Front Bumper

[garyeanderson]

New front bumper molded from my friends mold and smoothed and mudded into place. Photo after painting, no claylastic strips are used to hide the ugly seam. The 2 - 5/16 inch course bolts are loose so the seem will close up a bit. I dont think there is any foam in this one


more photos at.
elan-photos-f18/early-4020-t12947.html
Picture in the back of the white pickup (May 16th 1999) shows the rear bumper from the foamed bumper pictures posted earlier today
The early pictures are nearly 10 years old and its been painted for 6 now, someday I'll get around to finishing it...

[robcall]

Thanks for the pictures Gary-very useful

Here's a synopsis about bumpers from Brian Bucklands manual-

The bumpers were manufactured from GRP and were filled with polyurethane foam.

There were four types of Elan front bumper
S1/S2-original bumper
S3-similar to original with the central bottom section shaped to run into the air inlet hole
S4/Sprint-as S3 But with additional central fixing
Federal-as S4 but with additional holes for running lights

The central fixing aids location of the bumper and trim strip,also helps brace the bumper.
If you have a sloppy fitting bumper this can be retro-fitted.(He goes in further detail about bumper fit).

A new(replacement) bumper came without the foam filling but is easily installed.

[garyeanderson]

There are two rear bumpers. The factory master parts manual for the S1, S2 and Coupe (1966) lists three rear bumpers. They all have the same part number of 36 B 706 except that the chrome bumper listed as "optional". That was a one off, I think Graham said it cost 700 GBP for the pair when he was talking about it at Donington in 2003. They were fitted to the Prototype Coupe, Graham Arnold had the car for a while and the variant has an A preceding it. The other 2 listed as 36 B 706, one is obviously wrong as there was no type 36 when the S1 was introduced and should be 26 B 706
Whether or not they are out of the same mold I don?t know. I dragged out one of each this morning when it was dark and when it was light enough to try them on an S2 rear I did. I thought the fit was acceptable, when I did this back in 2002 I tried both on the later Coupe and the early rear bumper didn?t fit at all. I got the camera a took a few photos.

Top left shows a different conture where the rear portion wraps around to the side. S4 is on the Left.

Both bumpers flipped over showing the bottom, S2 with the drain hole on the right.

Right side of the car shows a bit if the drain hole on the topside of the S2 bumper on the left.

S4 bumper on the left show more mass and the S2 shows the back side of the drain hole on the right.

[umbyfer]

Hello,

here some picture of my front bumper on elan sprint 1071 federal originally. When I bought the car, already in Italy, it was without the side marker light and in my opinion someone took off both of them front and rear, changing the front bumper... ( many elements are in favour of this my opinion, as rear light with one bulb only and modify in bud way in order to insert a second bulb; in the boot lateral wall are with evident new fiberglass to close the hole of the rear side marker light).

BUT the front bumper is orignal or not?

If the car was with the side marker indicator on the front bumper, a sort of hole must be in the body for the wiring cable, but I don't have any hole and any trace of repairing fiberglass in the body.

So the question is: is it possible to have an elan sprint federal without front side marker light on the front bumper? I don't think so!
The front bumper is with three bolt and without foam (but I repaet that I am not sure if it is the original one...)

I bought a new front bumper federal from Paul Matty, but it is without the central bobbin and its support...; now I have to decide if it is better to modify the actual bumper at the extrem part in order to create the support for the side marker light, or to insert the missing bobbin in the new one.

Regarding the trim chrome plastic part on the front, it is fixed by screws; I think it is something wrong; any one knows h it was fixed originally?

Thank you for any comments !

Umberto
elan sprint 7108000193K

[gjz30075]

Umberto,
Here's a picture of my '72 Sprint Federal front bumper. Also is a pic of what the area behind the bumper looks like so the side light has a hole for the wires to pass. You can see the side light is held on with three studs from the light body itself.

The rear is similar except the body of the light is covered with a black plastic covering and held to the body by the two U shaped brackets, riveted together. The cover is first put over the rear of the light and inserted into the body from the outside and the body is essentially sandwiched between the black cover and the U brackets.

