August 9, 2013 6:30 pm
Update: I weighed the bumper as you see it below, it’s 9.2 kg (20.3 lbs). For comparison, the stock chromed steel bumper, minus plastic end caps, weighs in at a svelte 5.6 kg (12.3 lbs)
A little progress made on this project. Made up a more or less matching end cap and also did some preliminary grinding out of the welds. What a chore this way of making a bumper this is. You understand don’t you, that this is me making it up as I go along, modelling (I can hardly say sculpting can I?) a bumper out of aluminum plate. Once I get a shape that I like and that works then I can take measurements and think about how you could make one easier and faster.
Posted by albell
Categories: metal working, metalworking, vanagon, vanagon mods
Tags: vanagon
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Looks good.
I think you could use sculpting only when you get a chunk of aluminium and use your mill to make it….. good luck with that.
Jerome
By famillysyncro on August 9, 2013 at 7:26 pm
Jerome,
I’ve ground off enough aluminum that sculpting is not far from the mark!
cheers
ab
By albell on August 9, 2013 at 7:57 pm
I can believe that……;-)
By famillysyncro on August 9, 2013 at 8:02 pm
I sweep it up 🙂
ab
By albell on August 9, 2013 at 8:42 pm
Looking really good though. I’m betting it’ll look great on the van (esp once it’s painted).
By Simon on August 9, 2013 at 9:50 pm
And if I ever finish it completely, and I still have the motivation, I can move on to a front version?
ab
By albell on August 10, 2013 at 8:31 am
Maybe sculpting with Aluminum is your thing and you’re discovering it through the bumper. . . What I see looks like a nice bumper. Seeing it on the van will be the true test. Could be the only syncro with a ‘sculpted’ Al bumper. Will you mount it with electrolysis reducing washers?
Always a pleasure to follow your exploits.
Joel
By Joel on August 10, 2013 at 7:45 am
Hi Joel,
yes, I have found my niche – slapping aluminum together then cutting and grinding it off again 🙂
I’m not worried at all about electrolysis. Even if I use stainless hardware the relative surface areas of the bumper to fasteners would mean only limited white powder forming at connections. All the other aluminum and stainless combos I have added to van seem to be doing fine. And recall there are a few dissimilar metal connections from the factory.
I’m going back and forth between powder coating and rattle can bed liner for the finish. Pros and cons for each.
cheers
ab
By albell on August 10, 2013 at 8:16 am
I used bed liner to cover my stock bumpers. I can try and send you a photo. My rig is the same color as yours.
By Joel on August 10, 2013 at 11:45 am
That’d be great Joel,
ab
By albell on August 10, 2013 at 5:21 pm
Sorry, not a very good picture of bumper but you get a sense off the color match. It has held up well. When nicked I spray it again.
Sent from my iPhone
By Joel on August 10, 2013 at 11:52 am
no pic attached. can you pmail me?
ab
By albell on August 10, 2013 at 5:26 pm
What about anodizing?
Pretty sure you could get some nice color….
Jerome
By famillysyncro on August 10, 2013 at 7:19 pm
Yes, but would mean a pretty good surface prep/polish. And anodising place in vancouver, none on the island. And touch ups for scratches would be a problem.
cheers
ab
By albell on August 11, 2013 at 9:40 am