Re: Challenger bumpers over the years...
[Re: Pale_Roader]
#2293340
04/24/17 06:27 PM
04/24/17 06:27 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 17,861 albany ny
05dakota
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 17,861
albany ny
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74 BARCKETS ARE not same as 1970
5549 post on old board
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Re: Challenger bumpers over the years...
[Re: Pale_Roader]
#2293779
04/25/17 12:11 PM
04/25/17 12:11 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,020 NJ
EV2RTSE
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,020
NJ
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The bars were added in 73 when as mentioned they also pushed the bumpers further out and added the big ugly cushions, this was to meet the new 5mph crash standards. The bars are stand alone pieces that get sandwiched in between the bumper and the bracket, there's not much difference in the weight of any of the bumpers or the brackets themselves. You could drill some holes in your front brackets, to relocate the bumper closer to the body like the earlier cars. More good info on that here- https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/4780596/site_id/1#import
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Re: Challenger bumpers over the years...
[Re: Pale_Roader]
#2293874
04/25/17 02:50 PM
04/25/17 02:50 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,481 Outside
thedriver
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,481
Outside
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Just redrill your 74 brackets to pull them back about an inch to get them flush, make sure that heavy bumper reinforcement bar is long gone, take the hole saw to the excess bracket material, boom, lightweight front brackets that mount the bumper flush
1973 challenger Dana. 4 speed. Low deck.
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Re: Challenger bumpers over the years...
[Re: Pale_Roader]
#2293917
04/25/17 03:41 PM
04/25/17 03:41 PM
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,363 Iowa
burdar
Owen's Dad
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Owen's Dad
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,363
Iowa
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the chrome bumper is the same shape/size but the hole location changed when the reinforcement bar was added I bought new Keystone bumpers for my 73 and had my original bumper guards re-chromed. The contour of the Keystone bumpers was WAY off. The bumper guards weren't even close to fitting. I don't know if it was an issue with the new bumpers or if the contour changed over the years. I'd be interested in seeing a 73 bumper guard installed on a 70 bumper to compare. I ended up getting my original bumpers re-chromed. 1970-'72 brackets are the same 1973-'74 brackets push the bumpers away from the car & used filler pieces to fill the gap Correct, however 73 rear brackets are completely different from 74 rear brackets. 73 and 74 both use large/heavy reinforcement plates behind both front and rear bumpers. The rear reinforcement plates might also be different from 73 to 74 since the brackets are different. Not sure though. You can re-drill the 73-74 FRONT brackets to move the bumpers in closer to the body. I'm not sure how easy it will be to remove the heavy reinforcement though. The bumper brackets mount directly to the reinforcement plate. Here is the only good picture I have that shows the bumper removed and what the large reinforcement plate looks like.
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Re: Challenger bumpers over the years...
[Re: cruzin]
#2294864
04/27/17 06:32 AM
04/27/17 06:32 AM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,862 the frozen wastes...
Pale_Roader
OP
Swears too much
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OP
Swears too much
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,862
the frozen wastes...
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This is a photo comparing front bumper brackets for a Challenger. The left is a '70 and the right is off of a '73. I believe the 70-72 and 73-74 brackets are interchangeable. Clearly the '70 bracket is shorter and the bumper mounts are different to accommodate for the larger bumperettes found on the '73-'74.
Regarding the weight, not sure how much difference there would be between the brackets. Perhaps a pound or two. I would think bare bumpers regardless of years would be nearly the same. The only other thing you may consider is to swiss-cheese the brackets to reduce some of the weight. You can eliminate the reinforcement plate located behind the bumper too. I wonder... and by the pics it would seem that if there was a small difference, it would be mainly in the extra length, and that the same thing chopped down to 70 size might not weigh much more at all. Okay... so i'm up on brackets. If i cant find earlier ones i'll just hack mine. They're rough anyways. On the bumpers... are we absolutely certain the 72 bumpers are exactly the same as 70-71? Not even a little plate behind them? I've heard conflicting reports over the years. I dont care about slots.
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Re: Challenger bumpers over the years...
[Re: Pale_Roader]
#2294865
04/27/17 06:44 AM
04/27/17 06:44 AM
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 9,550 Sacramento CA
Morty426
master
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master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 9,550
Sacramento CA
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This is a photo comparing front bumper brackets for a Challenger. The left is a '70 and the right is off of a '73. I believe the 70-72 and 73-74 brackets are interchangeable. Clearly the '70 bracket is shorter and the bumper mounts are different to accommodate for the larger bumperettes found on the '73-'74.
Regarding the weight, not sure how much difference there would be between the brackets. Perhaps a pound or two. I would think bare bumpers regardless of years would be nearly the same. The only other thing you may consider is to swiss-cheese the brackets to reduce some of the weight. You can eliminate the reinforcement plate located behind the bumper too. I wonder... and by the pics it would seem that if there was a small difference, it would be mainly in the extra length, and that the same thing chopped down to 70 size might not weigh much more at all. Okay... so i'm up on brackets. If i cant find earlier ones i'll just hack mine. They're rough anyways. On the bumpers... are we absolutely certain the 72 bumpers are exactly the same as 70-71? Not even a little plate behind them? I've heard conflicting reports over the years. I dont care about slots. The late 71-72 bumper is the same as 70-71 other than minor little cosmetic BS that you would never care about and that it has slots.
