looking for front bumperless advice

So i got bored. I dont have the flat stock to attach it, but i am thinking of this. Kinda like the single bumper. Still have to do ends and if where it attaches doesnt look right i will do some sort of bumperette to cover. Where it connects will be flat stock welded to the bumper at the right angle and will have 2 bolts welded to the back of that stock to go through the bumper holder holes to be tightened from the back and not show on the front.

Odie
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That seems a long way around, you can flatten the (gas charged) struts and use the brackets attached to hold the single-rail bumper blade, even at right angles to the strut, to get the bumper height you want. I'm doing this to my car, so interested.
 
That seems a long way around, you can flatten the (gas charged) struts and use the brackets attached to hold the single-rail bumper blade, even at right angles to the strut, to get the bumper height you want. I'm doing this to my car, so interested.
Well, i dont have the single bumper so i would have to locate that. I dont have the struts in the car as the mounts there are solid tubes with ends that the harbor frieght tow bar hooks to. So it would have been about the same amount of work to hook the single bumper to these custom tubes.
100 percent agree if someone has the stock system and doesnt have a need to swap between a bumper and tow bar, then compressing the struts and hooking up a single stock x bumper is the way to go. But my criteria doesnt meet that.

Odie
 
Odie, regarding your last two pictures; please take this as constructive comments intended in a positive light. I realize it is only a quick mock-up, but that arrangement between the mount tubes (shock replacements) and the single bar you made does not look very clean. The bumper bar you made is great, just think about a different way to connect it to the mount tubes. Can those mount tubes be moved closer in (toward the car), so you can mount the bumper bar in front it them instead of behind? Maybe redo the mount tubes a little so the tow bar brackets are smaller and higher, to hide them behind the bumper more? Only some thoughts to consider. I like your small bumper idea.
 
Odie, regarding your last two pictures; please take this as constructive comments intended in a positive light. I realize it is only a quick mock-up, but that arrangement between the mount tubes (shock replacements) and the single bar you made does not look very clean. The bumper bar you made is great, just think about a different way to connect it to the mount tubes. Can those mount tubes be moved closer in (toward the car), so you can mount the bumper bar in front it them instead of behind? Maybe redo the mount tubes a little so the tow bar brackets are smaller and higher, to hide them behind the bumper more? Only some thoughts to consider. I like your small bumper idea.
Always see things more as ideas on how to improve. I would raher have 50 ideas i dont agree with then the 51 comes in i like rather than no ideas coming in at all. I fully take in all ideas given to me. Usually.it morphs into a combo of all the ideas.
On to your suggestion. The mock up bracket that is there will not be used. Hated it. Just was playing with how to possibly attach it. And this idea was ugly. Big time. It is hard for me to explain and i cant draw. So i will do the best i can. The end of the tubes are about 2x4. So i will get another 2x4 plate that can be bolted on to that end. Then i will set the bumper bar on top of that plate making sure no part of the plate sticks out further than the bar. I will tack weld it in place. Remove it and really weld it.
As far as putting the bar in front of the plate, it will cover up the turn signals. So it has to go higher than where the tube is. Could i get the bar closer by moving the tubes in? Maybe a very little by removing the tubes and re drilling the holes the mounting bolts go through. But i also have a tube welded in that tube where the bolts go through to distribute weight better as it had the force of the tow on it. If i left it just drilled holes, the holes would tear. I also need to leave enough clearance between the car and bracket to bolt/unbolt it when i switch from bumper to tow. Another idea i had, but will have to wait until the metal shop is open, is i believe they have a 1x2 exruded instead of square. That would put the bumper itself closer to the body of the car.

Never be afraid of telling me your opinion. And dont think that because i dont follow one i wont follow the next. Different minds/opinions is how really cool stuff gets done.

Odie
 
Oh. And i dont think i can make the ends of the tubes different. If you look on the ground you can see the tow brackets i need to be able to exchange with it. Being able to tow it is the crappy consteaint i have. If i didnt worry about towing, the old bumper mount holes would be filled in except a tie down hook. Would look much cleaner.

Odie
 
I follow what you are saying. Perhaps look for some small rectangular rubber blocks the can go under your bumper bar to cover the mounts. Maybe something that sticks out past the bumper bar about an inch to act as "bumperettes" (overriders). Just to hide the mounts.
 
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All depends on what you call a 'bumper"... I made some decent looking plugs out of basic Home Depot materials. Little bit of PVC and some treated 2x6 cut to size... Coated with Duplicolor bedliner. This works for me, may not work for you... I could give a rats ass about a structural bumper. This car ever gets hit or crashed, off to the scrap heap it goes! Car is two door panels and front bumper plugs away from a daily driver...
 
That looks awesome! I am in the same boat as far as bumpers go. Less about the governments mandates ( the X passed structural integrety without them but the stupid 5 mph is useless to me) . Your shape is what i am debating on for the front. Although i dont see the bolted mount too distracting for my taste. I might play around with only bumperettes like yours as bolt on and off easily is one of my requirements.

Odie
 
Has anyone looked at a single-tube setup based on a (circa '79 or so) 124 Spider bumper tube? I don't have access to a spider to check, just a thought this discussion prompted. The curvature might work with the X nose.
 
Has anyone looked at a single-tube setup based on a (circa '79 or so) 124 Spider bumper tube?
Previously I wondered how the rear 124 "split" bumpers might work on the back of a X. But like you I didn't have anything to look at.
 
the 1975 and later 124 bumpers are steel, thick walled and really heavy. Flip side is you could probably back a dump truck into the car with a 124 bumper and not damage the car or bumper. Actually if hit hard enough, the bumper shock would collapse but since the bumper was actually stronger than the chassis the hit would damage the chassis! I have never seen a bent spider bumper.
 
Boy, you guys are not going to let that go!

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A spider front bumper would have taken down the light poll and continued on to take out the front door of the house behind it.
 
I have the answer to the bumper dilemma!
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Just get hit on the front driver side quarter panel. No bumper involvement at all.

And if the bumperless look is what you're after.....

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All you do is wait a micro-second for the car to spin to a stop, and hey ho presto, no rear bumper.

Of course before you start this technique be sure you have a back up plan.

6e


I think, minus the broken bones of course, that about covers my bumper project.
Any questions ?
 
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