After Market bumpers rust like mad!!

I replaced my 74 bumpers with what is called triple chrome plated at
extra cost. Left out in the rain they started to rust. You must keep
several coats of wax on the bumpers. The bottoms where I did not wax
is now completely rusted. Just a warning. If you can get a good set
of original bumpers. Spend the money and get them rechromed. The
original are heavier and better made.

On 19 Oct 2004 20:58:26 -0700, (Joe Cali Next
Generation-usa) wrote:

>I replaced my 74 bumpers with what is called triple chrome plated at
>extra cost. Left out in the rain they started to rust. You must keep
>several coats of wax on the bumpers. The bottoms where I did not wax
>is now completely rusted. Just a warning. If you can get a good set
>of original bumpers. Spend the money and get them rechromed. The
>original are heavier and better made.

True words indeed! Nothing beats a factory set of bumpers - last for
years and years.

--
Howard Rose
1966 VW Beetle 1300 Deluxe
1962 Austin Mini Deluxe
1964 Austin Mini Super Deluxe
http://www.howard81.co.uk/ (cars on website)

>>I replaced my 74 bumpers with what is called triple chrome plated at
>>extra cost.

I had boughta front oneof those triple plated bumpers for a 79 convertable
that I was restoring after the gentelman ran in the back of a Volvo. I wouldn't
even think about putting it on the car after I pulled it out of the package.
Your right the best choicefor all VW bumpers is to spend the extra money, about
$280 to have them rechromed oh and I convinced him to go with a disc brake
conversion also.

Mario

Howard Rose wrote:
>
> On 19 Oct 2004 20:58:26 -0700, (Joe Cali Next
> Generation-usa) wrote:
>
> >I replaced my 74 bumpers with what is called triple chrome plated at
> >extra cost. Left out in the rain they started to rust. You must keep
> >several coats of wax on the bumpers. The bottoms where I did not wax
> >is now completely rusted. Just a warning. If you can get a good set
> >of original bumpers. Spend the money and get them rechromed. The
> >original are heavier and better made.
>
> True words indeed! Nothing beats a factory set of bumpers - last for
> years and years.
>
> --
> Howard Rose


Some French and british cars of the 60's had stainless steel bumpers.. I
have a few that are practically like new, despite having spent most of
their lives out in the elements. Why oh why didn't VW do that....
grrrrr.

Jan

Joe Cali Next Generation-usa wrote:
> I replaced my 74 bumpers with what is called triple chrome plated at
> extra cost. Left out in the rain they started to rust. You must keep
> several coats of wax on the bumpers. The bottoms where I did not wax
> is now completely rusted. Just a warning. If you can get a good set
> of original bumpers. Spend the money and get them rechromed. The
> original are heavier and better made.
also, spray paint the back side of those same bumpers, you'll be glad
you did!

On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 14:54:51 +0200, Jan >
scribbled this interesting note:

>Some French and british cars of the 60's had stainless steel bumpers.. I
>have a few that are practically like new, despite having spent most of
>their lives out in the elements. Why oh why didn't VW do that....
>grrrrr.


Anyone have a line on a shop that will form stainless and build
bumpers to specification???

We have some ideas floating around that might make some really nifty
bumpers for Beetles if I had a shop to do the actual fabrication!

I'd prefer they be in the D/FW area of Texas, but that isn't a strict
requirement!:~)


--
John Willis
(Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

"vwluvrs" > wrote in message
...
> Joe Cali Next Generation-usa wrote:
> > I replaced my 74 bumpers with what is called triple chrome plated at
> > extra cost. Left out in the rain they started to rust. You must keep
> > several coats of wax on the bumpers. The bottoms where I did not wax
> > is now completely rusted. Just a warning. If you can get a good set
> > of original bumpers. Spend the money and get them rechromed. The
> > original are heavier and better made.
> also, spray paint the back side of those same bumpers, you'll be glad
> you did!

