Re: Wooden Bumpers!

["Braden Sayer" <sayerbj@hotmail.com>]

<x-flowed>When working on the front end of my car over the summer, I did this exact 
same thing.  The original inside was all rusted and even bent.  I simply 
rebuilt the supports using strong pressure treated lumber, and attached the 
bumber cover.  It weighs less, and whats more, the car looks so much better 
as it enabled me to push the whole thing back as far as I wanted (6inches or 
so) A cheap, relatively easy way to do somethign about those heavy huge 
american bumpers!
Brad

85 8V 'Wolfsburg'


>From: Sal Guzzo <yu129742@yorku.ca>
>To: scirocco-l@scirocco.org
>Subject: Wooden Bumpers!
>Date: Sun, 12 Dec 1999 23:47:17 -0800
>
>I was walking to a fellow Scirocco owner and he came up with a great idea
>wrt MK1 bumpers. Don't know if this can apply to Mk2 bumpers.  I also have
>pics that he sent me but I'm not including in this post.  Pics sent only on
>request. Here's his e-mail that he sent me!
>
>Hi Sal,
>
>First let me admit all the abuse I got from my wife during this project.
>
>She kept asking me if she should be making me an appoitment with the
>shrink.  "Wooden bumpers" she would say "You're nuts"!
>
>Anyway...
>
>Modified Bumpers
>
>The original bumpers(front and stern) weigh in around 80 lbs.  The
>Modified bumpers just replace the steel internal structure and the heavy
>pistons with wood and aluminum.  The new bumpers weigh in around 20 lbs.
>
>Materials:
>
>The front and stern 1X6 spruce top piece measures  57 1/4" long
>
>The front and the stern fir ply (good one side) measure 3 3/4" by
>  57 1/4"
>
>You will need 4 pieces of aluminum angle (1/4" stock 1 ½" X 1 ½")  each
>13" long
>
>You will need 12   -1"  #10 Robertson round head screw.
>
>You will need 8   -3/8"diameter  bolts, and nuts in all and 16 washers.
>(You will have to measure the length  -mine are not easy to get at to
>measure...sorry).
>
>
>Procedure:
>
>Remove the front and rear bumpers by unbolting the pistons from the car.
>
>Remove the plastic covers from the steel beams.
>
>Lay the 1X6 spruce piece on top of the steel beam and mark along the
>underside of the board to match the curve of the beam(leave as much wood
>as possible).  Note the  angle between the top of the beam and the front
>is not exactly 90 degrees.  Try to match the angle when you cut the 1X6
>along the pencil line.  Cut the board.  The curve of the 1X6 should now
>match the beam.  (The front beam has more curve than the back beam).  Do
>the same for the stern bumper.
>
>Next lay the piece of ply that you have cut to indicated dimensions
>against the front of the beam so that 3/4" sticks out above the top of
>the beam.  Clamp the ply to the beam.  Carefully mark out the openings
>on the steel beam onto the plywood so that they are the same size.  Mark
>on the ply -front outside and top (so that when it is attached to the
>board, it is correct way around)
>Do the same for the plywood for the stern bumper.
>
>Now use good glue and screw nails to attach the ply to the 1X6 board for
>both bumpers.
>
>For the aluminum supports, allow   5 3/4"  to stick out beyond the
>openings at the front and    5 3/8" at the rear (top).
>
>Hold the bracket in place (flat part up) and stick a pencil through the
>hole in the car  to mark where to drill the aluminum.  Drill 3/8" holes
>as close to the top of the aluminum angle as the 3/8" washer and nut
>(that will be used to attach bracket to car) will allow.
>
>At the other end of the aluminum bracket, drill the holes to attach the
>brackets to the 1X6 board.
>Hole locations are (from the end) 1/4" 1 1/2" and 3" for the front two
>brackets.  For the back 1/4"  2" and   3 1/2" from the end.  I drilled
>1/4" holes (for the #10  -1" robertson round heads).
>
>
>
>
>Attach the aluminum brackets so that they are sticking out of the car.
>
>Snap the plastic bumper covers onto your wood bumpers and lay them onto
>the aluminum brackets.  Adjust the brackets and decide where the bumpers
>are to sit on the brackets (allowing for the plastic spacers that go
>between the bumper the car).    Screw nail up through the brackets into
>the 1X6 board.
>
>Sort of done.   What I did was remove the bumpers at this point, and
>glued on angled pieces of wood to strengthen the ply at the bottom edge
>to the top.  See the diagram.  Pieces were placed  every 6" front bumper
>and the back bumper.  Then I painted the new wood bumpers black.
>Placed the plastic covers back on the bumpers and screw nailed them back
>onto the aluminum supports with the plastic spacers in place.
>
>Bob's your uncle!
>
>Any questions, ask away.
>
>The pictures are attached.  Let me know if they are attached.
>
>
>Good luck
>Jamie Berry
>
>
>
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