End caps for single track bumpers?

carl

carl

True Classic
The 77 came with the usual railroad track bumper mod (single track) and I'm looking for a nice way to finish the ends.

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Pretty sure the previous owner just put some sort of vinyl tape over the ends which is actually OK but wondering what other folks did to finish the ends when doing this mod.
 
What I would do.

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I would get some .125” aluminum sheet. Cut a part to match the existing profile and then apply a radius to the outside edge of just under .120” to match the long radius along the bumper top/bottom edge.

I would either polish it and then brush it with a scotchbrite pad or paint it if you can find a paint which is close to the existing color of the bumper beam. If you polish and brush it, you may want to clear coat it to reduce the tendency of the aluminum to oxidize.

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I would make two blind, tapped holes in the reverse face.

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I would then cut a piece to fit the interior of the bumper profile.

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I would then drill two through holes to allow using an L bracket to run screws through the bracket the inner locator and then into blind holes of the end cap.

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The assembly would then be bolted to the bumper through two holes in the bottom of the bumper beam.
 
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Karl,

It seems you got a good idea... but somebody did it before. I got something similar. I can't say if it's a "one-off" or sold by a Fiat specialist, but here what I got on a 1975 parts car. I plan to polish it, give it some TLC and put it in the front of my 1980 black car.

This is a modified front blade. It had been shortened in the middle so it will clear the 1975 front lights. (If it's not clear, I could take a pic while hanging it out in front of the car). I can't tell you how it was done, even the PO didn't, it was already on the car when he bought it.
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Here is a pic of the middle. On the top, there are no visible bolts, just in front and underneath.
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And view from Inside:
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I tend to prefer not seeing fasteners on visual parts, thus the extra bits suggested versus seeing the heads of the screws.
 
Yup, but there was probably a black tape in front and the ones underneath, well at our age we are not going to bend often to check!

I kind of like the side ones... I always like nice mechanical things. It's a matter of taste.
 
Karl, really nice end caps and all the guys on the TV mod shops could make it but how does a guy with a bench vise and drill press make those nice rounded edges? I may just try one with flat edges, would probably work.
 
You spent your apprenticeship filing edges didn’t you?

If one is careful and mounts the part on a lager object you can use a router to apply radii to aluminum.

Alternatively you could make the parts out of acrylic and then paint them. Acrylic machines very well and is pretty tough in an application like this. ABS would be an excellent be an even easier material to work as another alternative.

Square edges would be fine too.

I am too used to having a model maker at my beck and call for work
 
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carl said:
Karl, really nice end caps and all the guys on the TV mod shops could make it but how does a guy with a bench vise and drill press make those nice rounded edges? I may just try one with flat edges, would probably work.
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Make a template out of cardboard for the inside and outside ends of the bumper. I have plastic, bandsaw and grinder. We can make end caps when you come to get the carpet and parts.
 
I'm waiting for the woodworking crowd to jump in and say how easy it is to make one from wood.
K, not everyone has a router either!
 
Aluminum is not that much harder than wood. With some manual effort, this could be cut out with a hacksaw and nicely finished with a belt sander.

Pete
 
I'm going to have my professional wedding cake maker daughter make me some out of cake...that way we can worry about ants too!
And to put this in context she is the one who bloodied my rat X.
 
I did something similar - but I used bumper ends from a 1975 X1/9 and cut them and flipped them upside down (so you can't see the cut side).

I also used 1975 bumper rails, because they're longer. This was my 1978 that I restomodded.

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I seem to recall that many many years ago when I did this mod, too used cut stock ends like you did, but this car came with only the one rail and no spare parts. Sadly, for now I'm using silver duct tape on the ends.
 
If making those cover pieces out of some sheet metal or sheet aluminum seems doable, then you can make a wood form and hammer the sheet over whatever contour/shape you desire. Rounded sides, curved corners, radiused edges, whatever looks good to you.

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