[DeTomaso] L bumper 'shocks'

JDeRyke at aol.com JDeRyke at aol.com
Fri Dec 11 02:25:50 EST 2009


In a message dated 12/10/09 9:43:57 PM, detomasoregistry at gmail.com writes:
> 
> Hey Jack, is there fluid in the L bumper shock?
>   
> Don't think so but I've not cut any of mine up; they're in boxes, resting 
peacefully in good shape. I took them off in the '80s 'cause they're so darn 
heavy, replacing them with aluminum weldments holding stock L bumpers (until 
I changed them, too). What I was told was, there's rubber bonded between 
two tubular steel halves of the rams, with the bore in the outer ram being 
tapered. I can see some rubber around one end. 
Upon a 5 (or maybe a 2-1/2) mph impact, the rubber shears plus the steel 
pieces telescope into a slightly too-small hole, which resistence provided 
"legal" DOT bumpers for the law at that time. As with most such rules where 
lawyers try to design cars, none of the "impact-resistent" bumpers of the 
period worked very well for their intended purpose: to protect car bodies and 
especially the insurance companies from major expenses in collisions. FWIW-   J 
Deryke



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