NEW 914 bumpers, "Harrington Group" Options

[phillstek]

This thread is worth a bump for a good product
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Here is a shot of them on my '72. I went with the Steve Iverson Tow Eye Delete model.....

I love the look of those, I want some and those are great pictures as well.

phil

[Kansas 914]

I love the look of those, I want some and those are great pictures as well.

phil

I will look for a shot of the front bumper - not sure I have one...

[Kansas 914]

Found one of the front - not very good though:

[nathansnathan]

I'm surprised to see they fit so well from what I've read about Harrington Group on thesamba seller feedback - bug guys complaining they didn't fit at all.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=258203

[Kansas 914]

I'm surprised to see they fit so well from what I've read about Harrington Group on thesamba seller feedback - bug guys complaining they didn't fit at all.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=258203

I have zero complaints about fit or finish.

I just got a pair of the original steel bumpers back from being triple chrome plated and they look just as good as these - well you can't beat triple plated chrome but I doubt anyone could tell the difference....

[Tom_T]

I'm surprised to see they fit so well from what I've read about Harrington Group on thesamba seller feedback - bug guys complaining they didn't fit at all.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=258203

I have zero complaints about fit or finish.

I just got a pair of the original steel bumpers back from being triple chrome plated and they look just as good as these - well you can't beat triple plated chrome but I doubt anyone could tell the difference....

Mike - that's true....

Except that your SS ones should never rust (for the most part), whereas the (re-)chromed ones will eventually rust & pit - the timing of which depending upon how you use it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Hopefully you got the old school full on copper/nickel/triple-chrome when your OE steel ones were replated. The best chromers I know say the secret to getting the nicest smoothest surface is to get the softer copper layer(s) dead smooth - even if requiring several layers & polished between - so you get a smooth substrate for the chrome layers.

As far as the 914 bumpers go, Harrington seems to have the fitment & finish down, plus they can add holes/braces for tits, do hole deletes, etc. The only thing "off from OE" is that the short 1/2" +/- return to the body insets at the bumper ends after the bend is maybe 1/4" shorter on the SS (see Steve's pix at the early posts here), but it's really not noticeable IMHO except for the most CW of folks.

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[Kansas 914]

Mike - that's true....

Except that your SS ones should never rust (for the most part), whereas the (re-)chromed ones will eventually rust & pit - the timing of which depending upon how you use it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Hopefully you got the old school full on copper/nickel/triple-chrome when your OE steel ones were replated. The best chromers I know say the secret to getting the nicest smoothest surface is to get the softer copper layer(s) dead smooth - even if requiring several layers & polished between - so you get a smooth substrate for the chrome layers.

As far as the 914 bumpers go, Harrington seems to have the fitment & finish down, plus they can add holes/braces for tits, do hole deletes, etc. The only thing "off from OE" is that the short 1/2" +/- return to the body insets at the bumper ends after the bend is maybe 1/4" shorter on the SS (see Steve's pix at the early posts here), but it's really not noticeable IMHO except for the most CW of folks.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/santa_smiley.gif)

Hi Tom,

You are spot on. I was planning on keeping the SS bumpers on the '72 but have decided to put them on my flared '74 and put the original steel back on thr '72 as it is very near a Concours restoration. The car with the steel bumpers will be a garage queen while the flared car sees about 1000 miles a year (fair weather driving).

Cheers!

[Tom_T]

I love the look of those, I want some and those are great pictures as well.

phil

Hey Phil - I think you saw Steve Iverson's red car FS &/or the orange one at the initial posts on here, when you were over here & went down to San Diego. If so, then you saw these on a 914 & didn't see the difference.

Cheers Mate! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/santa_smiley.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
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[Tom_T]

Hi Tom,

You are spot on. I was planning on keeping the SS bumpers on the '72 but have decided to put them on my flared '74 and put the original steel back on thr '72 as it is very near a Concours restoration. The car with the steel bumpers will be a garage queen while the flared car sees about 1000 miles a year (fair weather driving).

Cheers!

That sounds like a good plan mike, but I agree with black22's comment on the wheels! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

....maybe a nice set of Pedrini's for the classic CW correct look, or maybe Mahle 4-lugs or Fuchs 2Ls if you want to stray a bit from CW perfection. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drooley.gif)

For a non-stock race look/use, I've always liked these....



(IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

[Kansas 914]

That sounds like a good plan mike, but I agree with black22's comment on the wheels! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

....maybe a nice set of Pedrini's for the classic CW correct look, or maybe Mahle 4-lugs or Fuchs 2Ls if you want to stray a bit from CW perfection. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drooley.gif)

For a non-stock race look/use, I've always liked these....



(IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

I have a set of 5 four bolt Mahles that I am going to have restored and painted the correct gray color. I also have 5 steelies with hubcaps (as the car was delivered) just for CW fun.

[Tom_T]

Mike, IIRC I'm pretty sure Mahles were painted silver, not grey.

There's a wheels & tires nailed thread in Originality that has that info.

They should look good & will be light for street use with "modern" tires, then you can put some vintage 165SR15s on those steelies for the CW fun!

Also, I'd recco either Al Reed in Anaheim CA or Weideman Wheels up in NorCal for your wheel restos.

BTW - I've found out here in the "peoples' republic of CA" with the air/chemical regs., that rechroming with the 3 layer process to CW standards runs about $800-1000 at each end, so the pricing on these SS ones are a good deal and the differences won't be easily detected.

Rich Bontempi at HPH or someone up in the SF Bay area also sells a USA made SS bumper for 914s at about the set price from Harrington, but I don't know anything about the differences. You'll see his ads on CL in NorCal, as I get them on the 914club's CL alerts about every week or two.

Happy (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) & Merry (IMG:style_emoticons/default/santa_smiley.gif)
Tom
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[Kansas 914]

Mike, IIRC I'm pretty sure Mahles were painted silver, not grey.

Happy (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) & Merry (IMG:style_emoticons/default/santa_smiley.gif)
Tom
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Yes you are right - silver is correct not gray.

I have some 165R15 Hankooks on the steelies now - they look so odd. I have 245/60s on the rear of flared car and they look normal to me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[phillstek]

Found one of the front - not very good though:

Not as symmetrical as the shots of the rears which, with the addition of the reflection of your floor and the colour of the car combined to make some very striking images.

Tom, my trip to the US in May was a bit of a blur, we packed as much in as possible but I can't recall the car you refer to.

Maybe you mean at the swapmeet at Slits' place in Riverside? I bought a front and rear set off a member then. It was a red 72 which the owner had driven there and we pulled the bumpers straight off the car there and then.

I've forgotten the owner's name. Unfortunately the rear bumper I bought was damaged in transit when we shipped our container back here.

phil (IMG:style_emoticons/default/santa_smiley.gif)

[Tom_T]

Phil - it's the 914s at the start of this topic by the topic starter. I thought you had looked at his red 73 2.0 as a possible addition to your container going back home to OZ - but maybe not - or at least we talked about it with John at the Chinese dinner. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Mike, those Hankooks are good for street, but if you can afford it for CW - the Michelin XZX 165SR15s which were one of the original factory tires, now still available from Lucas Tires in Long Beach CA/Ohio (Longstone UK's local guys are Lucas & they can get them for you).

http://www.lucasclassictires.com/
http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/page/165SR...elin%20XZX.html

I kinda like the classic look of 165/80R15s & 185/75R15s on 914s, and the 165s didn't handle too bad in Dunlop SP57s or Semperit M401s back in the day, while getting 30+ freeway mpg! And I know that you can recall those old school days, your being only a tad younger than me! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)


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