Anyone ever try authentic "RUF" front and rear bumpers?
 

I've been pondering bumpers to go with on my car. After seeing all the fit and finishing needed to make a GT racing and MA Shaw bumper fit on my brothers 87 coupe and look correct, I'm contemplating biting the bullet and going with authentic "Ruf" bumpers from Weisach. I would hope that the fit and finish is better for the added expense. Anyone here try one? I will be doing the whole bumper also and not just the lower valance.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1073140427.jpg

Sure they work good but they're still fiberglass. If they were polyurethane it would be a different story but recently they've changed them to glass if i'm not mistaken. You'll still most likely need to fit them. MA shaw makes some fantastic product as does Rennspeed a a quarter the cost.

Just my opinion.

Adam

Found so pics of the bumpers in progress. The Gt racing front bumper needed to be cut in 1/2 and an inch of fiberglass removed so the sides met with the existing wheel wells. GT's suggestion was to "bend the wheel well's out". Also the signal buckets were not properly sized to house the signals. The rear MA Shaw bumper did not follow the same arch as the original lines of the wheel well. Not that big of a deal, but it looked "unoriginal" when in place. Believe it or not, but all this "little" things have a dramatic effect on the overall contours of the car, making the difference between looking like a kit car and one that is designed that way. We have the good luck of having a talented fiberglass body man, I just don't want to spend the amount of time it took getting these parts right and was hoping there was something "out of the box" that bolted right on. I guess you can only do so much with fiberglass.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1073144267.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1073144276.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1073144288.jpg

Actually, I'm pretty sure Bill Verburg has authentic Ruf poly (not fiberglass) frt and rear bumpers.

go here for more pics
http://www.pelicanparts.com/MotorCity/wmv/photo.htm

http://www.owners-gallery.com/upload...croped5100.jpg

http://www.pelicanparts.com/MotorCity/wmv/C3_front1.jpg

Just the Ruf valance is plastic (PURIM?). The bumpers like the Yellow Bird has/had are fiberglass.
-Chris

Ok, so let me get this straight. The current RUF offerings from Weissach are fiberglass and not poly? What are the pro's, con's of this?

I have a few RUF bits on my 84 Carrera and was always impressed with the quality of the pieces, sport muffler with new side and rear valance and their sway bars front and rear.

I am going to do this (errr thinking about it) my wallet says otherwise. My take is always pay for quality if that is what you actually get...if it is just being a brand whore that is a different story.

I want peices that fit right, look factory and are not a PIA to fit. For that kind of coin you should be able to haul them to the paint shop and come home and install without any farts.

-Jeff
nolift911@hotmail.com

The piece that replaces just the valance (the under the bumper part) is poly. The bumper caps a la Yellow Bird are (and always have been) fiberglass. This is my understanding at least.
-Chris

You're Robbing Peter to pay Paul. The Ruf bits cost MUCH more and may fit better (perhaps they've been prefitted by somebody at Ruf, either way you're paying to have them fitted) or you can buy from the aftermarket and have a pro body man fit the pieces. Go this route and it still won't cost you as much for the bumpers, they'll look just as good and they'll be fitted to YOUR car.

I dunno, I can understand buying quality, but one speed bump or curb (see Thom) and youre precious bumper is toast.

I'd spend my coin on something different but again, that's only my opinion :)

Adam

The RUF bumpers are really high quality, pretty much bolt on. All the lights fit correctly and they come with all the mounting hardware, for the front it comes with the rubber spoiler, the gasket, and all mounting hardware. (I believe it even includes the grill.) The rear includes all the reflectors and license lights plus the gasket and mounting hardware. You can also order it with the slots in the bumper ala yellow bird.

RUF Front Valance
 

I just got a quote for authentic RUF front valance from Germany and they were quoted as being poly (urethane) not fiberglass.

My 2 cents worth. Cost was 4x the firberglass versions listed in Performance and others. 1/4 the cost for the "eventual" crack or damage maybe worth it in fiberglass, IMHO.

I love the look though!

Aye, the Valence is the part that attaches to the factory bumper but maintains the factory bellows and therefore the factory appearance.

The complete bumper caps are f-glass if i'm not mistaken.

Adam

As previously stated, the whole bumpers are and always have been fiberglass. The valance only from RUF has always been poly. It also comes with a metal sub frame to hold an oil cooler and all the lights.

Heres a guy selling a bunch of RUF stuff
http://www.m635csi.org/ruf_stuff.htm

Bill Verburg's bumper caps are fiberglass and came from BW Motorsports in Illinois, possibly the best of the aftermarket suppliers from what I've gathered. These look better on some cars than others, that's for sure, the right color and wheels make all the difference. Bill's is one of the best looking, IMO. :cool:

For what it is worth, Stu who is the Service Manager at Weissach put fiberglass replicas on his 87 race car that you see pictured on their website.

Jeff

i have a 78 930 with ruf front and rear bumper/spoilers. i purchased these used some years ago and paid a premium for them, but not new ruf prices. fit and finish were excellent and they were easy to attch as i eliminated bumper shocls, etc. personally, i had a polyurethane front below the bumper attachment that i di not care for at the time. do not see many used ruf parts for sale, and i check most all ads. i have a ma shaw replica of front and rear ruf pieces hanging in my basement and the quality looks good to me.personally, if i had to do it again, i would go with a replica and fit as necessary..shaw replica. larry

Mike, I bought mine from BW Motorsports many moons ago, fit and finish were flawless as as been the durability. I have had more than one agricultural adventure and the bumper cap has held up fine w/o any cracks, the paint isn't so pristine any more though.

As has been mentioned the full RUF bumper cap has always been f/g w/ a separate rubber lip. I bought the RUF lip but could not justify spending 5xs the cost for the Ruf f/g pieces. The Ruf oil cooler is also a nice piece, but the B&B has more surface area at much lower cost. It also fits very nicely in the central opening. Both do a great job of keeping my 3.8RS cool at almost all times(stopped traffic on a 100&degF day being the only exception).

Unfortunately I hear that the lip is NLA, but I had also heard that the full cap was NLA from RUF??? You appear to have different info???

The other option was the valance which is polyurethane, but only replaces the spoiler part, while leaving the bumpers bellow etc. in situ. A less asthetically pleasing solution, as well as retaing the heavier stock bumper pieces.

For track use the weight reduction out at the ends of the car are worthwhile and noticable in improved handling.