Backdate Bumper Help - need original 1972/1973 pictures

[SpyderMike]

A couple of us are fitting original steel replacement parts from 1972/1973 into our 1984/1985 cars. I am hoping that some of you with longhood cars can/will post pictures of your cars without bumpers (front and/or rear) so that we can see the original tub details that these parts were attached to. Anything you can provide would most likely be a great help. We need to see how to modify the bumper and/or the tub to install these front and back bumpers.

Thanks,
Mike

[Robert Adams]

73.5


This seems to be my only really decent shot of the chassis without the front bumper. Hope it helps. Don't have any good ones of the rear end/
Good luck

[Robert Adams]

front bumper bracket


front bumper bolts (bumper side)



You might check out on line parts catalogs that show 3D Diagrams. Probably some listed here.

[metalracer]

Are you going to backdate the front apron to use a steel long hood or go with a fiberglass long hood with a short hood inner frame?

[SpyderMike]

Thank you Robert!

metalracer, I am thinking Fiberglass with the later latch setup ala TRE.

[metalracer]

I think that's a great way to go. You'll need to extend the safety latch to make opening the hood easier, and, add the metal strip along the apron that holds the bumper-to-body rubber seal.

If you're using TRE's fender light box extensions, make sure you set and align the new hood first. You can then use the hood's bottom as reference to the bottom of the light boxes to ensure proper alignment. Use a level and make sure you get the light boxes parallel to the car's lower door sills. Too many times I've seen cars where this alignment is assumed and not measured and to the critical eye it looks like crap.

You'll need to modify the tub around the impact bumper shocks. This only requires a little trimming and is should be obvious. If you use a steel bumper, it may be easiest to modify the existing bumper shocks to attach the bumper to.

For the rear, you should weld/add about 1" flange along the bottom edge of the fender that will support the rubber seal. That flange then needs a rib welded to it that will retain the seal. Looking at the how the front fenders retain the seal will give you an idea of what I'm talking about.

[SpyderMike]

Thank you metalracer - I appreciate the feedback and information! I plan on sourcing period correct steel front fenders and not using extensions. I have a steel front bumper already.

I continue to look for detailed images of what you are describing - specifically the flanges required for the seals and the modifications to the tub around the shocks.

Mike

[SpyderMike]

okay folks with pre 1974 cars, I need you help with photos of the rear bumper mounting points. Please, please, please!

I need to attach these to my car and would like to see how the originals were done:

[Edoyle]

You will need to remove the entire rear impact bumper support bracket in order to mount the rear bumper flat to the frame rails such as the longhood cars.

[Tim K]

Here are some images showing the internals of the LH cars. Not sure what year these are from. You're asking for 72/73 info. Is there a difference with the 69-71? SWB?

These are not my pics (grabbed them off the net a long time ago). I hope they help.

[SpyderMike]

Editor

That may have to be the solution. I have found someone's pictures though that show they modified the bumper mount brackets to bolt to the bumper shock saddle clamp bolt holes.

Tim K

I am having difficulty reconciling your photos with my bumpers. Mine are 1973 RS bumpers. They bolt horizontally from the outside inward. My interpretation of your pictures is they are bolting from the bottom up. Hmmmm. Confused I am (as usual). Can anyone help clarify?

[SpyderMike]

Here is an example of what I was mentioning about using existing bumper shock mounts:

[SpyderMike]

and here are pictures of my bumpers:

[Tim K]

Originally Posted by SpyderMike

...

Tim K

I am having difficulty reconciling your photos with my bumpers. Mine are 1973 RS bumpers. They bolt horizontally from the outside inward. My interpretation of your pictures is they are bolting from the bottom up. Hmmmm. Confused I am (as usual). Can anyone help clarify?

Mike,

I hope these images help clarify things a little.



Do you have the rear license plate panel? Bumperettes?


Tim K

[SpyderMike]

Doh, thanks Tim. I was fixated on a horizontal bolt solution. What I saw in your photos was a doubler on the top side of the attachment that I was confusing for the bumper bracket arms.

Looks like rivnuts would be needed here.

I have the rear center plate incoming this week. Bumperettes are further out. The rest center plate should fix the spacing between.

Mike

[Tim K]

I'm not sure what people normally do when they remove the welded impact bumper supports (on the longitudinals). However, I don't think riv-nuts would be considered structural. Plus with the bumper supports removed, I'm not sure how many layers there are. From the images I included above you can see that there is additional internal reinforcement - maybe this is not there on the later cars? I hope somebody with experience in this matter will chime in; I'm interested to know myself.

Tim K

[SpyderMike]

I ended up making adapter brackets out of steel that bolt up to the bumper shock saddle clamp bolt holes. Not quite done yet, but here is a mock up: