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Tue Dec 09, 2014 5:01 am

Are chrome bumper bars that go on the outside of the bumper functional or are they mostly for looks? I haven't decided if I like the looks of them yet. Where the bumper bars a dealer option for 1966 and later or were they optional for the earlier model car only?

I've seen lots of VW Beetle while in Germany and don't remember ever seeing these before.

Tue Dec 09, 2014 8:52 am

Can you post a photo of what you mean by "bumper bar"? Several interpretations come to mind.

Tue Dec 09, 2014 10:30 am

Like these?

Those are purely cosmetic. If you want to add a little lore impact safety, install bumper stiffeners behind the blade-

Tue Dec 09, 2014 11:01 am

RareAir wrote: Like these?

Those are purely cosmetic. If you want to add a little lore impact safety, install bumper stiffeners behind the blade-

Yes, this is what I'm talking about.

Tue Dec 09, 2014 11:25 am

No, they aren't "purely cosmetic."

They provide a low-speed impact protection measure for the bumper in traffic (when the hitter is directly in front or behind you). See the slotted bolt holes? They allow a lot of flex in the bar before the bumper is damaged, and when not overtightened, spring right back into shape.
Look carefully at one- they are basically a chromed leaf spring. Whenever I find a used one- they almost always perfectly arched.

Mounted on the spacer rods, they work well- but mounted on the overrider bumperette- they don't work as well.

Wed Dec 10, 2014 7:25 am

hitest wrote: No, they aren't "purely cosmetic."

They provide a low-speed impact protection measure for the bumper in traffic (when the hitter is directly in front or behind you). See the slotted bolt holes? They allow a lot of flex in the bar before the bumper is damaged, and when not overtightened, spring right back into shape.
Look carefully at one- they are basically a chromed leaf spring. Whenever I find a used one- they almost always perfectly arched.

Mounted on the spacer rods, they work well- but mounted on the overrider bumperette- they don't work as well.

I guess it's possible to get a very low speed bump but it's hard to imagine that the additional bar would save very much from damage. It looks a little out of place to me but yet I've seen pictures of a few cars that actually look pretty good with the added bumper-bars. I'm going to eventually mount a set of fog lights and just didn't know if they would look ok along with a set of bumper-bars.

Thanks for the input.