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Help me identify my front bumpers, and what I am missing


drvrswntd

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Sorry if this is obvious, but the FSM, How to Restore, Haynes Manual and a search of this site have only shed a little light on the various bumper pieces I have.

 

Long story short, I am trying to get the flush, "series 1" look front bumper. The pieces that I have are:

 

Bumper brackets installed on an 8/72 build (not sure if original):

23329a78.jpg

 

Bumper from 8/72 build (I think the mounts are from a 74 model?)

1b066a2b.jpg

 

5b34d52e.jpg

 

Bumper brackets installed on a 12/72 build (not sure if original):

789b8ad3.jpg

 

Bumper from 12/72 build (not sure if original):

9170dccc.jpg

 

fe88dfe7.jpg

 

5240a548.jpg

 

Bumper brackets purchased for series one fitment (ebay):

bd112c75.jpg

 

9b4f3e81.jpg

 

 

At present, I dont see any way that either bumper lines up with the ebay brackets - the one off of my 8/72 build is in much better shape, but uses the wierd "g" shaped steel piece that I think is from a 260. The bumper off of the 12/72 build has brackets internal to the bumper, but they dont seem like they would line up with the ebay brackets, and if they do, it looks like it will sit in the same fore/aft position as stock.

 

Is there a different series one bracket that mounts to the interior of the bumper (like in pictures 5-7) that would allow me to mount the 8/72 build bumper to the ebay brackets?

 

Any clarification, any pictures, any anything to help get me started is appreciated.

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The 1st and 4th pictures show the correct front bumper mounts for a 1973 model year 240Z. A build date of 12/72 should be for the 1973 model year I believe... Pictures 5-7 are of the 1973 model year bumper that uses those mounts.

 

I believe you're correct about the "g" shaped bracket being from an early model 1974 260Z. The "early" 260Z had thin bumpers much like the 240, but it was mounted on pistons and pushed forward from the body to meet US crash standards. The "late" model 260Z had the heavier bumpers like the 280Z's.

 

Just because the front bumper came off a 08/72, doesn't necessarily mean it was the bumper (or type of bumper) the car started out with - unfortunately. I thought the early 260 bumper was fairly different than the 240... But, if the bumper from the 08/72 fits the body lines, I'd get someone to make a new set of brackets (that mimic the style of the bracket on the '73 bumper)... Brackets that will bolt to the bumper like the "g" bracket, using those big bolts that hold the "overriders" on, but are designed to mate to the body brackets you have installed on the car...

Edited by cgsheen
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I redrilled my 73 brackets [like you show] where they mount to the lower frame, pulling the bumper back a few inches. Also eliminated the filler panel on the bumper. It doesn't sit quite as close as a 72 or older but seems ok. you'll need to drill new holes where the bumper ends bolt above the turn signals but that part is easy. You may try to fab an adapter bracket to use your existing 73 bumper with the new ebay brackets. The mounting studs differ from the 70-72 vs. 73. Hope this helps.

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Thanks to both of you. Tuff, I had contemplated drilling new holes to move the frame mounted bumper beam from pics one and four backwards, but thought that the angle it passes through the grill would prevent moving it back.

 

Am I correct in assuming that the brackets in the bumper (pics 5-7) are similar in concept to earlier models, with different sizing and spacing? any pictures of what these mounts look like or approximately where they mount on the bumper (behind the overriders, or...)?

 

I know the bumpers themselves are different, the sides are shorter (I believe) on series one bumpers. Oddly, when I just set the bumpers side by side, they are the same dimension. However, when I test fit both bumpers on the ebay brackets, the cleaner one (with 260 style mounts and overriders) fit flush and seemed to line up with the side holes, while the other one was well off.

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David, Thanks.

 

For now I am running the only bumper/bracket/mount that I can get to fit. I think I can come up with a bolted-in custom bracket to adapt the better bumper to the ebay mounts - if I get stuck with it, I will ask for more pictures and help.

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