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cmakvw
Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2014
Posts: 4
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
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 Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2015 9:54 pm Post subject: Questions about bumpers for a KG |
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I have a 63 KG and might re chrome the bumpers this winter. Is there any way to determine if the bumpers I have on the car are original VW bumpers??
and not a cheap imitation from ??? I have tried looking for markings on the different pieces and found nothing. I have tried comparing the thickness of the metal to a 3rd bumper I have that I am fairly sure is a VW bumper, and cant tell the difference so far. Any insight would be appreciated. |
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John Moxon 
Samba Moderator
Joined: March 07, 2004
Posts: 13958
Location: Southampton U.K.
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| Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 12:18 am Post subject: Re: Questions about bumpers for a KG |
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| cmakvw wrote: |
I have a 63 KG and might re chrome the bumpers this winter. Is there any way to determine if the bumpers I have on the car are original VW bumpers??
and not a cheap imitation from ??? I have tried looking for markings on the different pieces and found nothing. I have tried comparing the thickness of the metal to a 3rd bumper I have that I am fairly sure is a VW bumper, and cant tell the difference so far. Any insight would be appreciated. |
If you have a '63 and your bumpers look stock they will be original. Over the years, there have been plenty originals available so no repros were made as far as I know.
That was then...now, when it has become increasingly difficult to find a chrome shop that will do a good job for a reasonable price, many go for the Stainless Steel reproductions that have appeared over the last 10 years or so.
Any easy choice? Not exactly. 
If you have a reasonable set of bumpers that don't need too much straightening and a chrome shop that will do a good job for less than a "king's ransom", most would choose that option.
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NOVA Airhead
Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2005
Posts: 5221
Location: Richmond, VA
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| Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 6:40 am Post subject: Re: Questions about bumpers for a KG |
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| cmakvw wrote: |
I have a 63 KG and might re chrome the bumpers this winter. Is there any way to determine if the bumpers I have on the car are original VW bumpers??
and not a cheap imitation from ??? I have tried looking for markings on the different pieces and found nothing. I have tried comparing the thickness of the metal to a 3rd bumper I have that I am fairly sure is a VW bumper, and cant tell the difference so far. Any insight would be appreciated. |
I think you can be assured they are originals. I don't think anyone made repros for a 63...until recently and those are stainless steel.
As mentioned if what you have is in good shape and you have a good chrome shop then that would be the way to go...even if its more money than the stainless.
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c21darrel
Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2009
Posts: 8211
Location: San Dimas
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iowegian
Samba Curmudgeon
Joined: February 16, 2005
Posts: 9829
Location: Somewhere between Dubuque and Keokuk
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| Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 1:15 pm Post subject: Re: Questions about bumpers for a KG |
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| NOVA Airhead wrote: |
| cmakvw wrote: |
I have a 63 KG and might re chrome the bumpers this winter. Is there any way to determine if the bumpers I have on the car are original VW bumpers??
and not a cheap imitation from ??? I have tried looking for markings on the different pieces and found nothing. I have tried comparing the thickness of the metal to a 3rd bumper I have that I am fairly sure is a VW bumper, and cant tell the difference so far. Any insight would be appreciated. |
I think you can be assured they are originals. I don't think anyone made repros for a 63...until recently and those are stainless steel.
As mentioned if what you have is in good shape and you have a good chrome shop then that would be the way to go...even if its more money than the stainless. |
Back when my son worked for Rocky Mountain Motorworks (about 15 years ago) There was a German company that claimed to have the original Ghia bumper dies and contemplated reproducing parts. I don't know if they ever went into production. In any event, a pre-production sample of a pre-67 left rear blade somehow made its way from Woodland Park, Colorado to my basement stash of stuff. It looked absolutely identical to a genuine n.o.s. piece that I also had-- except the re-pop was very slightly lighter in weight. I never did mic the two to compare them for gauge however. I sold it a year ago (of course disclosing this info) along with an original right rear blade to a gentleman in Hawaii. Maybe Kalapaki Papa will see this and comment. |
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cmakvw
Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2014
Posts: 4
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
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| Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 1:47 pm Post subject: |
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| OK. Thanks for the replies. I have had the car for many years so most likely not a reproduction. A qoute on a rechrome for a complete bumper with overiders is 750-1000. Does this sound like current rates?? No idea, 25 years ago it was around $250 .....ouch. |
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NOVA Airhead
Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2005
Posts: 5221
Location: Richmond, VA
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| Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 6:23 pm Post subject: |
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| cmakvw wrote: |
| OK. Thanks for the replies. I have had the car for many years so most likely not a reproduction. A qoute on a rechrome for a complete bumper with overiders is 750-1000. Does this sound like current rates?? No idea, 25 years ago it was around $250 .....ouch. |
About right.
Make sure they do good work before they start.
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NOVA Airhead
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Joined: July 20, 2005
Posts: 5221
Location: Richmond, VA
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| Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2015 6:19 am Post subject: |
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I would add that if I could have found a shop near where I live that did good work I would have paid the price for the rechrome.
I went with the SS repros because I could not find a shop that could do a good job near where I live.
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steveoutlaw
Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2014
Posts: 211
Location: Woodbridge, VA
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| Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2015 8:44 am Post subject: Re: Questions about bumpers for a KG |
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| I have some bumpers with a finish that leaves a lot to be desired. Has anyone painted them the metallic color of the stock rims? Or something close to chrome? I would think that would be more economical and would still look good. |
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NOVA Airhead
Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2005
Posts: 5221
Location: Richmond, VA
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| Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2015 12:56 pm Post subject: Re: Questions about bumpers for a KG |
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| steveoutlaw wrote: |
| I have some bumpers with a finish that leaves a lot to be desired. Has anyone painted them the metallic color of the stock rims? Or something close to chrome? I would think that would be more economical and would still look good. |
I have used the Almost Chrome type of products but not on bumpers. It does not have the shine.
You could take a look to see if a shop near you does spray on chrome which would probably be half the price of rechroming - about the same as SS repros.
A lot of what you see on new cars is spray on chrome. It does look good although I am not sure how durable it would be for a bumpers.
Google spray on chrome to see more.
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c21darrel
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Joined: January 22, 2009
Posts: 8211
Location: San Dimas
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rcooled
Samba Member
Joined: September 20, 2008
Posts: 2507
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2015 9:16 pm Post subject: Re: Questions about bumpers for a KG |
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| c21darrel wrote: |
I had the bumpers stripped, tossed the over riders in the trash, welded them to make them one piece and painted them black  |
You should never admit to stuff like that, Darrel 
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'65 Ghia coupe (totaled)
'67 Ghia convertible (current)
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'62, '63, '65, '69 Bugs (all long gone) |
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