Opinions wanted, Talk me into/out of ditching me BUBs Options

[Porschef]

Getting real close to getting her back on the road after hell hole repair, tranny rebuild, oil leak elimination (dang, almost got em all..) and now I'm thinking about the winter project being (or not) swapping to earlier bumpers.

I have a nice set in the garage, I just need lights and grilles.

Am I (IMG:style_emoticons/default/screwy.gif) to do either? Of course there's other reasons why I qualify, but we'll stick with the bumpers fer now... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

Thanks

[JoeSharp]

Try this. Take a hammer and hold it by the handel and swing it back and forth useing only your wrist. Now turn the hammer around and swing it by the head.
Your front and rear bumpers weigh more than 50 pounds each. The rear one weighs more than both the front and rear with valances and all related hardware and spoilers.

[KELTY360]

Think about this: lots of people get rid of their BUBS, but have you ever heard of someone 'updating' to those government imposed protuberances?

[TheCabinetmaker]

After my 2056 with raby cam, back dating
my bumpers is the best thing I ever did to my 75.
All that extra weight is at the worst possible place it could be.
The corners. Handling difference is night and day.
I have never regretted making this change.

[76-914]

I'll weigh in on this. I have both, a '73 and a '76. The '76 is a dream on the hi way. Is it the weight or aerodynamics? I don't know but there is a noticeable difference! Scientific results? Hardly. Just mine.

[mepstein]

Try this. Take a hammer and hold it by the handel and swing it back and forth useing only your wrist. Now turn the hammer around and swing it by the head.
Your front and rear bumpers weigh more than 50 pounds each. The rear one weighs more than both the front and rear with valances and all related hardware and spoilers.

The front weighs 38lbs, the rear 42lbs. I'm pretty sure the early bumpers weigh ~12lbs each. I do like the look of early bumpers.

[Cairo94507]

For me, if I had a late model teener the BUBs would come off immediately and I would never look back.

[eyesright]

I swapped my '76 bumpers for early ones just for looks. I got some sorry early bumpers from a junk yard. I had one new front bumper top and one nasty rear one they gladly GAVE me while laughing, from the junk yard. It was a lot of work and the bumper repair and paint wasn't cheap (body shop) and a real chore to repair the rear topper (me).

I did a lot of sweating and cussing, but after it was all done....I like it. Come to thnk of it, I think I can recognise the difference in feel on the highway. Maybe the heavy ones did feel better at 75 mph, really. But I do like the looks now.

Maybe I'll put 50 lbs of tools in each trunk when I travel.

Anybody need a very good condition set of late bumpers, covers, and hardware? Free for PU.

[Porschef]

Hmmm, all good food for thought. That's not the first time I've read that the BUBs seem to improve the ride at highway speeds.

Not that highway speeds are common here on Long Island.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[damesandhotrods]

If you park in parallel parking spaces regularly, then keep the late bumpers might not be such a bad idea. It never ceases to amaze me how many people parallel park by braille…

[speed metal army]

The late ones are actual bumpers.. The earlies seem to be nice beauty covers.
I think about it too, but the slightest little tag and the early ones are boned. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[Krieger]

I like both. I have a 72 and 75. 50 lbs to each end is not the end of the world. Not even close. Joe's hammer analogy is great for understanding the concept, but quite extreme. How much weight is in the head vs the handle? That would be like adding at least 500# to the rear of a 911? When I autocross my 75 I make a lot of cars look really bad. If you have nice late bumpers and like the look use them. It will cost you a lot for nice chrome bumpers and there tops. The 75 -76 cars have tabs welded to the body to hold the sides of the rubber on bumpers. I don't know if people are grinding these off or leaving them.

Edit: oops saw w you already had a pair of chrome bumpers.

[JoeSharp]

Here is the scales with the bumpers on them. I did this to be sure of the actual weight going on to the race car. I was thinking about foot pounds and how far the bumpers were form the center of gravity.
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...&hl=Bumpers

Apperently at one time I was into this stuff.

[mepstein]

Here is the scales with the bumpers on them. I did this to be sure of the actual weight going on to the race car. I was thinking about foot pounds and how far the bumpers were form the center of gravity.
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...&hl=Bumpers

Apperently at one time I was into this stuff.

You are right. I forgot about the heavy bumper mounts

[JoeSharp]

It was not my intention to make anybody wrong. I just remembered weighing all the parts of the cars. I thought the rears were 56 pounds. In foot pounds thats about 300 foot pounds just for the rears on a race car.

[r_towle]

Get it on the road and drive it....finally.

Do the bumpers later, it will cause you to do paint work.

Rich

[Dave_Darling]

There are a number of people who like the way the late bumpers look. They do make for a slightly more "finished" look to me. But I know that they imply more weight at the ends of the car, and I think I like the look of the early bumpers because I "know" they're lighter.

I agree with Towelie. Drive it, worry about the bumpers later. You have to cut the lips off the car, which means some paint to protect the metal. Which can very easily lead to body work, fixing prior repairs, a complete repaint, disassembling the whole car to do it, and on and on and on... Just get it together and drive it!

--DD

[Porschef]

Either way, my plan is to get her back on the road this week.

I did mention that it was a winter project... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

Thanks to all who took the time to reply. I guess I got a little more thinkin to do (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

[balljoint]

Has anyone just gutted the late bumpers to lose the weight but retain the appearance?

[green914]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif) Do It! If for no other reason (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif) ... the chrome bumpers just look more cool. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smoke.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif)