Fabricating "bumpers"?

[SanRafaelFaz]

I've been thinking up ways to mount some home made bumpers. Got the idea of using the stock bumper shocks and fabricating something to bolt or weld on to the mounting plates on the shocks. Some sort of sheet metal bent to the contours of the body? I know they will be mostly cosmetic and I'm OK with that. Has anyone done this or have any advice/suggestions?

[So Cal Mark]

unless you collapse the shocks, whatever you use is pretty far from the body and most likely will look odd

[SanRafaelFaz]

unless you collapse the shocks, whatever you use is pretty far from the body and most likely will look odd

Interesting, hadn't thought of that. This is one of the reasons I come here!
How would I collapse them?

[SLOSpider]

You can collapse the shocks by drilling holes in them and releasing the fluid and pressure. Does not take a very big hole and there are some threads on here about it. You imagination is the only thing that will limit you.

[Curly]

Here's some examples of fabricated or customised bumpers on a couple of Aussie Spiders:

This front bumper is off an XJ6 Jaguar


These front and rear bumpers are from a 124 AC Coupe.



All of them required cutting, welding and some reshaping followed by re-chroming, so it's not an easy or cheap alternative.

[TX82FIAT]

Curly, they are all great examples. The owners all did well with the height of the bumper being just below the grill the way FIAT intended. I really like the XJ6 bumper on the maroon spider. At some point i will take the tube bumpers off. I don't like some of the bumper kits out there for two reasons. Price and fit location of the front bumper. Looks like a custom job is the way to go. However, I'm not a welder. I'm not ready to go without bumpers yet.

I'm supprised with this group that a modification using the original bumper (drilled and shortened) mounts at the right height has not been done. A reasonably priced, proper fitting bumper conversion kit would make someone some money.

[Ken]

I used a 1967 Camaro rear bumper and made it narrower, I used it because it was laying around but they are not expensive.
Ken

[Gunsmith]

I am working on that same type of project now using existing bumper shocks and modifying them so the retrofit can be done without having to take off the existing bumper shocks. We'll see how it goes....

[SanRafaelFaz]

I am working on that same type of project now using existing bumper shocks and modifying them so the retrofit can be done without having to take off the existing bumper shocks. We'll see how it goes....

I'll be very interested in knowing what you do and how you do it, Gunsmith!

[SLOSpider]

I mounted early bumpers to my factory rear shocks no problem. Had to narrow the shock mounting plates and rill the hole to collapse the shock. Once mounted on the shock I pushed them in till I liked the fit and put a screw thru one side of the shock to hold it there. I think I have an extra set of rear bumpers I may part with.

[SanRafaelFaz]

I mounted early bumpers to my factory rear shocks no problem. Had to narrow the shock mounting plates and rill the hole to collapse the shock. Once mounted on the shock I pushed them in till I liked the fit and put a screw thru one side of the shock to hold it there. I think I have an extra set of rear bumpers I may part with.

Beautiful! That's the same car as mine, too! No issues with them being loose at all on the ends? What did you do for the front? PM me with info on your "extra set" when you get a chance.
Thanks!
Joe

[SLOSpider]

Had not got around to the ends but just need to drill one body hole for the side brackets. Its still running around just as this though. The front I had a chrome one too that I was going to cut and make a spit bumper to match the rear. Ill dig up the spare pare and see what I got. I am in the process of tucking in my 73 bumpers and seems like ir will be easy with cutting down the rubber bumpers they added in 73 in guess. Need to get some pipe to use as a spacer. Ill post a thread on that one.

My friend is looking to sell that Red car and wanted to know if I was interested...Tempting.

[giuliot60]

Did you see my post on the FiatSpider Facebook page Joe?

Here they are again. My 81 isn't 35 yrs old yet. In NC, they don't need an inspection after that, so I'm trying to keep the bumper shocks on for easy reinstall of the original.





The quick jacks are foam core painted black (it would be cut out of steel and welded together), and the other is foam rubber that is simulating a bendable metal. Both would look better closer to the car with collapsed shocks.

I also bought some chrome VW Bug style T-Bar bumpers for less than $25 shipped. http://www.mamotorworkstv.com/vw/product/302966/ They're supposed to bolt right in with some slight mods using the bumper shock mounting bracket holes. The most inexpensive with an easy install that I've found. And they look good.

[SanRafaelFaz]

Cool, Giulio. I had not seen these pics before. I'm interested in those VW T-Bars. Are the mods needed on the parts or on the car mounts?

[giuliot60]

I haven't installed them yet Joe. But from what I've gathered, they used the existing bolt holes from the shock mounts. I think we may need to drill a new hole in the T-Bar shaft to accommodate the other Spider mount hole. I'll let you know when I get to it.