Tube Bumper Thoughts & Solutions?

[speedracer]

Wow, looks fantastic!

It's just the way I always envisoned they could look. Did you have any clearance problems wit the rubber side boots?

[azygoustoyou]

That looks good!!!!

[ga.spyder]

Thanks,guys.The rubber boots clear by about 1/8'' off the fender when the bumper is pushed all the way back.You can easily adjust it by just pulling the bumper out a little further.I havent pinned them yet ,so I might pull them out a little for some extra clearance.
Craig

[pope]

Hey Craig, can you post a few pics of a 3/4 front and rear shot from a distance to get a feeling of the overall look.
Thanks


Great, now I gotta sell my old style chrome bumpers and get some new chrome tubes.

[speedracer]

Great, now I gotta sell my old style chrome bumpers and get some new chrome tubes.

!

I get the feeling that alot of guys are going to want there big, ugly tube bumpers back after they see how good they look tucked in close to the car!

I want to do mine today, but it looks like another lousy, stormy day! Well, I'll at least drill the holes...

[ga.spyder]

I will post a couple more pics when the weather clears.Mid 30's and snow flurries all day,after a gorgeous 70 + sunny weekend!
Craig

[launieg]

Well that looks great! I will definitely do that soon since it is pretty easy. Bonus is that I won't have to cut the springs to compensate if I were to replace them with something lighter. (Time for working on the Spider being pretty limited anyway ).

[ga.spyder]

Launie,that was kind of my idea too.I really dont have the money or time to get into lowering the car,purchasing/making some kind of bumperless blocks,etc..I really like the look with the bumpers tucked ,and it took all of a couple hours to do it.Someday I might go with the bumperless look,but for now I am happy with the result.If you werent happy,you could always pull them back out and pin them into original position,just wouldnt have usable bumper shocks.
Craig

[speedracer]

OK, I got mine done and I really like the look .Should have done it long ago.There appears to be a 'sweet spot' when you drill the shocks.The first one I got a drip of oil,I drilled it further back and it was like drilling a Pepsi can! Spewed!! After they were drilled,I couldnt budge them so....I backed against the garage corner Once they are broken loose you can adjust by hand.I am going to pin them from below with a bolt and nut ,or a screw. The Ansa tips stick out a little past the rubber part of the bumper,but not bad.Couple of pix:]

Well, I drilled my holes, two big ones in each rear shock, one on the telescoping portion and the other furthest towards the car in the base of the shock and I got no fluid and no movement.

So I backed her into the corner of my garge, one side at a time, and again, no movement at all from either side. I'm putting my Fiat harder into the wall than I would like, but no matter how hard, she won't budge. I'm even taking small running starts of about 2' and nothing, and I'm not going to chance it any further. So I'm thinking I might have to take the bumper off and slam the shocks themselves with a sledge and a 2x4.

I'm guessing you didn't run into this problem, did you?

[ga.spyder]

No,I didnt have that problem.I drilled a hole in the front and got nothing but a drip.Drilled it more into the base(toward the car) and I got gas and oil shooting out.Enough where I put catch pans under all 4 ,and left them overnight,to catch the drips.Afterward I could move them by hand a little,but I did have to use the corner of the garage to 'break' them loose.Not nearly as forceful as you describe, I just bumped them.It sounds like you havent got the shock pressure relieved all the way? I drilled some smaller holes today to pin them in place,and still got oil drips out of every hole. I think you are right to remove the bumpers and try to compress with the hand sledge,It made me nervous just bumping the wall!
Craig

[racydave]

Try drilling them about 1 inch from the rear, and it spewed on my glasses! It is under pressure! My nose should'nt rust anyway! They will compress with gradual pressure. Park near a concrete threshold, and try a 2x4 for leverage.

[ga.spyder]

All done.My 0-60 times are improved by 1 second,handling is 100% better,and.....OK,maybe not!! The car looks great with the bumpers tucked.I used thru-bolt w/ nut to pin them in place.Clearance on the sides is about 1/4'' ,front and back. For the money spent($0),it is one of the best cosmetic improvements I have done on the car.Thanks to speedracer and pintopower for bringing it up.I dont know if this is the angle you wanted,Pope,but here are a couple pix.

[speedracer]

All done.My 0-60 times are improved by 1 second,handling is 100% better,and.....OK,maybe not!! The car looks great with the bumpers tucked.I used thru-bolt w/ nut to pin them in place.Clearance on the sides is about 1/4'' ,front and back. For the money spent($0),it is one of the best cosmetic improvements I have done on the car.Thanks to speedracer and pintopower for bringing it up.I dont know if this is the angle you wanted,Pope,but here are a couple pix.

Craig, sniff sniff, it looks so beautiful,weep weep I could man!

Really nice! I brought this subject up thinking the same as you, it wouldn't cost a penny and it would be the best cosmetic improvement I could make. And I thought it would be easy! Arrrgh! But like so many other spider fix's, it isn't. But alas, I won't give up!

These bumpers will move!

Thanks for the credit!

[pope]

I posted a generic car to show the difference. Quite dramatic!

[azygoustoyou]

That looks really good guys. I bet know the person who was trying to sell their stainless bumpers will think twice.