Collapsing US bumpers: safe?

[jdbubb at verizon.net (Dan Bubb)]

I'm pretty sure it's the other way around.
Mid 84 and earlier=shocks.
Later=brackets.

My late 84 and 87 and my nephew's 86 all have brackets.
I think the bumpers were originally rated for 5 mph impacts and when the 
gom't downrated the standards to 2.5mph, VW went to brackets. (that I might 
add bend quite nicely at the slightest impact, of course, leaving the body 
intact and your bumper leaning like a drunken sailor ;^)
Dan

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Utley" <fahrvegnugen@cox.net>
Subject: Re: Re: Collapsing US bumpers: safe?


> >From your wording, I think we are on the same page...  Arent we?
>
> Mid 84 and earlier=brackets, later= shocks...
>
> David
>>
>> From: "Scourge" <scourge@cogeco.ca>
>> Date: 2005/07/15 Fri AM 12:17:44 EDT
>> To: "David Utley" <fahrvegnugen@cox.net>,
>> "Timbo" <timjmcconnell@gmail.com>,  "GGehrke" <ggehrke@gmail.com>
>> CC: "Scirocco list" <Scirocco-l@scirocco.org>
>> Subject: Re: Collapsing US bumpers: safe?
>>
>> Don't you mean it the other way around?? Weren't the shock type ones in
>> earlier cars??  That said, my 84 was a full size spare, small gas tank,
>> small wing, typical early 84. But had bracket type bumpers.
>>
>>
>> -George
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "David Utley" <fahrvegnugen@cox.net>
>> To: "Scourge" <scourge@cogeco.ca>; "Timbo" <timjmcconnell@gmail.com>;
>> "GGehrke" <ggehrke@gmail.com>
>> Cc: "Scirocco list" <Scirocco-l@scirocco.org>
>> Sent: Friday, July 15, 2005 10:05 PM
>> Subject: RE: Collapsing US bumpers: safe?
>>
>>
>> > From what I can tell in ETKA, the bumpers go in time with the gas tank
>> > changes.  Full size spare meant you had brackets, compact meant
>> > shock-type...
>> >
>> > David
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: scirocco-l-bounces+fahrvegnugen=cox.net@scirocco.org
>> > [mailto:scirocco-l-bounces+fahrvegnugen=cox.net@scirocco.org]On Behalf 
>> > Of
>> > Scourge
>> > Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2005 7:08 PM
>> > To: Timbo; GGehrke
>> > Cc: Scirocco list
>> > Subject: Re: Collapsing US bumpers: safe?
>> >
>> > My 84' that I scrapped only had the brackets, no shocks in the front or
>> > rear. Maybe a Canadian thing??
>> >
>> > -George
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: "Timbo" <timjmcconnell@gmail.com>
>> > To: "GGehrke" <ggehrke@gmail.com>
>> > Cc: "Scirocco list" <Scirocco-l@scirocco.org>
>> > Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2005 11:37 PM
>> > Subject: Re: Collapsing US bumpers: safe?
>> >
>> >
>> > ALL US spec bumpers are designed to take a < 5mph impact and the car
>> > will have no frame damage. The bumper may be
>> > scraped/cracked/dented/destroyed - but the car is just fine.
>> >
>> > This aparantly only works on older sciroccos - something like up to 85
>> > or 86 I think.
>> >
>> > Newer cars just have a solid bracket. Old cars have shocks with
>> > hydraulic fluid in them. Drill a hole, WEAR EYE GOGGLES - I'm not
>> > kidding - it will spray right at you. Wear a hat too!
>> >
>> > --Timbo
>> >
>> > On 7/13/05, GGehrke <ggehrke@gmail.com> wrote:
>> > > I'm thinking of collapsing my big ugly US bumpers, but I'm curious
>> > > what sort of crash protection they actually do provide.  Does anyone
>> > > know what the official spec is (i.e. were they designed to resist a
>> > > 10mph hit or something to that effect) or what consequence there 
>> > > would
>> > > be to having the shocks emptied?
>> > > At this point I'm not terribly concerned with doing it for it's
>> > > aesthetic value because the car's pretty rough looking anyways, but I
>> > > have them off for powerwashing and repairing a bit of rust, so I'm
>> > > thinking I might as well.  The car looks so good without any bumpers
>> > > on it, too.  If it's genuinely unsafe I'd rather just keep them as is
>> > > for now, though.
>> > >
>> > > Oh, and I just finished power washing the car.  Did a real bang up 
>> > > job
>> > > on the paint. Flaked right off all over the place.  Now the car's
>> > > literally about 6 different colours.  It was intentional, but ugh.
>> > >
>> > > Other recent projects:
>> > > My headlights died and I couldnt find the problem (sockets fine,
>> > > switch fine, fuse fine, etc etc) so I just wired them up with heavy
>> > > gauge wire to toggle switches on the dash.
>> > > New cable from battery to starter and ground strap to hopefully fix
>> > > other electrical gremlins and starting problems.  It does actually
>> > > seem to run much better!  It starts without me having to give it any
>> > > gas and idles more smoothly.
>> > > Painted my dash black to fix scuffs and petrified duct tape residue 
>> > > from
>> > the PO.
>> > > Seafoam!  Timbo was right, fun smokescreen!  This helped reveal, too,
>> > > though, that my entire exhaust system is shot.  Smoke poured not only
>> > > out the tailpipe but exited at various other locations down the whole
>> > > length.
>> > > Vacuum and febreeze the interior.
>> > >
>> > > Plus I helped my buddy cut his M3's exhaust in half, gut the cat and
>> > > weld it back together.  That was pretty fun too :)
>> > >
>> > > -Grant-
>> > >
>> > > _______________________________________________
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>> > >
>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > Early 84 Scirocco 8v Alpine White
>> > Early 84 Scirocco 8v Pewter Metallic
>> > Early 84 Scirocco 8v Plain ol Black
>> > _______________________________
>> > www.vintagewatercooleds.com/tech
>> >
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>>
>
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