Early 74 260Z bumper conversion to 77 280Z

[Packerz]

Hi to all!  I am trying to find a source that would enable me to make a direct bolt-up of my set of early 260Z bumpers to my 1977 280.  I can find lots of conversion kits to mount 240Z bumpers,  but didn’t the early 74 260 bumpers sit slightly further from the body than any of the 240’s?  If so, wouldn’t the 260 mounting bracket be slightly different (longer?) than any 240?  I can only find 70-72/73 240 style to 280  conversions with  “some fabrication necessary” forcing the user (me ?) to bend/weld modify and I’d have to have this fabricated =$$ and trusted source...Doesn’t’ anyone make a conversion bracket expressly for an early 260 to a later 280  using stock 260 bumper mountings and attaching this  bracket directly to my 280...using the stock 280 attachment (single threaded “hole”) on body.  Does this exist?  Source?    I’m at a stop on this, Help please!   Thanks!

[w3wilkes]

I think putting 260Z bumpers on a 280Z has not been desirable enough for anyone to do it. Many want to do 240Z bumpers on all 74 through 78 Z's so that's the market for any kits. For what you want to do it will be a full custom job = $$$. Just my opinion.

Edited November 30, 2018 by w3wilkes

[Freez74]

I have an early 260z, and the bumpers look the same as a 240.  The reason they stick out further is there are small shocks between the bumper and the frame.  I'm sure they could be adapted to a 280.

[cgsheen1]

3 hours ago, Freez74 said:

I have an early 260z, and the bumpers look the same as a 240.  

They look similar, but they're not the same.  They are shaped differently because they were pushed farther forward and mounted on pistons to meet the new US crash standards.  They should mount on a 280 much like they do a 260, but they will remain pushed away from the front of the car.  The early 260 had various "filler" pieces to cover the newly increased gap between the bumper and body (and grill). I doubt you could get the early 260Z front bumper to fit tight to the body like a 240 bumper.

[Mark Maras]

 The early 260 front bumpers can be pushed back to fit against the body if one drills the bumper shocks and squeezes the oil out of them. I think it's true of the back bumpers too but can't verify it yet.

[cgsheen1]

I believe that would push the ends back into / over the front wheel arch. IIRC, the front bumper "sides" are longer to compensate for the amount the bumper has been brought forward.  It's been a few years since I abandoned my early 260 bumpers in favor of 240Z bumpers so I may be mis-remembering, but I think that's the case...

[Zed Head]

17 hours ago, Packerz said:

Hi to all!  I am trying to find a source that would enable me to make a direct bolt-up of my set of early 260Z bumpers to my 1977 280.  

I’m at a stop on this, Help please!   Thanks!

Odds are you'll never find a "kit" for what you're trying to do.  If you removed your 77 bumpers and took the car and the 260 bumpers to a shop they could probably get it done for not too much.  You could mock it up at home with zip ties and assorted hack stuff to see what it might look like.  Take a picture if you like what you get and take that picture to the shop.

[Packerz]

cgsheen1:  thank you. I have most, if not all the body-to-bumper pieces already.  Currently, bumpers are just bolted to the 280 “crash shock” plates with two accessible bolts...an OK arrangement just to hang them.  However the sides are just kinda “free floating” because I could not use the 280 body mountings.  I never got any 260 side mount brackets (purchase did include front override bar and fairly decent rubber trim appearance and filler pieces).  Therefore, I don’t have “donor”  260 braces to try and fabricate some small conversion piece at the body mounting ends of a 260 bracket to my single bolt 280.  These possibly could be the easiest thing to have fabricated ... could anyone on this forum do this for me at a fair price?  I would have to attempt sourcing good used early 260 brackets F&R... but potentially bumper distances, fillers fit,  AND all mountings line up and direct mount to my 280.  With my luck, that might seem the easiest but...would not be the best/practical/ reasonable $$ path....?.  Any input on this?  I think you are absolutely correct in your last post re: pushing sides to far forward by simple shock compression.  Kills that

Thanks Zed,  Yes,  I could either source used 260 bumper support braces to convert, taking bumpers (brackets)and car to some type of metal fabrication shop & sharing some visualization of goal.  Asking them a fixed price for creation of a conversion or just building whole new brackets w/necessary side mountings.  Asking them (no idea of how to identify trusted source) if they would create a “one of a kind” 4-pc custom job...for some “reasonable” cost.  Perhaps only way to determine cost/ability of ever using existing 260 stuff-or is there some Z club member doing metal fabrications (or local person/place close to WNC area) that someone could refer me to and discuss how-to?

I appreciate all the input I have received and truly trying not to discard any offered options.  Trying very hard to remain hopeful of some positive $$ resolution  before accepting my 260 bumpers only useful for 260 replacements and no conversions value!           Only source of buyers=260 owners?  Very hard to swallow until all experiences and input asked...   My Thanks to all!    Doug

[Freez74]

20181201_103822[1]

20181201_103803[1]

Here are my early 260 bumpers pushed in on my early 260.  They don't interfere with anything, but I have no 240 bumpers or 280 body to compare.

See my post below for pictures.

Edited December 1, 2018 by Freez74
correction

[cgsheen1]

You may already know this, the 2-bolt hole flat "faces" of the pistons (bumper shocks) will rotate - so if the bolt holes don't line up...

[Freez74]

[cgsheen1]

Oh, so there was a rubber piece on the end of the bumper - that covered the notch-out.