Hello. First post here so please be gentle ; )

Please note: I did a few searches prior to posting, but could not find answers to my question.

I will be buying my first 914 later this month ('73). She has black bumpers (not chrome) with bumperettes on the front. I love keeping it as original as possible, but I don't think I can deal with this one part of her appearance. Just can't.

I've researched how to remove them and quickly found that answer (remove the bumper to access the bumperette bolts). But ... I'm hoping others who have done this can share pics of what it looks like after the bumperettes come off. And what did you do with the holes? Has anyone discovered plugs or other solutions to fill the holes cleanly?

Thanks in advance for your help.

I welded mine shut and refinished the bumper. I suppose you could put something with a head like a carriage bolt head facing outward and paint it black.

I did as above, or just type “bumper plugs” on line or eBay has them in black kind of plastic. enjoy!

Must be a very late 73 as they did not use the little back bumpers until 74. If you have a 73 then the originality will not suffer with you removing them.

Actually, front bumperettes were introduced with the '73 model year. The rear bumperettes arrived on the '74 models -- this might be what you're thinking of.

To the OP: painted carriage bolts are probably the easiest way to fill the holes left by removing the front bumperettes. Since your bumper is painted black, the carriage bolt heads won't be very visible.

Ah! My 73 didn't have them (at least by the time it came into our family in 1983) and no holes either. Think it was a March production car. It was chrome yellow with black painted bumpers. Learn something new every day!

I did a little work, including welding up all holes. If you have a whitney punch you can make great round blanks to fill the hole. I've also backed holes with a piece of copper, then welded the hole shut. It will not stick to the copper so makes filling smaller holes easier.

If you pull them, beware that there might be corrosion or dents behind them. I filled the holes with black plastic plugs from Ace hardware, but eventually put them back on.

Worth a look since it's so easy to pull the bumpers. Plus you'll get to look for corrosion on the body behind the bumper or other signs of being hit (mine lived it's early life as a bumper car apparently)

Ace hardware has plastic plugs of various sizes, they push in and look really good on black bumper cars. For chrome bumpers stainless carriage bolts look good

DC -

You may have one of the few still original late `73 MY 914-2.0 Sport versions - which were decontented some previously included options in order to keep the prices down as the W. German Mark escalated against the US dollar.

You don't say how original it is, but if it is mostly original - then you probably should do nothing that isn't easily reversible. Otherwise, you may negatively affect it's long term value as a collectible 914 example.

So if really cannot stand those front "Tits" Bumper Gaurds - then do the least invasive option suggested above - remove them; clean them up, box & save ALL of the parts including the rectangular rubber pads on the back braces - which are NLA now except as repros; and put some black plastic or metal caps over the holes - don't weld the holes since those bumpers with the 4 back braces & the extra sets of mounting holes are also NLA (even the SS repro bumpers don't have the holes & extra set of back braces). But check the capped holes for rust issues & treat them as necessary every year.

You should also get the VIN & Chassis # (at rear trunk floor stamping & on Karmann Plate at L front door jamb, with paint code) - which will allow you to determine the production date from the Chassis #.

VIN Decoder:
https://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/zPLM_A3-Decoder.jpg

Chassis # Decoder:
https://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/zPLM_A4-Decoder.jpg
(Note that the 5 in 95 could also be used for hundredths car built that day if a 1 or 2 or 3 - 100, 200, 300 & XX for the other 2 digits)

Also do your research & get the 914 assessment form at Jeff Bowlsby's website:
https://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/

http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/zTN_Gen_914CAF.pdf

And also p914.com (& .org & .net) is another good info resource for you.

You should also contact Dave K on here to chat about his 914-2.0 Sport & yours:

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=12234


Good Luck!

Cheers!
Tom
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I just removed them and didn't do anything with the holes. Because the bumper angles down the open holes are not very noticable

The holes are not a big problem. Most bumpers are wrinkled behind the tits and removing makes that more noticable.

That's exactly what this '73 is (a rare 2.0 Sport).

Absolutely, I would not do anything permanent. If I take the bumperettes off, I would keep them and all of the associated pieces stored away in case I ever want to have the original appearance again.

Sounds like simple black plastic/rubber plugs are the way to go to fill the holes. Folks bring up a good point though ... who knows what the bumper looks like with those off (what wear/tear/fading/corrosion is underneath the bumperettes).

Depending upon the answer to that question ... the bumperettes might go right back on.

Thanks for all the info everyone.

If anybody has pics of their front black bumpers with the bumperettes off and simple, removable black plugs popped in there ... please share?