Front bumper - stock type - leightweight?

I can't help but wonder if a plastic/glassfibre/kevlar/carbon front bumper is available for 74-89 911s? I mean one that looks exactly like the original item, but is made from leightweight material that can't corrode.

You see I just noticed some small bubbles in the paint on my front bumper and instead of having the front bumper resprayed I'm thinking about replacement with something that can't rust and will loose some weight.

Normally one will go for a Ruf bumper, RSR style or 964 bumpers, but I'd like to keep the stock look.


Anyone who knows if such a bumper actually exists?

[masraum]

If you can't find one then you could probably make one, but it won't hold up as well. I do remember a picture of a racecar here a while back that had the entire bumper, bellows, valance and all duplicated in F/G, so someone somewhere has one.

[arrivederci]

FYI, the front bumper (without the spoiler) is aluminum -- thick aluminum. I seem to remember it weighing roughly 25 lbs.

[island911]

IMO you'll have a tough time improving on the OEM forged aluminum bumpers. (without spending a fortune.)

These bumpers are not nearly as heavy as they appear.
These pieces are much like a Fuchs wheel.
Plenty of people feel they are smart to replace those too . . . so what the hell? . ..replace away.

[Glasgow 911SC]

You see I just noticed some small bubbles in the paint on my front bumper

Me too, even after us both having them resprayed recently! I've been told old aluminium is tricky to rid of corrosion but I'm not sure.

[arrivederci]

I recently had a front bumper repainted. The paint shop is very reputable and they were meticulous about the prep work (it was $$) and removal of corrosion. They'll hopefully stand behind their paint work if it starts to corrode. Its already going back because the paint doesn't match (I offered to drop off a headlight ring, etc for them to use as reference).

[island911]

On the paint issues, I'll just add; there are specific primers for aluminum. "Acid-8" is one I've used w/o isssue. (on Fuchs)

On paint matching: what a pain. . .they change color-shade in the first few months.
I was really put-off when the Platinum Metallic I got seemed to be way too gold, when first sprayed. 8-months later, it sems to match really well. The big problem is; you don't know if the shade is going move to the better or worse. . .months down the road.

[jyl]

How about:
- keeping the original bumpers
- removing the impact absorbing tubes (not sure if Euro cars had them, actually).
- having a machinist mill out some of the aluminium thickness from the backside

[arrivederci]

And how much weight are we talking about saving? What's the -impact- of removing them?

[island911]

the -impact- of removing them is they don't return to the original position.

I would like to know the weigh difference, as well.

HELLO EUROPE - this means you.
What do the collapsable tubes weigh? . . . and could you get us a part# . . .our PET has these intentionally blocked.

[masraum]

Aluminium -- that cracks me up. Where you guys come up with this stuff I'll never know.

[dd74]

If you really insist on replacing the bumper, Rennspeed in Pasadena, CA., sells fiberglass bumper blades. They supposedly save about 15 pounds off the front, with the mounts still attached. Take off the mounts, and its about 7 more pounds, I believe.

[Bill Douglas]

My bumpers had bubbles under the paint too. When I did the strip down and repaint a few years ago I found it was a white oxidising on them so I got them acid dipped to get rid of it all. With good primering and painting the bumpers look great now. But I was pleasantly suprised how light the bumpers actually are, and how strong they are when in an accident. The heavy part of a 911 are the doors, they weigh about three times what a Toyota door weighs.

[1980SC]

Bumper shocks-

I replaced my euro crush tubes with the USA style shocks.



The top shock is the USA style from a 3.2 Carrera. The bottom is the euro style, and in "used" condition.

The difference in weight between them was so small, I didn't even bother to put them on a scale. Don't waste your time.

-Rob
1980sc euro

[island911]

Excellent post, Rob. Thanks!

. . though, as an engineer, I really would like #'s. Any chance you could weigh these?

[dd74]

It's funny, the only time I think that I had better not replace my bumpers with something lightweight, i.e. fiberglass bumper blades, or a whole bumper/valance assembly, is when I'm in rush hour traffic.

Shifting a 7.31 r/p Porsche, as I've seen, adds to the danger of being rear-ended, as the car between shifts, slows, and the traffic behind gains to the point where it looks like a collision is eminent.

I rarely find myself in a place where I need to parallel park, nonetheless that is also a concern.

[dd74]

Originally posted by jyl
How about:
- keeping the original bumpers
- removing the impact absorbing tubes (not sure if Euro cars had them, actually).
- having a machinist mill out some of the aluminium thickness from the backside

Isn't the issue with this 1) nothing else holds up the bumpers but the absorbing tubes; and 2) milling them out distresses them, thus they're useless in a collision, not to mention already being useless because the tubes have been removed?

Just a thought...

Great posts all.

My main concern is corrosion. I've seen many 911s in excellent condition with bubbles on the bumpers, even recently resprayed ones (3 years is recent to me). It seems to be a common problem. So either I respray every 3 years or else I buy a brand new original Porsche front bumper.

Too expensive.


So what else is there to do? RSR, Ruf, 964 or something aftermarket in plastic/glass fibre?

Loosing corrosion is my main concern. Loosing weight is an added advantage. Same goes for gains in the looks department (I like 964 look and Ruf).


PS: Does anybody know what a Ruf front bumper costs?

[dd74]

Another concern I have with f/g bumpers, or maybe I should say "had," was the painting fading after exposure to the sun. I have an f/g ducktail, however, and the paint hasn't faded yet. I imagine it's just a matter of how they're painted.

[briankeithsmith]

How do you get the studs out of the bumper shocks? I need the 2 studs out of them so I can use those holes to mount a fiberglass front end.

Anyone know how to get them out? Will they press out using a hydraulic press?