government safety mandates so I don't think they blended in as well as on the 1979-80 model years when the entire look was updated with the rectangular headlights. The Pintos and Bobcats from those years would probably look horrible with the small bumpers!
Dwayne