weight reduction, i'm bored...bumperettes?

[indicaM3]

i've ready every thread here with the word bumperettes in it and still can't figure out by looking at the car how to get the bumperettes off without removing either the bumper itself or the muffler, both of which im not really tryin to do right now. can this be done simply and easily? lookin at it i don't see a way...

[DarrylD]

I'm assuming you're talking about the big rubber SC style bumperettes here. You can reach the nuts on the backside by reaching up between the muffler and rear apron, they take a 13mm socket. I found it took more work to unstick them off the bumper once the nuts were removed because of all the paint accumulated from the bodyshop simply masking them off... I ended up having to feed a pry bar inside the license light holes and giving a very big tug.

[indicaM3]

thanks, yeah SC is what ive got. i got under and looked a little closer and yeah, appears i can get a socket up in there, two bolts per side. (yours was one of the old threads i read i think). my car's been painted too, but it appears they must have removed these to paint, cause theres no paint on them at all, and there is some on the rear window seal, and other random places. go figure. it wasn;t the greatest paint job in the world, so im sorta worried i'll pull one of these off and paint will come with it, in which case it goes right back on and i start cussing to myself at whoever painted the car again.

[Hetmann]

If you try to remove them, there is a good chance the bolts imbedded in them will snap. At that point they are useless. Use lots of penetrating oil and be careful if you are going to try.

[jtratza]

I'd recommend taking the bumper off. You can easily take the bumperettes off without taking the bumper off as Darryl says but you'd be amazed how much junk is inside the bumper. I must have scraped and cleaned out 10 pounds of oil, dirt, rocks that had accumulated over the past years. It also makes repainting easier.

[indicaM3]

i think for now, just to get a look at it, i'll try just hitting the nuts with some penetrating stuff and getting them off to see what the paint looks like under there. if i decide to stick with it, i'll probably have the bumper repainted (there's a little orange peel on there anyway) and the holes filled and everything. thanks all.

[Rick964]

Does anybody know how much the bumperettes weigh?

[Wil Ferch]

I've done this....my recollection is there are 3 bolts/side...and that removing the lower valance sheet metal was a definite help.

Once you do this...they can be removed without removing the bumper from the car.

I recall also they weigh ( ?) about 15 lbs.....again...by memory, I think that was for the pair.

- Wil

[livi]

Hmm, that would mean 15 lbs worth of less traction on the rear wheels..

[Wil Ferch]

It means 15 lbs less of "excessive" rear weight hung out ( WAY OUT) back !!!

-Wil

[livi]

I know Wil, hence the

[Hetmann]

They are pretty heavy. They're solid, not hollow. 15 lbs more or less sounds about right.

[chrisp]

My paint peeled when I removed mine. There are unsightly holes left in the bumper that some people fill, some use plugs and others (like me) just leave as is. If it were a street car I would have covered the holes somehow.

[dd74]

I don't know if anyone mentioned it: there are two types of bumperettes for the US impact cars. In 1974, the car was equipped with small bumperettes for that year only. Afterward on up to the 964, all Porsche 911s had the large bumperettes. So, if you want protection, but also weight loss, the small ones from '74 might be the way to go.

I think the '74 bumperettes weigh roughly half of the later (and more plentiful) bumperettes.

[Ove]

Here's the weight of the euro bumper pads:




And a picture of more weight savings. The holes are not visible with the rubber strips and license plate on.

[911S Targa]

Here is a visual of what the above are talking about



A: As you can see, when you us a US bumper, and install Euro bumperettes, you are left with 4 holes you will need to fill (as I have on mine with plugs from Checker auto parts) Looks cheap, and non cool, but served "my" purpose.

B: As you can see, this bumper had the same issue with peeling paint. Looks to me they put the bumperettes back on when the paint wasn't fully cured.

C: I didn't remove my bumper to get the bumperettes off. I took off the rear apron, and I could fit my big hand into the bumper with my wrench and socket. 3 bolts for each bumperette. I too had the problem of getting them off. I just used some force, and my hands, rocking them up and down, back and forth, and they came right off, along with the paint.

D: The above picture is what my car looks like right now. I went and bought a Euro bumper, so I didn't have to fill in the holes, and to have it right (my personal preference), not that there is anything wrong with using euro bumperettes on a US bumper.

[Craig 930 RS]

Take 'em off and then do this:



Holes optional

[indicaM3]

sweet. i may have to sell my m3 towards a 930...with aero mirrors...