How do F/G bumpers and hoods affect a crash? Options

[JmuRiz]

I was wondering how the car and I would be affected, by having F/G lids and bumpers, in a crash. I would love to have the weight savings of F/G for if I do track days etc but I don't know if it'd be worth it from a safety standpoint on the street. Since my car mostly a streetcar. Thanks for any advice. I know there are C/F lids too, those are a lot of $$ however and they might splinter in a crash anyway (not sure though).

[Aaron Cox]

im interested too (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon_bump.gif)

[skline]

How do they affect a crash? Not one little bit, they will desinegrate on impact and not save you at all. Hopefully it is just a little fender bender crash. A head on at 50 and it wouldnt make any difference anyway.

[machina]

I don't think the issue would be safety. The structure of the tub is not changed.

Biggest problem I see would be low speed damage. Even a light tap on a FG bumper could cause lots of damage. Happend to a member here who had FG bumpers. Little tap bent the hood, headlight, etc...

[Pnambic]

Hmmm....the steel bumpers are able to direct the force of the impact to the more structually strong areas of the car, or at least thats what they're supposed to do. But that only works up to a point as well. The f/g would just disintegrate, leaving the less structually strong areas vulnerable.

A 10 mph bump with the stock bumpers probably wouldn't do that much damage.
A 10 mph bump with f/g bumpers would probably bend the hood and the front trunck area.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon_bump.gif)

A 50mph hit would hurt either way.

Just try not to hit anything. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I haven't hit anything though, so I'm sure there are people here with first hand experience that could chime in.

[Robert21]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/rocking nana.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rocking nana.gif) do the bumper guards do any good ,

will the do more damage , or help.
i have a front set have not put them on it looks cool
with out them. have then on the back .

[carr914]

On a slightly different subject. Carbon Fiber bumpers. All the ones I have seen have been C/F matt over fiberglass. The only thing I would use them for is for looks if you clear them. Not worth the extra bucks.

[Mueller]

On a slightly different subject. Carbon Fiber bumpers. All the ones I have seen have been C/F matt over fiberglass. The only thing I would use them for is for looks if you clear them. Not worth the extra bucks.

the c/f bumpers I had were lighter than the same brand fiberglass bumpers...not sure about being worth the extra money when buying them brand new, but I got 'em at a killer deal

[J P Stein]

It's simple, really. FG bumpers offer no protection....even to themselves. If you're worried about it, don't use em'.

[Hi_Fi_Guy]

I run F.G. bumpers and decklids and do not "feel" any less safe. Of course I also ride motorcycles, power boats, ATVs, etc. so what do I know about safe?

Even if the chrome blades were not officially designed the offer protection they are metal and certainly can take a lot more abuse than F.G. Like someone else said they also somewhat help distribute the forces into the crumple zone.

Not sure about '75-'76 cars with the differnet bumpers with full rubber covers. Those may or may not be significantly better than earlier bumpers. I am sure the data is out these somewhere.

I doubt the deck-lids make any difference. It is possible they could absorb some energy in an impact but my guess is not enough to make a differnece extcept that one in a million crash. Hopefully no one here ever has to find out.

Luckily we have two trunks between us and the world... maybe fill 'em with foam or something if it makes you feel better. What I would be more worried about is getting t-boned. I'm guessing our doors would hold up like tin-foil on a JiffyPop.

[SpecialK]

Not sure if this would be much of a benefit, but how about filling (prior to installation) the bumpers with 4lb. or 8lb. density polyurethane expanding foam. It's really not much different than the crap they stick in the plastic bumpers present on most of the newer cars.....Just a thought. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

[JmuRiz]

Good point, they do have a LOT of foam behind the plastic bumpers in todays cars don't they. Maybe just a smaller metal frame on the F/G bumper mount and fill with some foam blocks.

In regards to steel bumpers in a low speed crash, I have two bumpers (front and rear) that were PO had a low impact fender bender, like a parking lot thing, and they'd need to be straightened and then rechromed, so that's a LOT of money to fix that low speed ding. Also the rubber bumper-tits don't don much, they just bend in the bumper at the base if hit good enough. Still takes more to mess up metal than F/G but something will be dented up in any crash even at 5mph.

I might just stick with my bumpers and get some F/G lids and if I do get into racing maybe get some F/G bumpers too. I also agree that a t-bone with an SUV w/ head-high bumper is the real scary type of crash!!!

[Mueller]

JmuRiz,

what I have been toying with is having "street" steel parts and "auto-x" 'glass parts, done right and it should take about 20 minutes to swap everything over...just be careful on the way to and from the auto-x or track (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I have a full cage, but I still like the idea of the heavy beam equipped door for the street, but it would be nice to swap over some hollowed out doors for the auto-x course

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