bumpers

[Donny_L]

I noticed that alot of you guys don't have your bumpers on. Some,none at all and some just the rear one. Is that just personal preference or to lighten the car a bit or what?

 

[Keoke]

I noticed that alot of you guys don't have your bumpers on. Some,none at all and some just the rear one. Is that just personal preference.
-
--YEP and the state DMV does not mandate the use of both bumpers or the local cops look the other way because Calif law says: 28071. Every passenger vehicle registered in this state shall be equipped with a front bumper and with a rear bumper ---Keoke- :laugh:



or to lighten the car--NAA,except some racers might
a bit or what?

 

[John Turney]

Yes and yes. It also means we don't have to straighten and rechrome them.

 

[Healey_Z]

I'm going for the rally car look, no bumper in front, two driving lights like John's picture above. For the rear, I think I am going to leave off the bumperettes, just to keep it looking cleaner.

 

[John Turney]

The rally car look is either with bumpers or without, depending on the rally. When without was allowed, they used Sprite bumperettes:

 

[Donny_L]

Healey Z, check out the cool look of just the bumperetts in the pic. right below yours.

 

[Donny_L]

John Turner, how do you have those fog lights mounted?

 

[dougie]

Clean and bare please............................

 

[Randy Forbes]

In case I need a push...

They've since been painted black (DAR9000) but I don't think I have any pictures highlighting them since then.

 

[elrey]

WHAT!!! You don't have pictures? :shocked: --elrey

 

[Editor_Reid]

Yes and yes. It also means we don't have to straighten and rechrome them.

I don't care about lightening too much (I'm not trying to squeeze every last bit of performance out of the thing), but mainly for aesthetics, and the fact that you don't have to hassle with re-chroming is a nice bonus.

Something else to consider. Back then, in the olden days of car design, designers sketched bodies without bumpers. Bumpers then became a design-interrupting add-on, a compromise, a distraction. Oh sure, some bumpers are graceful and pleasing, but generally speaking, a Healey without them is pure and looks better, in my opinion.

 

[John Turney]

Some of the works rally cars used a guard for the sway bar mounts that also provided a mount for the driving lights. Here is an early example:

My version:

The guard is cut from 4" square stainless steel tubing; the side pieces that look like part of a bumper mount are cut from 1/8" steel; and the light mounts are folded sheet steel, ~1/16".

The guards have come in quite handy since I scrape the bottom of them often exiting my driveway. Being stainless, there's no rust.

 

[nevets]

I just love those early B&W pictures of Healeys in action with all the road grime, dull paint, and stone chips. Interesting, despite all the abuse, how beautifully all the panels fit!

As for bumpers, I like the way they look. Yes the form is cleaner without em and few cars have a more pleasing form than a Healey, but chrome is like jewelry on a car...it adds sparkle and glamor. I'm not sure they are such an afterthought...no designer worth his/her salt is going to not have input on such a major design feature. One car which has really well integrated bumpers is the Corvette Stingray. Also Lotus Elan and of course those 50's Caddy's with the twin dd dagmars! oh yeah...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagmar_bumpers

 

[Johnny]

I have to agree with Nevets here, I think bumpers give a car a certain "finished look". Besides, with traffic being the way it is today it's nice to have a little protection fore-and-aft.

 

[elrey]

Saves on bodywork sometimes. Question, how are you lighting your plate in the rear? I see some of you skip it entirely, whilst others plant the o.e. light bracket on the shroud face and drill new holes. Have any of you bumper-free guys developed a light bracket that attaches within the the lower boot lid to shroud cleft? -- elrey

 

[Randy Forbes]

License plate light: I had been holding out for something I had seen quite a few years ago (it was either before I needed it, or before I could afford it...).

Well. just a few days ago, I found a source for a billet plate frame that incorporates the light in it (that was easy, they're a dime/dozen) and it also contains a third brake light. That's the one I was holding out for!

I'll report back once it's installed...

 

[elrey]

Aah Ha, the old elegant solution trick! --elrey

 

[Editor_Reid]

Question, how are you lighting your plate in the rear? I see some of you skip it entirely, whilst others plant the o.e. light bracket on the shroud face and drill new holes. Have any of you bumper-free guys developed a light bracket that attaches within the the lower boot lid to shroud cleft? -- elrey

I made a bracket that holds the license plate light, and I added a couple of flanges to hold car badges on either side of the license plate. I used a sheet of aluminum and then painted it flat black so it's barely noticeable.

The bracket I made attaches to the standard, slim license plate bracket that attaches to the body. No new holes anywhere!

 

[elrey]

I like it! You guys so schmart. ==elrey

 

[tahoe healey]

Since I have been known to bottom on driveways, and my plate is below the bumper (with the light attached to the inside of the bumper), I added a spring loaded door hinge between the bracket and the plate. It is painted black and it cannot be seen. It swings out when attacked by steep driveways and springs back. Now if I could only figure out what to do to make the rear exhaust bullet proof. I like the badge idea of Reid's.