Another Stainless Bumper Thread

[DavidB]

I was able to score stainless bumpers to change out the dreaded federal bumpers. The new rear bumper has the cutouts for the surface-mounted license plate lights. I have the "Carillo" lights and will replace the vertically-mounted lights. Does anyone have the specs/pics/suggestions on where the wiring to the bumper-mounted lights is to be routed from the current location for the vertically-mounted ones?

[Farace]

David, I'm not familiar where the wires run on the vertically-mounted lights, but I can tell you where they run on my '71 with the wedge-shaped bumper mounted lights.

There is a metal bracket on the inside rear wall of the trunk; the trunk lock mounts into the top end of it, and the bottom extends down to the floor of the trunk so there's basically a metal plate a few inches wide with maybe a half inch of space between it and the rear trunk wall. The wires running to the license plate lamps disappear behind that metal plate and extend down through a hole in the floor of the trunk that's in that half-inch space. They then immediately take a ninety-degree turn rearward and extend through another hole in the rear valence behind the bumper, and from there to each lamp. It's a real tight space.

If this isn't clear, let me know.

[DavidB]

Thanks, Farace - I've finally gotten around to making the switch and when I removed the old bumper that there is an obvious rubber plug in the center of the rear valance for the wire chase. duh! Some day I'll learn to look before posting.

[df78alfa]

DavidB

I am considering removing my front bumpers completely for a while, at least till I purchase the kit from Spiderpoint or someone else. There is a really cool photo in the picture room. It's a yellow Spider and it belong to 'Finlandese', and it has no front bumper at all. I think the car looks great that way. (until someone backs into it). I am going to remove mine this weekend but my concern is with the weight issue. I know the rubber bumpers are heavy and it seems that without the weight the front end will be way off. I guess I'll find out. Good luck with your conversion I bet the car will really look good.

[DavidB]

DF78 - it's not a great shot but here's one sans bumper. About the weight - remember that only the US-spec cars had these monsters bolted on.

[rogerspeed]

Quote:

Originally Posted by df78alfa DavidB I am considering removing my front bumpers completely for a while, at least till I purchase the kit from Spiderpoint or someone else. There is a really cool photo in the picture room. It's a yellow Spider and it belong to 'Finlandese', and it has no front bumper at all. I think the car looks great that way. (until someone backs into it). I am going to remove mine this weekend but my concern is with the weight issue. I know the rubber bumpers are heavy and it seems that without the weight the front end will be way off. I guess I'll find out. Good luck with your conversion I bet the car will really look good.

[df78alfa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rogerspeed Dear dave, There is a great photo of a front bumperless duetto race car on pg 89 of Joe Benson's Illustrated Alfa romoe Buyer's Guide, I don't have a scanner so I can't post, but it looks good. somewhere I've seen a photo of the bumper area faired off with lexan/plexi with vents, it looked cool. As to the weight without the bumpers on '79 I had a fibre-glass rear bumper replacing the heavy federal bumper, the rear was too high without the weight had to get sport-springs, as to the front I doubt the removal will make much difference as the springs are much stffer.

[df78alfa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidB DF78 - it's not a great shot but here's one sans bumper. About the weight - remember that only the US-spec cars had these monsters bolted on.

[spanish pants]

This may have been brought up before. But has anyone ever thought about building an alternative to the euro bumpers. Perhaps something along the old dune buggy bumpers. I'm sure this would be a cheaper alternative and interesting alternative. Please don't shoot me

regarding the weight difference, 115 lbs total, front and rear, those weights are based on Road & Track tests of stainless bumper s2 Spider at 2315 lbs and a federal bumpered s2 at 2430, the later s2's with air and power windows and carpet are another 100 lbs heavier, and in response to the alternate bumper post, I'm running duetto uppers only on my s2. very light and clean looking.

[DavidB]

Thanks Dave - that's only a temporary situation while the car is painted. Then the stainless repros from Re-originals go on (thanks Randy for the brackets). I was able to get the fronts during their moving sale earlier this year for about half of what they charge now. The rear bumper was an eBay find.

[kennypinkerton]

Is it possible to convert a S3 to stainless front bumpers? I love the looks of the S1 style and early S2 style. But for some reason, the S3 style are a little big and unsightly to me.

at the very least you would have to replace the front clip, the sheet metal behind the S2 bumpers, between the bumper and the front of the wheel well, just isn't there on the S3 Spider, I don't know of a supplier for the front lower fender section, but a piece could be fabricated, and the lower nose section can be gotten, price would be high, I would think it only feasible if your insurance company was paying for collision repair. if a good front clip can be gotten at a salvage yard then the bumper brackets would have to be compared, and changes made if needed, the back I dont think so, to much difference. the rear sheet metal is different, but the sides are the same

[cougarchee]

I also really like the look of the yellow spider belonging to "findlanese". His car seems to have a black plastic grill with blinkers, ect in it. Does anyone know anything about this? Is it a Euro option? Aftermarket? Fabricated? And another dumb question... What is "spiderpoint" and how do I contact them?

[Bill77]

Here's the link for Spider-Point.


http://www.spider-point.com/