Step 6 - Permanent Joining of Face Bar
After removing the face bar, several half-inch long welds were made to the inside. Once this was done the piece was quite sturdy and the process of permanent welding began. The welds were done in stages and then allowed to cool in between. After grinding the welds any voids or pinholes were filled and smoothed. The two end pieces did not require the precise alignment of the main sections due to their compound curves. However they did present their own unique problem. Because of the compound curves the heights of the metal, on the vertical surface, do not align. Luckily the top and bottom of the sides retain an almost straight line just like the rest of the bumper. Only very slight grinding of the parts was required to assure proper positioning. This is where the great care in cutting the pieces apart really pays off. The top and bottom are tacked into place inside and out. With a bit of heat, a hammer and dolly, the two mismatched surfaces are worked into the proper configuration. With several clamps in place the smoothed area is welded. After the heavy grinding is completed the final massaging is done, again with a hammer and dolly, until the surface can be ground to a smooth and uniform surface. It's much easier to work with each half so this step was actually done prior to the joining of the two halves as can be seen in the pictures.

Step 7 - Modifying the Mounting Brackets
Not only are these brackets very heavy but they also push the location of the bumper out in front of the car. The energy absorption aspect of these brackets is no longer of any importance and was eliminated. With no particular plan in mind the units must first be dissected. The only guide for this operation is the fact that the finished brackets will have to be reconstructed from pieces of the existing part while moving the bumper back two inches. By removing the top and outside of the box surrounding the energy absorption unit, we were left with the portion that bolts onto the frame, intact. This allowed further inspection of the components within. As it turns out there is a separate piece that attaches to the support beam, sandwiched tightly into the outer assembly and held in place by to large rubber blocks that are vulcanized to the inner and outer metal sides. These rubber blocks are easily removed by heating the metal with a torch until the bonding agent releases.

The two components for the modified bracket can be prepped for reassembly. These are identified as the frame section (the part that bolts to the frame) and the front section (the part that bolts to the support beam). Two inches are next cut off, from the back, of the front section. Following this, the inside edges of the H-beam design were trimmed off. Approximately 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch of material is left remaining, top and bottom. Even though there is a great deal of adjustment built into the assemblies, there was still a need to compensate for the narrowing of the front beam. By removing this material, from this area of the front section, it was allowed to move toward the center of the car by almost 3/4 of an inch. Next, the front section is clamped to the mounting section, making sure that the front section is moved back two inches from its stock location. After welding and a slight amount of boxing, the two bumper
brackets were ready to test fit the bumper.

Step 8 - Test Fitting the Assembly
We used a second 73 as a test mule. This allowed for a test fit without having to worry about damaging the finish on the destination vehicle. When installing the bumper it was quit obvious that it was going to be extremely tight on the sides. With great care only minor surface scratches were put in the paint on the fenders. With the modified assembly now installed we assessed the overall look and determined if the goals had been achieved. With the exception of the fit on the ends it was an astounding success. With the bumper still on the test mule, we used masking tape to create a trim line that would follow the body and set the new inner edge of the bumper. Once off the car the majority of the excess material was removed again using the cut of wheel. Using a large air grinder, fitted with 7" 24 grit disc, the end was ground until the contour of the edge matched the edge of the masking tape. A smaller air grinder, using first a 50 then an 80 grit disc, was used do achieve a nicely smoothed edge with a nice radius. It was also noticed that the very bottom of the mounting bracket, front plate, was a little to visible under the face bar when viewed from a distance. To correct this unsightly condition, the very bottom of that plate was removed to a point, even to the bottom, of what was the H-beam.

Step 9 - Smoothing, Chroming, and Protecting the Face Bar
Since the look of the new bumper was to be very smooth the bumper guards were not reinstalled. The holes for the bumper guards were filled along with the two slots for the jack. With a second successful test fit on the mule the clearance problem was rectified. Pacific Plating LTD., Of Vancouver B.C., performed the chroming of the face bar. Once received, it was cleaned thoroughly and the inside was given two coats of gray epoxy primer. This gave a nice look to the inside and prevents any rust from occurring in the future. The original bumper bolts were used to attach the face bar to the support beam. With no damage to them beyond normal wear and tear, we had them replated with the rest of the hardware. The stainless steel caps were then sanded, to eliminate the cad plating and any irregularities, then polished to a chrome like finish.

Step 10 - Modifying the Filler Panel
This particular bumper assembly uses a filler panel, painted the color of the car, to bridge the gap between the body and the bumper. This gap was created when the unit was pushed forward as part of the impact standard. Although this filler panel could probably be left out, the decision was made to retain it. From the exterior it will be all but invisible. Painted the exterior color it will eliminate the look of a dark void between the body and the bumper and the possibility of seeing the ground through the gap. From under the hood it eliminates the view of the bumper brackets, the inner structure and helps to give a more finished look. The panel needed to be moved toward the engine compartment the same two inches that the bumper was moved back. The panel mounts to the support beam by the means of a single bolt in each of four mounting stands. These stands were now all one inch to the outside of the taped bolt holes. The easiest solution would have been to just drill and tap new holes. Although hindsight is 20/20, this simplest of solutions was surly missed. Unfortunately, there was no longer any metal left where these holes would need to be located. Instead of cutting two inches out of the center of the filler panel, it was decided that moving the mounting stands would make more sense. The first stand was removed from the panel by drilling out the spot welds from underneath. The panel was then centered on the support beam, using the three remaining stands, in line with the bolt holes and clamped in place. The stand that was removed, was then bolted to the beam, and clamped onto the panel in its new location. After removing the panel, the stand was welded to the panel, through the holes left from drilling the spot-welds out. The panel is now reinstalled after removing the next stand, again using clamps on the two remaining stands and a bolt in the one relocated stand. The process is repeated on the next two stands. Only minimal bodywork was needed on the panel where the spot welds have been made. Once the panel was repainted and dry it was masked off to allow a 3" section on the backside to be painted the same semi-flat black color used elsewhere under the hood.

Final Installation and Conclusion
The last step prior to, or during, installation was the required trimming of the plastic fender extensions that fit under the die cast fender extension that houses the headlamps. This is strictly a trim to fit operation. Pay special attention to the very bottom, as it will need less trimming due to the curve at the bottom of the face bar.

There were several lessons learned from this first attempt. We already touched on the ease of remounting the filler panel, if before
lightning the support beam, new holes were drilled for the mounting bolts. Removing a narrower section from the center of the face bar would have increased the gap between the fender and bumper on each side. Similarly taking less material out of the ends may help the overall appearance. This step could also be eliminated if so desired. Finally if the front section of the bumper bracket was raised about 3/8" before welding it to the mounting section, the need for the cosmetic trim of the bottom of the brackets front mounting plate would have been eliminated.

As evidenced by the debris pile shown above, the total mass started at 118 pounds. The finished product weighed in at 72 pounds. A total savings of 46 pounds was achieved.