Bumper Removal

[OklahomaSpider]

The Set up:
I was bestowed a 1979 Spider my father restored but can no longer drive. I can fix just about anything wrong with your house but not tinkered with cars a ton. I am mechanically inclined I would say.
The question:
I am going to take off the bumpers because i love the bumper-less look, What should i be thinking ahead about? What should I do about the turn signal indicators? Thanks in advance!

[124JOE]

theres a few diferent lights that will go in there
yes you are asking the right people

the rear bumper is attatched on the bumper shocks and you need to remove the gas tank to get the driver side one out

[davery]

theres a few diferent lights that will go in there
yes you are asking the right people

the rear bumper is attatched on the bumper shocks and you need to remove the gas tank to get the driver side one out

You can get the driver side bumper shock out without removing the gas tank. If you remove the nuts, you can wedge a 1 x 4 (or something similar) and tilt the tank out of the way.

Also, I remounted the OEM turn signals behind the grill.

[divace73]

I put the turn signals in front of the grill with cable ties, this was my temporary look that lasted several years...

[vandor]

> I am going to take off the bumpers because i love the bumper-less look, What should i be thinking ahead about?

Agreed value insurance, otherwise even a minor accident would total the car.

[OklahomaSpider]

Thanks for the advice!

Here is the before, I'll get to the project in couple weeks and display the after.

[wizard124]

Simply pushing them in is a huge visual improvement

[DieselSpider]

I would first think about your intended use of the car. If its never going to see a parking lot or roadway with heavy traffic and is not going to be driven anywhere but car shows then removed them however if its going to see parking lots, picnic area's, parks, beaches, etc where there's heavy traffic then leave them on.

Like Vandor said be sure to get agreed value insurance because without them the car even in a minor event would likely be a total loss.

I can see the accumulation of 38 years of mishaps on mine and without the bumpers it has held up well enough to avoid the scrap yards due to their presence. It would be a shame to remove them and have the car a total loss in a few months for the lack of them after being in the family for so long. I am more of a function trumps form person.

You gotta think it through and pick your poison. A good friend when he could no longer drive his 64 Chevy which he had pampered for 35 years gave it to his son who modified it and totaled it within a month and though he tried to hide it everyone knew that he was devastated by what he saw as a lack of respect by his son in modifying the car so that is was totaled. Gotta think of Dad too since though he may say its your car now, inside he will still have an attachment. A car you bought from a stranger is a different story but from a Dad who restored it and wanted to keep it in the Family you need to consider him as long as he's alive and possibly other family members too.

[So Cal Mark]

I wouldn't put much faith in the bumpers saving your car in an accident. I've seen lots of totaled Spiders, all with the factory bumpers. Those bumpers are rated at 5mph-the concept was to prevent damage in minor parking lot bumps, not accidents.

[RRoller123]

I would first think about your intended use of the car. If its never going to see a parking lot or roadway with heavy traffic and is not going to be driven anywhere but car shows then removed them however if its going to see parking lots, picnic area's, parks, beaches, etc where there's heavy traffic then leave them on.

Like Vandor said be sure to get agreed value insurance because without them the car even in a minor event would likely be a total loss.

I can see the accumulation of 38 years of mishaps on mine and without the bumpers it has held up well enough to avoid the scrap yards due to their presence. It would be a shame to remove them and have the car a total loss in a few months for the lack of them after being in the family for so long. I am more of a function trumps form person.

You gotta think it through and pick your poison. A good friend when he could no longer drive his 64 Chevy which he had pampered for 35 years gave it to his son who modified it and totaled it within a month and though he tried to hide it everyone knew that he was devastated by what he saw as a lack of respect by his son in modifying the car so that is was totaled. Gotta think of Dad too since though he may say its your car now, inside he will still have an attachment. A car you bought from a stranger is a different story but from a Dad who restored it and wanted to keep it in the Family you need to consider him as long as he's alive and possibly other family members too.

+1 on that last paragraph.... That carries a lot of weight.

[DieselSpider]

I wouldn't put much faith in the bumpers saving your car in an accident. I've seen lots of totaled Spiders, all with the factory bumpers. Those bumpers are rated at 5mph-the concept was to prevent damage in minor parking lot bumps, not accidents.

So why make it more likely get totaled by a minor accident such as a 5 mph parking lot bump. Its still a minor accident just like a 5 mph parking lot bump when your hit from behind at a stop light by someone who rolls into you at 5/10 mph. My spider has seen many minor events that it has survived due to the existence of the 5/10 mph bumpers. Lets face it the majority of us are not going to have 50/60 mph collisions as those are the exception but will have a number of 5/10 mph parking lot incidents most of which we never find out about due to the existence of the bumper.

I had one car with a pager alarm on it and that's when I found out how many parking lot bumps that car was getting and it was outrageous. If that vehicle did not have bumpers on it the insurance carrier would have raised my rates, started refusing the repairs or dropped me altogether.

[v6spider]

While the heavy tube bumpers might be stronger, they aren't really that much of a protectant. If you like it without the bumpers remove them. My car is a 72 and those early style bumpers do not protect against ANYTHING and it's not necessary legally to have them either. Not sure about the rules regarding a car from 1979.. If there are any concerns that is where I'd do my research.. However, lots of folks remove them.

Rob

[RRoller123]

Curious that one of the things that never comes up in this repeated discussion is how one would answer the question: "Where are the bumpers?" when your insurance adjuster comes out to assess damage after an accident (small/medium/large, makes no difference) . And I wonder what the insurance company response might be? Has anyone gone through this particular sordid mess?

Pete

[Exit98]

Pete,

Hagerty's for one requires pictures of the car for agreed upon value insurance. So presumably if you send them a picture of your bumperless Spider and they insure it you are OK.

If it had bumpers when you insured it and then took them off it would be very wise to update the insurance pictures.

All insurance companies will deny a claim if they were lied to or otherwise decieved.

[RRoller123]

That makes sense!