quickdraw Posted November 20, 2014 Author Share Posted November 20, 2014 LanceVance- 61" at the outside edges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPMS Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 Hmmm...that's interesting. This is a 280z conversion to 240z bumpers so I didn't have the reference. What's interesting is that I've seen quite a few z's with the fitment that appears to attach directly to the body. Still a little bit of space but by no means what I have. Any ideas on how they're doing that? Hacking up the option I have, perhaps? You know, you're absolutely right. I've been looking at other early Z bumpers online, and may have been mistaken. I know for a fact that the 260 bumpers were offset, but now I'm not so sure about the 240s. I see some, and they're snug to the body. I see others, and they're about an inch away. The factory bumpers are so flexible that I can imagine an owner hard-mounting them to the body after the rubber mount rots away. I've been trying to reference a diagram, but I'm having difficulty finding one online. The MSA catalog used to have an exploded diagram, but it's not online... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPMS Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 I think I have the answer. This diagram shows a 240 bumper, and it's just using shims between the bumper and body (part 11). http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsuns30/DatsunZIndex/Body240Z/RadiatorGrilleBumper/tabid/1749/Default.aspx THIS diagram shows an early 260 bumper, and part 17 is the stand-off I am remembering: http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsuns30/DatsunZIndex/Body260Z280Z/2Seater/RadiatorGrilleBumper/ToAug-74/tabid/1773/Default.aspx I wonder if whoever made your fiberglass bumper used a 260 bumper to make their mold? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanceVance Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 (edited) LanceVance- 61" at the outside edgesI've got something very similar at 60.75" from the absolute outermost points. Edit: There is a good likelihood that I've got a 260 bumper, perhaps someone with a known 240 could measure to compare? Edited November 20, 2014 by LanceVance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickdraw Posted November 21, 2014 Author Share Posted November 21, 2014 Super helpful. Thanks guys. If anyone has a 240 bumper they could measure it would probably solve this. Or if someone knows what's being done to get the tight fitment discussed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgsheen Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 It's fiberglass... If you're set on using it, not going to return it, want it to fit a certain way - cut it and "repair" it. It bends in the middle - cut it there. Take your 1 1/2" - 2" out of the center, mock it up and check fitment, glass the back side where you made your cut. You can make a jig, set it "on it's nose", tape the front to contain the resin. Once it's set, sand down the front - fill if you need to - and have it painted. I know we'd all like a part to "just work", but often with these cars we have to "massage" things to get them where we want them... BTW, my son got a pair of those bumpers for his '76 a few years ago. He also felt they were too wide and just pulled them in with his attachment bolts. Worked for a while - until the little steel mounting tabs inside the bumpers seperated from the fiberglass. He pulled his bumpers off a few months ago. If they go back on, I imagine we'll do what I suggested above - get them to fit the way he wants without the stress... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morbias Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 (edited) I think these are the rubber insulators mentioned earlier: http://jdm-car-parts.com/collections/weather-strip-seal-rubber-nissan-datsun-fairlady-z-240z-260z-280z-280zx/products/front-bumper-side-bracket-insulator-set-240z What I would do is bolt the bumpers up so there's a bit of tension from the bolts pulling in the ends of the bumper, then use a heat gun to heat the curved sections. After it's cooled the bumper should maintain its new shape, it might take a few heat cycles though. Repeat the process until it's where you want it to be, hopefully it will solve the problem. Edited November 24, 2014 by morbias Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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