Adding US Style Front Bumper Supports And Spotlight Mounts

[John A. Ross]

Time for some car work or at least a few hours inbetween paperwork while waiting for paint crap and stuff to dry.

On Boris the spotlights were added on top of the US style "spring special" bumpers and i suspect this was not standard. It seems to have been the same since Mike Hannas ownership so likely he did the mods.

So it begns, some 20mm galvanised steel conduit



These will be painted matt black or body coloured, as yet undecided.


Anyway, thses sit very well positioned and look tidy on the front just peeking above the over-rdiers.



3 lengths cut, one will span the underside of the bumper, that will double as the badge holder above the bumper AND the number plate support under the bumper. Will add details of those later

The other two have a chamfer cut in and a flat added, this will attach to the lower valance, not doing the nut/bolt, that will be a stainless rivnut and for some, the dreaded some epoxy



Using a spacer betwen the rear of the over rider to stop it crushing when tightened up, have the round tube sit into the "round" of the back of the bumper iron and bolt that lot up secure.



The "upright" is then added so the top just peeks at the back of the over rider and no more.






The top of the "upright" will then be trimmed and a bolt dropped inside the top, which will have 2 slits cut in it and then welded in, it is weled in down the tube in case some fine tuning is needed to the height as I am fussy









I was making one of tghese for the spacer betwen the horizontal bar and the upright bar however this turned out to be a serious pain in the backside and thus dubbed, good idea, failure




So i ended up adding some nuts in instead.



And the end result, the lamp is really steady and hardly budges at all. position nearly as I would like but happy.

Now just side two to make / mock up. then take all apart again to coat/paint.



It is surpring the level of stability added by the bar down to the valance. !


Certainly looks a lot better than just on the bumper as it was before

[John A. Ross]

And thats the other side done

The spotlights no longer dangle like tree decorations

Final positioning, the right hand mount needs the horizontal bar opened up a bit then some paint, was going to do body colour but might go for black short term.

Lamps can adjust very well.





And final result pending adjustment

[John A. Ross]

And now to make the number plate brackets and badge holder, then final fix


First face comes off





To the bench for some tin bashing







Some rougghing out




Now time for a clean up, scff, some zinc primer then a coat of matt black enamel

I debated long and easy on the choice and decided matt black suited the look better





And the reason i picked round stock instead of the extruded bar on the original bumper style is that it sits well in the curve of the bumper irons

[John A. Ross]

And some special washers made (or whacked into submission) I wonder if they make ones like this



And finally the badge holder



now all back together and bolted down, I made a small error when adding the new curved spacers so will need some longer bolts now but lookin g as it should




So number plate on and now badge added, deed done other than tidy up spots wiring and chage over rider bolts