[types26/36]

Regarding the trim chrome plastic part on the front, it is fixed by screws; I think it is something wrong; any one knows h it was fixed originally?

I think I read in the manual that the trim end is secured with a small pop rivet going upwards into the body lip through the "T" section of the trim, this is how I have always done it and you cannot see the rivet.
The downside is that you have to partly remove the bumper to drill and fit the pop rivet so the trim must be fitted and held in place then the bumper partly removed at the end while the trim is drilled and secured.
Its a bit of a finicky job but its better then seeing self tapping screws in the trim as some people fit, I suppose you could use a small self tapper instead of the pop rivet in the same location.

[nebogipfel]

I've mentioned it before on the forum but I fitted my plastic chrome insert with polyurethane glue (the same stuff they bond windscreens in with) no screws, no rivets, very clean and very neat.

The downside, if there is one, is that it is a pretty permanent solution .....but that's what I wanted

[umbyfer]

Hello,

here a pictur of my actual lateral bolts to fix the front bumper: one is shorter !... I know that thera are two different sizes, but I don't know wich one is the correct. Thank you for any help.

Regards,
Umberto
elan sprint 7108000193K

[TurbineHeli]

I've seen a photograph or two of Elan front bumpers which do not extend rearward all the way to the wheel arch.
What bodies had this style bumper?

AMA

[garyeanderson]

I've seen a photograph or two of Elan front bumpers which do not extend rearward all the way to the wheel arch.
What bodies had this style bumper?

AMA

Get a beer and go an read

26r identities and other info
elan-racing-f12/26r-identities-and-other-info-t17764.html

With further thought, maybe you'd be better off getting a couple of cases

[TurbineHeli]

Gary, I'm sure you were trying to be helpful but please FedEx overnight several cases of beer today, so I can get started.
I was just attempting to satisfy my idle curiosity, not wanting to troll through 38 pages of historical posts.

We know you know the answer.

[garyeanderson]

The short answer is, "there are no short answers". Not sure what the real answer is but 26r had them and no other stock elan did. The 26r came out initially with the "stock" arches and bumper (I think) with 5 1/2 inch wide wheels, My guess is when they brought out the 6 inch wheels is that the tires mounted on those 6 inch rims fouled at the front and the arches were modified, this left the bumper that extended rearward of the now modified arches so it was like wise modified. I started the topic that I linked in the last post to find out more as there were not that many made and I just didn't know enough about them. the topic took off. That is until some folks that didn't enjoy my form of humor and folks stopped posting. Anyway when you install wide wheels you need to modify the the arches, I am going to have to do some more cutting on my type 26 that was once Don Tingles C modified body on another chassis. The write up for that body is

Tingles ex C production race Elan Body
elan-f14/tingles-production-race-elan-body-t16586.html

The bumper (in the above thread) is a stock style (my friend Willie has a mold that is well used from 40 years ago) and I cut the ends back of one of those to make it work with those flairs.
Its only 2 pages but there are quite a few photos.

The front arches are the same as I installed on another project that has gone stillborn for a few years like a lot of the stuff I have. Money make the project list go round and I don't have it.

Elan Flairs - Marsh Motors begins a new season
elan-f14/elan-flairs-marsh-motors-begins-new-season-t16535.html

This topic has just about every Elan flair that I and others have seen, on most when the front arches are done then the bumper needs some attention too.
Elan Flairs - the good the bad and some ugly ones
elan-photos-f18/elan-flairs-the-good-the-bad-and-some-ugly-ones-t16400.html

Better order up a truck delivery from the Bud plant up in N.H., you are going to have a lot of reading material that needs some "washing down" liquid

Have a great Holiday everyone and don't take me as serious as some that just want to talk...

Oop's I don't think I answered your question...
Gary

[nomad]

Wondering why Chapman didn't eliminate the front bumper altogether on the 26R. Could have saved a few ounce's. Anyone know if bumpers were required for certain track's or maybe he just didn't want to go to the trouble.

Just wondering.......

Kurt

26/3754