"Pulled in" bumper

[Juan Veldez]

I have a 73 Challenger without the fillers at the front and rear bumpers. I understand there is a way to pull the bumpers "in" like the earlier models. Do I just change out the bumper brackets? Or does someone have the fillers for sale so I don't pi$$ off the purists"? I'm good either way - thanks in advance! :help:

 

[Cranky]

You need the 70-72 brackets. Pull them in....and get rid of the danged leg breaker bumper tits! Ugliest crap they ever did.

 

[burdar]

It's probably easier to get new REAR brackets but you don't have to get new brackets for the front.

Looking at the front bumper brackets, you will see some square holes infront of the factory ovaled mounting holes. You need to drill those square holes out to 5/8". Those then become your new mounting holes. If you want some adjustability, you'll have to oval those holes too.

 

[modfly]

I used a plasma cutter to notch the front bumper bracket holes (3 each side on the 73) to move the front bumper in of my 73 challenger and eliminate the front bumper filler. On the rear bumper, I cut the rear bumper brackets with the plasma cutter and welded them back in such a way as to move the bumper closer to the body. I also eliminated the rear bumper filler. It was a lot of work but it looks a lot better. If you change the brackets to the earlier year car you may have to change the bumpers as well because the bumper mount holes may be different. On the front bumper I removed the rubber bumpers guards and put bumper bolts in the holes. You can see in the picture that the front and rear bumpers sit close to the body front and rear. I'm working now on eliminating the rear bumper guards.

 

[pagilman]

pull them in

looks good modfly, i wish i would have taken the time to do it........
juan i think you should move them in, mine looks OK but would look better pulled in..........:coffee2:

 

[Juan Veldez]

Thanks everyone. I will for sure move them in. I have the bumperettes, but will not install them.

 

[mr340]

I used '70/71 brackets on the front. it allowed me to remove the 20lb brace in the front bumper. I reused the bumper, just put an exttra blot in the unused hole.

 

[mr340]

another view

 

[pagilman]

Yes, I like that, does your hood feel like around 200 pounds, mine is lined and too heavy, is yours very heavy? I didn't use the springs because I was afraid to crack the fibre. Walt

 

[Juan Veldez]

Mr340: Car looks very nice. Purists will be disappointed, but not me. I like the black around the head lights! Questions: What is black behind the bumper at the fenders, paint? What did you do with the strobe stripes, from the driving photo I can't tell?

pagilman: Hood springs can be installed, they shouldn't break due to weight, they just may not be strong enough to "hold up" the hood and also may allow hood to close too hard. But as you manually close it now, no problem!

 

[S-S-P]

I recently took the legbreakers off of my 73. The front looks good. I just polished up the abrasions where they were and plugged the holes with new identical chrome bumper bolts.

The rear is still frustrating me. Apparently the bumper on the 73-74 is different than 70-72. I bought some nice small chrome bumperettes and they do not swap out. The mounting holes are not even close. Shoulda checked before I bought them, but it really didnt occur to me that they would be different. So now I have to either replace the whole rear bumper - which is a shame, bc mine is in excellent shape - or put the legbreakers back on the rear. If I leave them off, the rear valance panel looks goofy due to the large empty holes for the bottom of the bumper extensions.

I am thinking I am gonna just take off the rubber pads and fabricate something nice to mount on the original chrome mounts. And I could not care less about the "purists". Sorry. Its my car.

 

[mr340]

Jaun, thanks for the commentsccasion14:
Awnsers:The black behind the bumper @ the fender is paint. originally there was a black plastic filler there. the car had been repainted and when I remove the filler the paint there did not match the rest of the fender other wise I would have left it body color.
the strob was this way when i got the car aalthough I have the decal I have never put it on.

Pagilman: I have a light weight hood, no inner bracing. it weighs about 27 lb. The steel R/t hood that was on it weighed 78 lbs.
I found anothe way to hold the hood open. If your hinges have the holes in them, you will need to bend a piece of 3/8" rod, I theink 8 3/4" btw cneters...I'll take some pics tonite. I found this idea on cuda-challenger forum.

 

[mr340]

here's the pieces to hold the hood up. you two, one for each hinge.

 

[McSpadden]

Hey Michael - excellent Challenger thread here on how to pull in your '73 front bumper closer to the purple monster's front end/body... eliminating that rotted grey plastic filler 5-mph thing ... It seems you can still use your 73 brackets and 73 bumper - but with some drilling modifications - (read the threads )... or just buy some 70-72 brackets. Leave the rear bumper rubber etc alone. That looks cool. Like rocket boosters, bro. Nerdwolf

 

[challenger6pak]

SSP, the 74 bumper is different than the 73 also. You can weld the rear valance so that it is strait across and eliminate the rear bumper guards all together.

 

[McSpadden]

Updating this thread for those '73 Challengers that want the front bumper pulled in: So from what I've gathered here from reading several years of threads.... my '73 front bumper will bolt on to any '70-'72 front brackets ... which will then line up correctly with the holes inside the 73 frame wheel well just fine ... but I will need some chrome bolts to fill in the remaining holes in the 73 front bumper.. correct..? Did I get that right..? (Otherwise, I could drill new holes in your 73 brackets as a previous thread said... but I'd rather just buy the $163 brackets .. since I don't see the square block hole a previous poster mentioned ... looks like AMD from Tamraz on Ebay has them). Doing that... I no longer need the 20lb front bumper brace... or the front panel fender bumper filler trim parts.. (see pic attached)... In short, if I want my 73 front bumper closer to the body.. just buy 70-72 brackets...? That's it.. easy..nothing else to do..? Just hoping for some confirmation on that (oddly enough I'm fine with the 73 rear bumper being the way it is.. looks like rocket boosters!)

 

[Cuda_440]

Would the same posts hold true to do the same on a 73 cuda?

 

[sportster2000]

I had to put some spacers in between the front bumper and the brackets to space it out far enough as to not hit the body on my 74. The 70-71 rear brackets will not work with the factory bumper. I was very disappointed when I bought the brackets and found that out. My brother made some at work and they fit very nicely. If you try to use the 70-71 brackets it will make the rear bumper point upwards and the bolt holes will not line up on the bumper.

 

[mmissile]

I recently took the legbreakers off of my 73. The front looks good. I just polished up the abrasions where they were and plugged the holes with new identical chrome bumper bolts.

The rear is still frustrating me. Apparently the bumper on the 73-74 is different than 70-72. I bought some nice small chrome bumperettes and they do not swap out. The mounting holes are not even close. Shoulda checked before I bought them, but it really didnt occur to me that they would be different. So now I have to either replace the whole rear bumper - which is a shame, bc mine is in excellent shape - or put the legbreakers back on the rear. If I leave them off, the rear valance panel looks goofy due to the large empty holes for the bottom of the bumper extensions.

I am thinking I am gonna just take off the rubber pads and fabricate something nice to mount on the original chrome mounts. And I could not care less about the "purists". Sorry. Its my car.

Your car....your choice. You're the only one who needs to like it.