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Re: Challenger bumpers over the years...
[Re: Morty426]
#2295466
04/28/17 04:28 AM
04/28/17 04:28 AM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,862 the frozen wastes...
Pale_Roader
OP
Swears too much
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OP
Swears too much
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,862
the frozen wastes...
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This is a photo comparing front bumper brackets for a Challenger. The left is a '70 and the right is off of a '73. I believe the 70-72 and 73-74 brackets are interchangeable. Clearly the '70 bracket is shorter and the bumper mounts are different to accommodate for the larger bumperettes found on the '73-'74.
Regarding the weight, not sure how much difference there would be between the brackets. Perhaps a pound or two. I would think bare bumpers regardless of years would be nearly the same. The only other thing you may consider is to swiss-cheese the brackets to reduce some of the weight. You can eliminate the reinforcement plate located behind the bumper too. I wonder... and by the pics it would seem that if there was a small difference, it would be mainly in the extra length, and that the same thing chopped down to 70 size might not weigh much more at all. Okay... so i'm up on brackets. If i cant find earlier ones i'll just hack mine. They're rough anyways. On the bumpers... are we absolutely certain the 72 bumpers are exactly the same as 70-71? Not even a little plate behind them? I've heard conflicting reports over the years. I dont care about slots. The late 71-72 bumper is the same as 70-71 other than minor little cosmetic BS that you would never care about and that it has slots. Alrighty then. I guess i'm looking for a 70-72 front bumper, and maybe brackets too if they're cheap enough. I can live with that.
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Re: Challenger bumpers over the years...
[Re: Mr340]
#2295929
04/29/17 04:03 AM
04/29/17 04:03 AM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,862 the frozen wastes...
Pale_Roader
OP
Swears too much
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OP
Swears too much
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,862
the frozen wastes...
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you can use your '74 bumpers with 70-71 brackets you'll just have an extra hole on each side. Fill it with a bumper bolt. only catch is the chrome under the 5mph brackets may be in better shape then the rest of the bumper.
Gary No chance. Way too heavy. This build is all about light. Yours looks damn good though. I'd love to find a T/A hood for mine. Just sold one a few years ago too...
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Re: Challenger bumpers over the years...
[Re: Pale_Roader]
#2295952
04/29/17 09:17 AM
04/29/17 09:17 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,009 Richmond Twp. Mi.
Mr340
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,009
Richmond Twp. Mi.
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you can use your '74 bumpers with 70-71 brackets you'll just have an extra hole on each side. Fill it with a bumper bolt. only catch is the chrome under the 5mph brackets may be in better shape then the rest of the bumper.
Gary No chance. Way too heavy. This build is all about light. Yours looks damn good though. I'd love to find a T/A hood for mine. Just sold one a few years ago too... Let me rephrase, that's a 73 bumper with all the extra reinforcements and bumperettes removed installed on 70 brackets, hence same weight as a 70-71 bumper with 2 extra bolt holes.
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Re: Challenger bumpers over the years...
[Re: Mr340]
#2296372
04/30/17 03:21 AM
04/30/17 03:21 AM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,862 the frozen wastes...
Pale_Roader
OP
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OP
Swears too much
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the frozen wastes...
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you can use your '74 bumpers with 70-71 brackets you'll just have an extra hole on each side. Fill it with a bumper bolt. only catch is the chrome under the 5mph brackets may be in better shape then the rest of the bumper.
Gary No chance. Way too heavy. This build is all about light. Yours looks damn good though. I'd love to find a T/A hood for mine. Just sold one a few years ago too... Let me rephrase, that's a 73 bumper with all the extra reinforcements and bumperettes removed installed on 70 brackets, hence same weight as a 70-71 bumper with 2 extra bolt holes. I thought all that sh!te was welded in there? Is this easily done? I couldn't care less about bolt holes...
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Re: Challenger bumpers over the years...
[Re: Mr340]
#2296779
04/30/17 09:37 PM
04/30/17 09:37 PM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,319 St. Louis, Mo
318 Stroker
master
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master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,319
St. Louis, Mo
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I thought all that sh!te was welded in there? Is this easily done? I couldn't care less about bolt holes...
Check out Burdar's post, that pic shows the reinforcement with the bumper removed, it's bolted together, just soak the bolts with some wd-40 or rust penatrent first of course. [/quote] Correct, all of the reinforcements are bolted together. For the front you can reuse your bracket and bumper. Move the bracket back until the bumper sits where you want it, then re-drill the bracket to align with the bolt holes in the frame. Weight being a concern to you, you could then shorten the bracket a few inches to lose a few pounds.
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