Author Topic: Bumper question???  (Read 562 times)

Offline Glennster

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Bumper question???
« on: October 13, 2012 - 08:24:14 AM »
I have a buddy that owns a very nice vacuum forming business. We were talking about ways to take weight out of cars and plastic bumpers came to mind.
  There are plastics out there with a '' chrome '' looking finish that look great. The trucking industry is using plastic / chrome bumpers to save weight.
Here's my question(s)......
Are all (1970 -74) Challenger bumpers the same shape?
Are Cuda and Challenger bumpers the same?
Does any one make a light weight bumper now?
 I know there would be a VERY limited market for something like this, but it's pretty cheap to take a look at it.
THANK YOU for your input!




Offline burdar

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Re: Bumper question???
« Reply #1 on: October 13, 2012 - 05:09:21 PM »
There are many differences.  Challenger and Cuda bumpers are different.  70-71 bumpers are most likely the same.  72's are different because the jack mechanism changed in 72.  The bumpers have slotts in them for the jack.  73 is a one year only bumper...74 is a one year only bumper.  All 5 years have basically the same shape though.  If someone was going for weight savings, they wouldn't care about the differences.(they'd remove the bumper guards exc...)

I'm sure there is more than one manufacturer of fiberglass bumpers for Challengers.  I'm not sure but I would imagine that you could chrome fiberglass bumpers using the same process as "plastic chrome".

I was shocked at how light my 73's bumpers were.  There's almost no weight there.  What's heavy is the brackets and reinforcements.(73-74) 
« Last Edit: October 13, 2012 - 05:12:18 PM by burdar »

Offline BIGSHCLUNK

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Re: Bumper question???
« Reply #2 on: October 13, 2012 - 08:05:53 PM »
Heelll those bumbers on my car are steel an I dont think they way jack to begin with. Im with burdar... I'd bet the brakets weigh more....
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Offline dodj

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Re: Bumper question???
« Reply #3 on: October 13, 2012 - 08:24:02 PM »
I was shocked at how light my 73's bumpers were.  There's almost no weight there.  What's heavy is the brackets and reinforcements.(73-74)
:iagree:
Not gonna save a lot of weight there. Couple pounds maybe.
Scott
1973 Challenger  440 4 spd 
2007.5 3500 6.7 Cummins Diesel, Anarchy tuned.
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