What US bumpers are for

[Casey]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzgmAgzpldU

[jbrasile]

Hehehe.....


By the way, the 6.9 in the scene has an earlier version steering wheel with the little chrome accents on the spokes, not original on US cars since they started being imported in 77. Looks to me like this one is an EURO from looking at the speedo scale, but it had US bumpers retrofitted, sort of a mandatory mod in the mid 70's. I think this car is probably a 75 or 76 6.9

Tks,

Joe

[Type17]

Well, I won't be trying it with my thin euro ones... say, do you think Robert Loggia's character has some anger-management issues?

PS: rubbish, sped-up action sequence, but brilliant stuff all the same, great find  

[Hemersam]

Anger management issues? Uh, huh. He might profit a bit from taking Moral Speaking 101 from the local college (or seminary, as the case may be).    Seriously, the American bumpers also provide an easy place to sit for a little break when you get tired from washing/polishing your 116. Really, they do work that way.  Really.
Hemersam

[thysonsacclaim]

I affectionately call them "park bench bumpers"

[1980sdga]

I have the soundtrack to that movie and it has the "1400 horsepower and mechanical excellence" dialogue preceding a song.  Kind of funny listening to it in a diesel benz 

[Squiggle Dog]

I love that video clip, especially since that car looks just like mine:

[thysonsacclaim]

Squiggle,

I notice your bumper does not have the large uhm... nubs on it (not sure what theyre called). Did they vary the US bumpers by model or year?

[Casey]

I notice your bumper does not have the large uhm... nubs on it (not sure what theyre called). Did they vary the US bumpers by model or year?

I believe he refers to them in another thread as 6.9 bumpers.  I also like them in that they seem to have more substantial rubber padding on them, though I miss the nubs.  Wouldn't mind finding a pair one day.

The back bumper is sans nubs, too:

The 6.9 US bumper has a solid rubber strip and nothing else as shown. It has two bumper rams like the W107 and the rubber strip is thicker.

I wonder what that means - what are the two bumper rams?

P.S.  Squiggle - where'd you find your 6.9 bumpers and what was the cost?  I inquired recently to the seller of a 6.9 that was wrecked on the driver side...the bumpers look good but I'm not sure they're going to be willing to sell them separately.  For some reason that 6.9 is also lacking the chrome wheelwell trim, which I'd also really like to find and looks fantastic on your car.

[thysonsacclaim]

Confusing.


I would have thought nubs = rams.


I think I prefer nub-free. Nubs make me want to play bumper cars.

[Hemersam]

Ok, all you purists: the Euro bumpers are much nice looking, no question about it. However (there is always an however), with the morons who park at Lowes, etc., around here, I feel much better having the American bumpers on my 280SE. One bone-head "taking off" in reverse will destroy the Euro bumpers, grille, possibly condensor and radiator, and who knows what else? You have to give up something to gain something, namely, protection. Besides, I need a place to sit down once in a while. 
Hemersam

[Type17]

Ok, all you purists: the Euro bumpers are much nice looking, no question about it. However (there is always an however), with the morons who park at Lowes, etc., around here, I feel much better having the American bumpers on my 280SE. One bone-head "taking off" in reverse will destroy the Euro bumpers, grille, possibly condensor and radiator, and who knows what else? You have to give up something to gain something, namely, protection. Besides, I need a place to sit down once in a while. 
Hemersam

And, if anyone starts tailgating you, and then flips the bird as they pass, you can sort them out... 

[Squiggle Dog]

The US-spec 6.9s had special bumpers without the nubs and had larger rubber strips. Both common and 6.9 US bumpers have shock absorbers attached to them (same part number).

I found mine at a wrecking yard in Lake Stevens, Washington 74 miles away, where they had two 6.9s. I believe I was quoted $50 for the bumper set but I decided to take only the rubber strips and stainless trim (still having to pay $50), since I was driving my 200D fintail and wanted to make sure I had enough room for the other parts I pulled.

I got home and realized that the 6.9 bumper frames have extra notches and holes drilled in them for the rubber strips (though they start out the same part as the common frames), so I went back there and paid another $50 for the rest of the bumpers.

I was fortunate that the aluminum bumper frames were not corroded as they tend to be, especially at the rear where water, salt, exhaust, and road debris collects.

The US-spec 6.9 bumpers are my favorite of all W116 bumpers, short of the common US-spec bumpers with the badge bar option:


I think the Euro bumpers look nice, but I prefer the look of the US bumpers, which makes the car look longer and stouter. I feel a bit safer in them as well. Not only are they large, but they also absorb a bit of impact.

[Type17]

For the record, the nubs are properly called overriders and are to prevent bumpers of different heights from over-riding each other and getting stuck - perhaps they should really be called anti-overriders(!)

[1980sdga]

The US-spec 6.9s had special bumpers without the nubs and had larger rubber strips. Both common and 6.9 US bumpers have shock absorbers attached to them (same part number).

I found mine at a wrecking yard in Lake Stevens, Washington 74 miles away, where they had two 6.9s. I believe I was quoted $50 for the bumper set but I decided to take only the rubber strips and stainless trim (still having to pay $50), since I was driving my 200D fintail and wanted to make sure I had enough room for the other parts I pulled.

I got home and realized that the 6.9 bumper frames have extra notches and holes drilled in them for the rubber strips (though they start out the same part as the common frames), so I went back there and paid another $50 for the rest of the bumpers.

I was fortunate that the aluminum bumper frames were not corroded as they tend to be, especially at the rear where water, salt, exhaust, and road debris collects.

The US-spec 6.9 bumpers are my favorite of all W116 bumpers, short of the common US-spec bumpers with the badge bar option:


I think the Euro bumpers look nice, but I prefer the look of the US bumpers, which makes the car look longer and stouter. I feel a bit safer in them as well. Not only are they large, but they also absorb a bit of impact.

That's probably the least favorite bumper configuration available, but it's one of MY favorites!