• Hello Guest, welcome to the initial stages of our new platform!
    You can find some additional information about where we are in the process of migrating the board and setting up our new software here

    Thank you for being a part of our community!

Anyone made commando bumpers closer to the body?

2turbotoys

Salaminizer
Joined
Nov 13, 2007
Location
Reading pa
Has anyone brought the commando bumpers closer to the car? I would love to tighten them up to the car by 1 or 2 inches each. Besides looking better it would actually make a difference in my small garage.
My first thought was shorter bumper shocks but no idea where to begin with that.

Fab work is fine if needed, I just don't want to blaze a new trail if someone has some good advice.
 
I have NOS side trim for the car, except for the front fenders but I am searching hard for those...cut sprangs are for the newbs and poor people, not me, I would never do that. (sideways glance at the springs on my shelf that I cut but didn't like)

And nothing wrong with trying to bring the bumpers in a bit, they are f###ing silly huge sticking out like an upset kids front lip. But the aluminum is cool, so no plastic crap swap here. This car is 3" longer than my 740 wagon was!!!! So ya, want the bumpers to not stick out so far.

I have a drill and can push them in lol, just wondering if there was options...
 
You could cut and re-weld the bolted flange further out on the outer body of the bumper shocks, which would sink the shocks in deeper and tuck the bumper. But then you'd need to move the long thru-bolts as well at the end of each shock. Barring that idea, you could adapt some shorter shocks from a different bumper or make your own "tuck" brackets without shocks.

Any way you look at it, you'll be losing some impact resistance, so take that into account.
 
...or maybe the shocks from an '83 - '85 "skinny bumper" car would work. IIRC they are shorter overall, but I'm sure someone else can correct me if I'm wrong.
 
Just run toy bumpers... From the rear, the car will look like an '83, if we're talking about your '79. Probably would have the same crash protection as drilling the bumper shocks.

A buddy of mine did this on his '86 244DL "klownkar", and it looks kinda derpy, IMO, since the bumper still sticks out on the sides. Worse than the plastic crap stuff.

Front:


Full side view:


Toy bumpers on the 244DL, black turbo commandos on ogamer777's 244Ti:


Maybe try painting the bumpers black? Will make them less noticeable. It'll still be 192.5" long, but that's partly because the 242 is a physically longer car than the 740.

It would also help to add a front spoiler. Otherwise, yes, a 240 looks like it has a swollen lip.
 
...or maybe the shocks from an '83 - '85 "skinny bumper" car would work. IIRC they are shorter overall, but I'm sure someone else can correct me if I'm wrong.


They are shorter than the 1979-85 commando shocks, but different mounting pattern. Only two studs and nuts per shock, like a 1974-78 commando bumper car.


Maybe wood might be more desirable?


00Q0Q_ijbJDzMLahE_600x450.jpg
 
Ya I'll strap a couple 4x4s on there. With zipties and duck tape, TB style.

The car I am talking about is my 78 242, I didn't know there was a difference in commando bumper mounting, so there is something useful! So thanks Duder and John242Ti, I can use the '83 - '85 skinny bumper shocks?
 
lol

Yes, the shocks have the same number of stud holes in their plates. They're also the same length, since the 1974-78 bumpers have a couple metal ribs inside them that allow use of shorter shocks. But, no, you can't use toy bumper shocks on a pre-'79 commando. Plates are a different shape and have their holes in different locations.

So, no, if you don't want it looking half-arsed, but must have a slightly longer than a 745 length 242, get the toy bumpers and the trim pieces, then install everything. If you want to keep the commando bumpers, don't compress them. Add either the GT air dam from a 1978-79 car, or a 1980-85 commando bumper chin spoiler, get the car looking really clean, call it good. Move whatever is making space tight from in front of the car, unless it's the wall. If it's that, maybe hope that the next house has a deeper garage. Or, if you have land, build the shop of your dreams and park the 240s in there, leaving the V50 in the main garage.

Another option would be a 142E with the 1967-72 style bumpers. 182.7" long. About 4.7" shorter than a 1974 142E or a 1987 745Ti. Shortest 240 with bumpers is going to be a 1983-85 US model or 1981-93 Euro model car with the toy bumpers, at 189.4".
 
1974-Volvo-144-rear-right-34086927.jpg


Yes, car was rearended and is a 1974 144E. But, it has the desired effect, since that is exactly how the rear bumper on a pre-'79 242 or 244 will look with the shocks drilled. Only metal showing will be on the sides, and the bottom. The rubber top gasket moulding will cover the metal mostly on the top. Look good? If so, continue on, since it is your car. If not, then don't do it.
 
You'll also need to shorten the exhaust, since it'll stick out.

Another one with "drilled" shocks...

1974-Volvo-144-rear-right-31808087.jpg


A little more metal showing on this one, since the bumper isn't tilted, but, it still looks pretty bad.
 
Back
Top