Wish it were that cost effective. When I redid my 55 oval I had (and still
have) the original blades but the cost of rechrome (in the good old EPA
friendly USA) was 5 times the cost of buying cheap (but good looking) knock
offs. I bought the knock offs and yes the metal is thin, the back side
rusts and the chrome pits beginning at about 2 years but at the cost of
rechrome I can replace the suckers every 2-3 years and still be ahead. I
didn't look at driving over the border but perhaps a decent rechrome
wouldn't be that expensive in Mexico. Got the various other chrome parts on
the 55 rechromed and the cost of the small parts rechrome was about 1/2 the
cost of the car when new.
Howard


---
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John Willis wrote:

> On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 14:54:51 +0200, Jan >
> scribbled this interesting note:
>
>
>>Some French and british cars of the 60's had stainless steel bumpers.. I
>>have a few that are practically like new, despite having spent most of
>>their lives out in the elements. Why oh why didn't VW do that....
>>grrrrr.
>
>
>
> Anyone have a line on a shop that will form stainless and build
> bumpers to specification???
>
> We have some ideas floating around that might make some really nifty
> bumpers for Beetles if I had a shop to do the actual fabrication!
>
> I'd prefer they be in the D/FW area of Texas, but that isn't a strict
> requirement!:~)
>
>
> --
> John Willis
> (Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)
I used to have a line on some gents in Mexico that were building 'new''
*real* bumpers for the sports car guys, that were interested in doing vw
ones too. But I will need to check the archives, may take a while...
Google Search this newsgroup for such a topic

(Kafertoys) wrote in message >...
> >>I replaced my 74 bumpers with what is called triple chrome plated at
> >>extra cost.
>
> I had boughta front oneof those triple plated bumpers for a 79 convertable
> that I was restoring after the gentelman ran in the back of a Volvo. I wouldn't
> even think about putting it on the car after I pulled it out of the package.
> Your right the best choicefor all VW bumpers is to spend the extra money, about
> $280 to have them rechromed oh and I convinced him to go with a disc brake
> conversion also.
>
> Mario

That's why I spent the money and got a Speical Performace Stainless
Steel Muffler with duals for my T-4 engine in my T-1 car. Was not
expensive $250 and I had it shipped from the U.K. to a friend in
London. Then shipped it to me with a load of Elevator parts, so I did
not have to pay shipping. I sliced the bumpers and they are a third
the thickess.You can see it at my site with my muffler .
www.nextgen-usa.com

"Howard Nelson" > wrote in message om>...
> "vwluvrs" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Joe Cali Next Generation-usa wrote:
> > > I replaced my 74 bumpers with what is called triple chrome plated at
> > > extra cost. Left out in the rain they started to rust. You must keep
> > > several coats of wax on the bumpers. The bottoms where I did not wax
> > > is now completely rusted. Just a warning. If you can get a good set
> > > of original bumpers. Spend the money and get them rechromed. The
> > > original are heavier and better made.
> > also, spray paint the back side of those same bumpers, you'll be glad
> > you did!
>
> Wish it were that cost effective. When I redid my 55 oval I had (and still
> have) the original blades but the cost of rechrome (in the good old EPA
> friendly USA) was 5 times the cost of buying cheap (but good looking) knock
> offs. I bought the knock offs and yes the metal is thin, the back side
> rusts and the chrome pits beginning at about 2 years but at the cost of
> rechrome I can replace the suckers every 2-3 years and still be ahead. I
> didn't look at driving over the border but perhaps a decent rechrome
> wouldn't be that expensive in Mexico. Got the various other chrome parts on
> the 55 rechromed and the cost of the small parts rechrome was about 1/2 the
> cost of the car when new.
> Howard
>
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.778 / Virus Database: 525 - Release Date: 10/15/2004

If you checked out my bumpers I would only have to chrome the top
halfs. So that would be the price of one. Hay lets not forget the
after market early head light rings. Light mist and they rust. That
is why I painted them the same color as my car.
Joe