Site update, my2002tii.com - Rear Euro Bumper Install

[my2002tii]

I updated my site yesterday with what's been done with the Euro bumpers, since day one. It may be what some of you were looking for with your cars. It goes way into body mods you need, parts, and then for the most part, how it all goes together.

I have written down and published bits and pieces of this on my site before, but this ties a bow around the whole package of the Squaries bumper conversion. I will have a front bumper one before long to show to be the companion to it.

The two things to look at is how the lights wire up in the bumper... and ...


Where to drill the holes in the trunk to get at the mounting holes.


There were days I didn't photograph things I could have, but that's always hindsight. As many questions as comes up on this subject, maybe this will put a lot of the mystery to bed.

[mmiller2002]

Thanks Keith.

I was just looking at that last week. I had a question about how you did the front on your son's car (Sept. 2002). You called it the "low cost conversion" where you used the existing bumper shock holes. I am very interested in that approach.

What did you do inside the bumper shock hole to mount the bracket?
What kind of brackets did you use stock '72, or modified?
Are the brackets attached to the bumper the same as a "real" conversion?
Any other points for the "low cost conversion?"

"Here you see how the '72 brackets hug the bumper closer to the body. In this low cost conversion, we used the existing bumper shock holes to fasten the angle iron brackets. This allows you to place the original big bumper front shock covers over the brackets holding the bumper on to cover up the original square shock hole badness. They need to be shortened, and in upcoming pictures we'll show how you do it."

[my2002tii]

Ok, does this picture almost answer your question?



There are no mods to the existing bumpers or the brackets from a 1972 setup.

The existing 74 bumper shock covers that screw into the core support - you cut them down to fit the exact depth after the bumper is bolted on. That takes a pretty heavy duty saw since they are rubber coated pot metal.

[Lupin3]

Keith, your site is a real treasure for our ohtwophile community. Thanks!

[HarryPR]

Keith, thanks for the pics!

As you know, my car is bumperless at the moment waiting until I can spend some time doing the euro conversion. I have all the parts needed, but it looks like I'll have to remove the gas tank to drill those two holes behind it..

[my2002tii]

Thanks for that Lupin3! Good to hear about your progress Harry. Drop me a line or post here if I can help on this subject.

[Alpine003]

Keith,

I like how you put the "note:" section where it states that it was tested. Usually, you want to put any kind of liability waivers and not the other way around.

[mmiller2002]

WOW! Thanks, that is exactly what I was looking for!

Questions:
With the 2x2 stock in the old bumper shock holes, it's only held in with the one large bolt. Is that enough to keep it from moving?

Regarding the "thru bolts" that hold the '72 brackets to the 2x2 stock, are they low profile so that they fit in the old bumper shock holes, or is the old hole plenty wide?

Thanks again for the illustration. I wonder if something similar would work in the rear?

Mike

Ok, does this picture almost answer your question?



There are no mods to the existing bumpers or the brackets from a 1972 setup.

The existing 74 bumper shock covers that screw into the core support - you cut them down to fit the exact depth after the bumper is bolted on. That takes a pretty heavy duty saw since they are rubber coated pot metal.

[my2002tii]

MIKE:

Regarding one bolt, you know the originals are held there with the same bolt, so it makes sense. We used carriage bolts for the "thru" bolts, they are low profile.

I think, if a person was savvy with a welder they could skip the 2x2s and adapt the existing iron that goes in those bumper shock holes in the front to connect to the 72 bumper mounts.

I doubt the same approach works for the rear bumpers. The rears are in a different location, have three holes too where there are 2 for the Euro bumpers.

Once the old bumpers come off you have tons of holes to fill, it's easier and simpler to bolt it right up to the real thing with drilling the access holes in the trunk. Those rear brackets are cheap too.

ALPINE: I changed the diagram with the DISCLAIMER.

[mmiller2002]

Thanks a bunch Keith for your time.
I am starting the search/scrounging for bumper parts.

[HarryPR]

I found Jaymic's bumper hardware kits very convenient. They will send you all the fasteners (nuts, bolts, spacers, etc) required for the front or rear bumper as a kit (including the ones for the rubber strips).

Saves you the hassle of calling several suppliers only to find out that no one has all the parts required. This happened to me, so I decided to order from them and couldn't be happier.

[carpainter]

I just did this and Im real sorry I even got started. The square holes that the bumper shocks originally went in is TAPERED inside and does not accept a 2" pipe.
Im sorry to say this but 2" square steel tubing does not fit inside the square bumper shock holes deep enough for the bumper shock bolts to go thru a hole drilled even 1/4 inch from the end. The square tubing has to be cut and tapered to fit deep enough inside to get the big bolt thru.
This takes a lot of work with a die grinder and then a BFH to bend the ends to make a tapered end ..
DONT BOTHER .
Im a Body man for 42 years and not an amateur.