Bumper Woes

[joe newsom]

So I am having a hard time with my front 71 front bumper. I have sent it off to be re plated by a local plater. However it has always seemed to flexing like someone hit something head on. The plater is having a hard time bending back to what I think is normal. So my question is to you guys, is it normal for the front bumper to be 1 1/2 in or so away from the mounting holes ?
 
 
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[joe newsom]

[jfa.series1]

NO!  The bumper should be nestled right up to the body - about 1/8" (no more than 1/4") away from the body.

[Pop's Z]

That gap looks like it might be a '73 bumper. Mine has rubber inserts where you have gaps.

Cheers, Mike

[psdenno]

22 hours ago, jfa.series1 said:

NO!  The bumper should be nestled right up to the body - about 1/8" (no more than 1/4") away from the body.

Curious about the gap, I measured it on my '71Z.  Drivers side .22" and passenger side .75".  The bumper has probably been off and on a dozen times since 1971, but no collision damage to the bumper or the car.  Soooo, now I have a project - mess with mounting points until I get 1/2" on each side.  Might be a winter project when I install the new bumper rubber strips.

Dennis

[siteunseen]

Love you original owners! 

I have a one eared teddy bear my Mom says I have had since I was born.

[jfa.series1]

@joe newsom - I took another look at your pics, specifically the pics showing a look down on the hood.  The bumper should exactly parallel the leading edge of the hood all the way out to the headlight buckets and it seems yours does not.  I cannot come up with an explanation as to how your bumper opened up the "V"  but its possible the problem begins at the center point.

[joe newsom]

[mention=31908]joe newsom[/mention] - I took another look at your pics, specifically the pics showing a look down on the hood.  The bumper should exactly parallel the leading edge of the hood all the way out to the headlight buckets and it seems yours does not.  I cannot come up with an explanation as to how your bumper opened up the "V"  but its possible the problem begins at the center point.

Yep I thinking the same


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[joe newsom]

Thank you for the help


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[dutchzcarguy]

I wonder.. is it possible that you miss these parts?  (I've got these for sale..) They are used on some USA 240z cars?   this is not a european car part for as far i know..   I've seen them on ebay (feebay)  for 100 euro  and in bad condition.. these are almost like new, or as they say:  in super beautiful and perfect condition...pfff... ( the rubber is after all this time (in storage for more than 25 years..) still soft and in good condition.)  (At first i thought it were wrong ordered new parts, but you can see were a nut or bolt has been sitting so they are used i guess but in great condition.)

Are these used only on '73  US. cars?  

13 hours ago, Pop's Z said:

That gap looks like it might be a '73 bumper. Mine has rubber inserts where you have gaps.

Are these those "inserts?

 

[dutchzcarguy]

N3300  says.. it's for a 260z?  (does it fit a 240z anyway?)

[ramsesosirus]

On 10/9/2018 at 6:54 PM, jfa.series1 said:

@joe newsom - I took another look at your pics, specifically the pics showing a look down on the hood.  The bumper should exactly parallel the leading edge of the hood all the way out to the headlight buckets and it seems yours does not.  I cannot come up with an explanation as to how your bumper opened up the "V"  but its possible the problem begins at the center point.

I had this same problem when I converted my 280z to the 240z bumpers.  The rear fit great, but the front had this same gap, even though it lined up from the center.  I don't know what  year the bumper was... but my solution was the cut a "V" in the very center of the bumper (on the top and bottom), align it on the car and "bend" (massage) the bumper until it was pretty flush.  Then I welded the new "V" together (it later broke, due to my incorrect welding technique but that's another story).

I painted the bumpers black since the chrome was faded anyways, so it's not really visible.