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Beetle bumber ideas: from ornament to armament?

Ok Guys,

The car is a `73 Super Beetle. `74+ has those bumper shock absorber thingies and a slightly more beefy frame inside the bumpers.. Seems nice but I want more beef.

I want to add a trailer hitch in the rear. 250lbs max tongue weight ought to fine. Looks like I'd need some more frame support. I want impact absorber, too. A match for the front would be a requirement, too.

Anyone make beefier bumpers or am I going to have to do this custom? The dual tube ones you see on SUVs come to mind.

PS. my wife gets the willys when she's being tailgated. She'd feel a whole lot better if I could upgrade them to a safe 5mph type.

Reply to
David Gravereaux
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Some, maybe all, 1973 cars had a reinforcement beam that bolted between the front bumper mounting brackets. There is a pic in the Bentley manual, and it is referred to as the "reinforcement strap." I have never seen / heard of a similar "strap" being used with the rear bumper.

From what I have seen, it looks like the 74 up shock absorber bumpers look like they use a different panel that is welded to the underside of the car, meaning you can't just bolt on later bumpers to an earlier car (I could be wrong, never dug to deep into this). The fender holes would be different too.

My car is a1971, and I stumbled across a great condition 73 bumper w/brackets & strap in the junkyard and replaced one the junky Brazilian bumpers. I have thought about fabricating a similar kind of strap for the rear for some extra protection just in case the car gets nudged, but just can't seem to get around to it.

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" ..... I ain't no bandleader!!"

Reply to
Jack Woltz

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