Abarth Bumperettes

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 9:46 pm

where can I get some of these. I saw an auction several days ago for some from Germany, but now I can't find it again.

Has anyone done this?

Hjulen · Post by **Hjulen** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 10:59 pm

A few people have done the conversion. I think the hardest part is finding a new place to mount the turn signals. I thought Bruce at http://www.fiatparts.com had them for awhile, not sure anymore. http://www.spider-point.com has all kinda of Abarth stuff; they are based out of Germany so it may have been their auction.

I was thinking about doing this conversion for awhile, either that or switching to the earlier chrome bumper style. Honestly, the big heavy impractical double bars kinda grew on me

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 2:45 pm

well, Spidey just lost 37.5lbs an it only took 10 minutes. beat that "Biggest Loser"!!!!!!! and that's only the rear bumper! Now, to figure out how to remove the bumper shocks...

And I don't see what the big deal is on the front signals. there are these perfect spots like they were made to house signals. just find something slightly bigger than the spot, get a dremel/recip. saw out and cut away! OR, if you'd prefer round to rectangular then you can use the bumper shock spots. otherwise I wonder if I can fab some fog lights in those round spots...

Add the front spoiler, fill all holes, and I'll be set!

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 4:14 pm

there's another 42.5lbs!!! for a suh-weet total of 80 lbs! it's a good start.

expect to see these bohemoths for sale sometime soon, unless someone here wants a set!

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 6:54 pm

6.5lbs for one front and one rear bumper shock+bolts. that's gonna be 93lbs when i'm done with it all. cool.

Mad-Machine · Post by **Mad-Machine** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:36 am

my 77 is going for the early look with the chrome bumpers. A lot lighter than the stock battering rams and a little more classy than the abarth bumperettes.

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 12:56 pm

Mad-Machine wrote:my 77 is going for the early look with the chrome bumpers. A lot lighter than the stock battering rams and a little more classy than the abarth bumperettes.

yeah, it's all about the look you are going for. I definitely think the single blade chrome bumpers look wayyyy classier than the Double tube ones. But then I think the Abarth, or bumperless approach makes the car look more "utilitarian" or "racey" which is the direction I'd like to lean...

Mad-Machine · Post by **Mad-Machine** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 6:42 pm

I think Bruce (http://www.fiatparts.com) has some glassfibre replicas of the rubber bumperettes. Might as well, the rubber ones are not going to protect the car anyway, the stock heavy tube bumpers barely offer protection.

Bluedog873 · Post by **Bluedog873** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 4:26 pm

Here's what I got back as a reply from someone who's car I found a picture of. There happened to be an e-mail address attached to it and I decided, "What the heck". So I sent a note out....hope his response helps.

------------
Hi Scott,

If you weld or have a friend that welds, it's a fairly straight foward process. It's amazing how much the added weight of the front and rear bumpers effected the handline and braking. We simply removed the bumpers and the bumper struts (rear was hard - from memory your suppose to remove the gas tank to get out the bolt for the left rear bumper strut, I simply cut the bolt a couple times to keep from removing the tank and all the lines).

Then we cut some steel plates and fit them to the pre-existing holes and welded them in and then added a bit of filler to smooth it out. You can pick up very small (size of a quarter) yellow lights that can work as both the marker and blinkers for the front and simply drill a small hole to insert them where you like.

I get a lot of compliments on the Spider, and have done this process to all my US bumpered Fiats. You can also buy the Abarth rubber bumpers to fit over the holes if you're not into the welding and filling aspect, but I really like the smooth lines.

Cheers,
Chris

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 8:29 pm

Bluedog873 wrote:Here's what I got back as a reply from someone who's car I found a picture of. There happened to be an e-mail address attached to it and I decided, "What the heck". So I sent a note out....hope his response helps.

------------
Hi Scott,

If you weld or have a friend that welds, it's a fairly straight foward process. It's amazing how much the added weight of the front and rear bumpers effected the handline and braking. We simply removed the bumpers and the bumper struts (rear was hard - from memory your suppose to remove the gas tank to get out the bolt for the left rear bumper strut, I simply cut the bolt a couple times to keep from removing the tank and all the lines).

Then we cut some steel plates and fit them to the pre-existing holes and welded them in and then added a bit of filler to smooth it out. You can pick up very small (size of a quarter) yellow lights that can work as both the marker and blinkers for the front and simply drill a small hole to insert them where you like.

I get a lot of compliments on the Spider, and have done this process to all my US bumpered Fiats. You can also buy the Abarth rubber bumpers to fit over the holes if you're not into the welding and filling aspect, but I really like the smooth lines.

Cheers,
Chris

sounds like he did exactly what I'm planning on doing. do you have his pics or links to them?

I just got my front signal lights in the mail, they are 4" round and will be identical to the rear lights I'll be replacing the stock taillights with, so i can use these to fabricate that back too. I'm gonna have flushmount LED signals, won't that look cool?!?!?!?!?

JustDoug · Post by **JustDoug** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 11:23 pm

Danno wrote: ...And I don't see what the big deal is on the front signals. there are these perfect spots like they were made to house signals...

Not sure who/where (it was on this site) but I recall someone having fitted "off-the-shelf" utility lights into these "perfect spots" on our cars. I've always assumed that those empty holes were meant to house front markers/signals, but were abandoned when a "U.S." bumper was fitted.

If I can find that post again, I'll drop a link here.

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 11:29 pm

yeah, i think it was Evan (Site owner).

engineerted · Post by **engineerted** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 10:23 pm

I bought my set from Bruce's, they are the real deal, rubber and look very good. The kit comes with the front mounting brackets but none for the rear, see the attached photos on how to attach the rears. Go to Home Depot and get some Unistrut, or what ever it is called, it's sold in the electrical department. It fitts in the round holes that the bumper shocks were and is held in with the same bolts.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v95/e ... C00977.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v95/e ... C00980.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v95/e ... C00979.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v95/e ... d0ba50.jpg

It may be hard to see the front turn signals, but they look vry nice. Mini harley lights, you can find them on Ebay just do a search for them.

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 11:46 pm

Ted, what's the car with the bra mate? Nissan 350Z?

Hjulen · Post by **Hjulen** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 1:53 am

I believe thats a Pontiac Soltice...

Abarth Bumperettes

Abarth Bumperettes

Been there done that!