Best Euro bumper option?

[Sahara]

Blunttech? 

 

https://02bumpers.com/? 

 

I'm sure there are other sources. What do you guys prefer? 

[gordon415]

I bought mine from Blunt because they had a decent Black Friday sale and have been all around a great parts resource over the years. 

I think Blunt and 02bumpers.com sell the exact same bumpers. I saw 02bumbers.com products in real life a few years back and I they look identical to what I got from Blunttech. I don't know that for sure, though. 

 

[Sahara]

Thanks. Upon further review I was beginning to suspect they were the same. The key difference being it looks like BT offers mounting hardware and 02bumpers does not. 

[1936spyder]

Yes, same product.

[02Les]

No clue how good the bumpers are, but the front overriders leave something to be desired. Why weren't they made to look original?

If replicating the "Euro" overriders, then they should point directly down the road, not to the side.

 

From 02 bumpers & per BMW

[ISS Werks]

we've installed a couple SS sets, fit is not quite as good as OE but with some patience can be 'dialed in'.  Neither set had the over-riders so no experience there.  Initially ordered the chrome set but found that they were being over buffed down to the nickle.  02bumper handled the issue very well by replacing them with the higher priced SS.  The finish that I've seen on the SS is excellent.

[David Layton]

In 2018, I bought a set directly from 02 for my 73, so these are long bumpers with the impact strip.  I have 72 brackets so the plan is to go Euro on the bumpers.

 

Had a couple of issues, mainly to do with the rubber center-line impact strips.  The original front bumper came without the impact strip holes cut, exchanged that unit.  02 was changing suppliers and it took a long time for the boat from Viet Nam to deliver the new one only to find that the holes for the impact strips are too high on the bumper.  I can minimize this by recycling my old left impact strip as for some unknown reason, the new replacement impact strips from BMW have grown in girth from 28mm to 33mm.  The result is that the strip sticks up higher than the bumper.

 

The other problem is that the over-riders show toe-out and the over-rider cut-outs for the impact strip are not sufficient enough to accommodate the 28 mm impact strip and the vinyl joint filler/protector. 

 

The rear bumper was fine, with euro plate light cutouts.  The issue is the seam caps.  For Modell 71 in Europe, the seam caps had a indented track for the impact strip to travel.  The early seam covers and the only type sold by 02 for all of their rear bumpers are fully rounded.  So, the impact strip rides over the humps of the seam covers with gaps and will not reach the anchor bolt.  The factory Modell 71 caps will not fit the 02 bumpers as their lower portion of the bumper runs vertically longer than OEM and the caps are not long enough to have the tabs wrap over the lower lip of the bumper.  If I stay with these bumpers, I either have to figure out how to make the caps work or leave the seam exposed.

 

So when the current situation clears up, I hope to have the car closer to paint and can make decisions on the bumpers.  1.  Do I take one of the OEM sets, add cut outs for the lights and go to a chrome shop; 2. Do the same through Aardvarc; or 3. work with the SS bumpers.  Not quite the straight swap that I was planning.   If I do option 1, I will need a cut-out template of the license plate lights.

 

If you do not need or want the impact rubber strip and can deal with the toe-out on the over riders, you will have an easier time than I have had. 

[Mike Self]

FYI, the Euro rear bumper center section (with license plate light cutouts)--in chrome--is still available through several sources; it's the US one (no cutouts) that's not.  When mine got bent a few years ago I had to have it straightened and re-plated.  Unfortunately that shop (Knox Krome in Knoxville) is no longer in business.  However a quick peek in the "services offered" section of Hemmings should turn up a show quality plater.

 

mike

[David Layton]

Thanks, that may be the best option in the cost of new part vs. cutting the holes and repair.  I can take one of the OEM fronts and the two side horns to a chrome shop.  Hal Boyles knows a chrome shop in KC who has '02 knowledge and locksmith that should be able to align my door keys with the ignition key.  The Door handles could need a re-chrome as there are a couple of spots where the plating is flaking.

 

I am in St. Louis, so that is a good drive and great BBQ.  

[Sahara]

48 minutes ago, David Layton said:

Thanks, that may be the best option in the cost of new part vs. cutting the holes and repair.  I can take one of the OEM fronts and the two side horns to a chrome shop.  Hal Boyles knows a chrome shop in KC who has '02 knowledge and locksmith that should be able to align my door keys with the ignition key.  The Door handles could need a re-chrome as there are a couple of spots where the plating is flaking.

 

I am in St. Louis, so that is a good drive and great BBQ.  

Message me on here if you come by Kansas City and want to meet up and talk '02s. We can grab bbq as well assuming this lockdown ends

[Mike Self]

10 hours ago, David Layton said:

and locksmith that should be able to align my door keys with the ignition key. 

David, if you want to have a go at making your door keys match your ignition key--and especially if you're gonna dismantle the door handles for re-plating anyway, tweaking those keys isn't a really difficult job.  Easy enough that I did a column on it;  PM me if you'd like a copy.

 

mike

[David Layton]

.

 

 

Edited March 28, 2020 by David Layton

[Gordon]

Interesting that no one has mentioned Walloth & Nesch as a source.  If you want original Euro bumpers, (they are not cheap), might be worth checking them out. https://www.wallothnesch.com/en/karosserieanbauteile/bmw-1502-2002-turbo.html

I used W&N as the source for parts to convert my 72 US spec 02 bumper to Euro bumper.  (seam covers, rubber strip, and license plate lights that go in the bumper).

[David Layton]

I have gone to W&N for most of my Euro Bumper Fittings and the Euro Center section that is on its way.  My original US center has a slight impact bend and would need the cut-outs for the lights.  This saves a lot of time and a learning curve on the cut outs and my OEM Modell 711 caps will fit.  I just need to go through the bumper sections between my car and what my brother has and complete two Modell 71 pairs.

 

Before I set off to re-finish the bumpers, I will have to assemble the set to the point I can line up the new anchor points using the pre-73 euro mounts.  We are replacing the front fenders. Both are a bit deranged at the bottom. There was a glancing blow to the front bumper at some point in the car's life.  Using replacements from W&N and we are anticipating fit issues.  It is a 47 year old car.  So, the front anchors will be new, no patching over the old as in the rear. Nose seams will be leaded in per factory.