US to Euro bumper conversion

[pmansson]

How complicated is this?
Filling holes in body and repainting?
Finding a Euro bumper, preferably earlier style with minimal rubber....
Just so I know before seriously considering buying a late, US spec `74 car

Thanks,
Peder

[MarkE]

Mine was very straightforward to do, but it was done when I was having the car completely repainted.

Essentially it?s just a nut and bolt job to remove the old bumpers, and then you have a small hole on both sides (about 4cm in diameter) to plate and lead-load. Then the original UK specification bumpers just bolt on. Plating and filling was about 3 hours for both of the holes.

I found a pair of original UK bumpers at a Jag parts fair for about ?50, but they did need re-plating. The fit was perfect.

Remember that you also have the repeater lights on the US specification cars which will also leave a hole if you choose to remove them.

The rear bumpers on mine were UK spec already, it being a ?73 car, but I guess that the monster ?74 cubes of rubber fitted to the US cars are just a bolt-on job as well, probably with a couple of holes to sort out. But you will need a new set of UK specification rear bumpers.

So, a simple and cheap job?.if you are having the car painted anyway!

It looks so much better through??


Here?s the car in California?..





Then after having the holes plated / lead filled?.




And finally as she should be!!

[jagtino]

Hi Marc,
did you made a conversion from LH to RH Steering?
I did also remove the US Bumper in my restoration. If you do it so its a metal work job. The new bumpers are available from the well known suppliers. How do you solve the problem to adust the bumber bars in an equal and straight position?

Tino

http://picasaweb.google.de/lh/photo/KXK ... directlink

http://picasaweb.google.de/lh/photo/7Hh ... directlink

http://picasaweb.google.de/lh/photo/RnE ... directlink

http://picasaweb.google.de/lh/photo/7e_ ... directlink

[MarkE]

Hi Tino
Yes I converted the car to RHD which was made much easier as the engine was out! That way it was very simple to sort out the brake and clutch pipe work, as well as the steering rack and its pipes?.



It looks like a nightmare when the dash is all apart, but with everything labelled it was pretty straight forward The old dash loom was kept, with the main part just folded to the right rather than the left?



But once the new dash was in, it started to look OK?.



Mark