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Thread: 2002 Big Bumpers

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    Jet Black 2003 M3 Coupe

    2002 Big Bumpers

    im looking to buy a 2002 but dont like the years with the big bumpers...i was wondering if there was a way to just take them off...? i mean obviously this is possible but to take them off and have it look right...anyone have any pictures of this?

    is there any sort of fiberglass body kit/air dam/front valance type things to go in its place? im new to these cars so any info would be nice...

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    Irving TX/El Salvador
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    M3,318is,1600,1802,520
    bmw2002.com they sell the front air dam for the car it will look good with or with out a bumper

    2002faq.com they have a fiberglass replica for the rear one

    if it has the big bumpers im assuming the car is 74-76 i think the one they have on 2002faq is for the early one but im 90% sure it will fit with out a problem

    i installed a 1602 '71 bumper on my 74 1602 with out any problem!!

    ....and 2002 without bumpers they look ok IMO

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
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    AR Kansas
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    several
    Big Bumpers in the Us model year 1974-76. They can be removed and replaced with the smaller ones. takes some bodywork to make it look perfect.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
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    Omaha, Nebraska 68132
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    71 2002,98 323iC,94 325i
    See Keith Kreeger's website, www.my2002tii.com. He has Euro bumpers on a '74 tii. In his October 2002 upgrade diary, he removed the "diving board" bumpers and did the necessary bodywork to fit bumpers from a '72 2002. And in March of 2003 (Part II), he installed the bumper mounts for the earlier bumpers. Extremely well illustrated with close-up pics.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
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    Brooklyn, NY
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    4,174
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    00 M5, 12' Ducati SF
    I'm keeping the rear bumper on mycar, i drilled out the shock absorbers through and pushed it in, gives it a 100% cleaner look, and i've removed the front bumper, but i have to remove the shock absorbers outa the chassis. ireland engineering has a bunch of body kits, front air dams, etc.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
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    Puerto Rico
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    '81 320/6 Baur
    Here's my '76 with the front bumper removed and a '68-'70 rear bumper. I used a Kamei spoiler up front. Installing the rear bumper is not too difficult with Keith's instructions.



    HarryPR
    '81 320/6 Baur (#2569)
    BMW CCA # 19290



  7. #7
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    I still like that car Mr B.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    San Francisco, CA
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    thanks for the responses guys. i think im going to try to avoid a 74-later car and go for the earlier smaller bumpers just to avoid body work...im just so sick of it with my mustang i can wait it out for a earlier car to show up.

    i actually might have found a 1969 '02 that im gonna check out on friday. apparently its just got a bit of surface rust in the trunk and runs perfectly (daily driver status)...but we shall see about that...still sounds/looks promising though.

  9. #9
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by HarryPR View Post
    Here's my '76 with the front bumper removed and a '68-'70 rear bumper. I used a Kamei spoiler up front. Installing the rear bumper is not too difficult with Keith's instructions.



    quick question...how is that front valance/spoiler attached? just screws along the top? did it need fitting and all that or was it pretty much bolt on. it looks pretty friggin' slick.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Surrey, B.C, Canada
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    184
    My Cars
    '76 2002, '86 535i DD
    Nice looking car. Are those the 14'' or 15'' e30 rims?

  11. #11
    Join Date
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    '81 320/6 Baur
    Thanks for the compliments!

    The spoiler is pretty much a bolt-on deal. It is attached with screws at the top. The spoiler included a bottom brace to fasten it to the valance, but I decided not to use it to have a little flexibility in case I hit a curb or something with it.

    The wheels are 14 inchers from an E30.

    Best,
    HarryPR
    '81 320/6 Baur (#2569)
    BMW CCA # 19290



  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
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    Westchester, NY
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    540i, Z4M, '02tii, 328i
    Just a small comment - the big buggy bumpers on my 1976 car save me from a 30mph rear end collision when someone hit me fifteen years ago. they also help a ton if you park in a city like New York on any regular basis.
    That said, I much prefer the look of the pretty, dainty chrome ones on my 72 tii, but I know full well they won't do much of anything in an accident.
    If this car is your daily driver and safety is a concern, keep the big bumpers and be happy in the knowledge that you're better protected. If it's just an aesthetic thing, go with the small ones. I will say that the later cars (particularly 1976) had the best rustproofing and the loweest (3.91 I think) differential, so they acceleratte better than the earlier unmodified cars.

    Just my thoughts - personally, I prefer the round light model so that's why I made the choice I did.
    _________________________________
    "I'm not speeding, I'm qualifying..."

    Freude am Fahren

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  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Chicago, IL
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    84
    My Cars
    1976 2002
    BIG BUMPERS SAVE LIVES....

    76 02 #2375532

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Mile High, Colorado
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    '76 2002,'16 435iX GC
    Big Bumpers are sexy... ;-)

    IMHO, they elongate and lower the appearance, add safety (while driving or parked), integrate well with squarelights look, I like the aluminum look vs chrome (+no rust), they don't hamper a spoiler or other body mods, and provide a great occasional seat! Besides, with everyone else removing theirs, they'll be a rarity before too long.

    Don't get me wrong, I like 02's in all forms - and everyone's entitled to 'their look'. I just don't think they're ugly at all.

    Tom




  15. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    State College, PA, USA
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    85
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    A few 02s
    I put an early bumper on a 76 with minimal body work. Body work was limited to cutting out slots in the front for the early mounts, which are lower than the big bumper mounts. The fogs sit right in front of the original bumper mount holes, avoiding need to cover the holes.


  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Little Rock, Arkansas, US
    Posts
    8
    My Cars
    1974 BMW 2002

    I sort of agree about the alum late bumpers

    Quote Originally Posted by visionaut View Post
    Big Bumpers are sexy... ;-)

    IMHO, they elongate and lower the appearance, add safety (while driving or parked), integrate well with squarelights look, I like the aluminum look vs chrome (+no rust), they don't hamper a spoiler or other body mods, and provide a great occasional seat! Besides, with everyone else removing theirs, they'll be a rarity before too long.

    Don't get me wrong, I like 02's in all forms - and everyone's entitled to 'their look'. I just don't think they're ugly at all.

    Tom



    I've got a 74 2002 Inka and I removed the bumpers from it first thing. Getting rid of the front one reveals the beautiful lines of the shark nosed front end. However, I'm thinking about re-attaching the rear one, bc what's left when you remove it is an odd-looking sunken panel with 3 big ugly mounting holes. What I think I might do, though, is shorted the rear brackets so that the aluminum is almost touching the body. Maybe it won't look so bulky then.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    West Wyoming, PA
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    1
    My Cars
    2015 Porsch Cayman S
    Does anyone have any suggestions of a shop in Pennsylvania that can install euro bumpers on a '76 2002?

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    SoCal
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    194
    My Cars
    '10 328i, '74 2002
    Willing to DIY? It's fairly easy for the rear and there are kits for the front.
    2010 328i Platinum Bronze
    1974 Chamonix 2002
    build blog www.nomads2002.blogspot.com

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