Bumper Guard / Overrider Placement Question - 73 Westy

[MikeyM73]

Hey all,

I happened upon a complete set of overriders from a super cool couple here and had to do it since it's the LAST body thing we wanted to do. I got the fronts cleaned up, installed, and adjusted but the rear placement is where my uncertainty lies.

I have a '73 and my rear bumper (used - not sure if ITs a '73 or not) has notches / indentations on each side to clear the tow brackets exactly where the mounting brackets should go for them to fit right in between the tail light and engine hatch. This makes them sit at an obvious angle which is incorrect - the lower "hooks" on the mounting bracket would be mounted within these notches setting the lower end of the guard farther rearword by about 3/4 inch or so.

I'm sure I can modify the OEM bracket or ask my son-in-law just to make me new brackets (for Christmas a few years back he MADE me 16 guage stainless plate steel pop-top hinges going off of the originals and they fit, slide, and function perfectly - amazing) but I figured I might be missing something. Anyone have any ideas? Maybe 73s used specific rear brackets, don't know. I can post pics if needed.

Thanks much,
Mikey

PS - all of you totally rock. Would not have been back on the road if it wasn't for you all. So thank you!
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'73 Pop-top Westy, found sitting in a field for 10+ years, cleaned up, rebuilt furniture, reloved. Original 1.7 block/fully polished crank, 93mm 1.8L balanced AA pistons & cylinders, new 1.8L balanced rods, HAM 42/36 heads, Scat C25 cam & lubalobe lifters, Dual HPMX40s, R2C filters w/ Outerwears pre-filters, functioning thermostat & flaps, Pertronix Flamethrower III, 4-1 exhaust w/ Cherry Bomb 2" turbo muffler & OEM heater boxes, averages about 19-22ish on the highway.

[busdaddy]

I see you have content in your gallery, so there's no excuse not to post some pictures of the problem, your description isn't quite cutting it.
_________________
Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.

Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
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[MikeyM73]

Bueno. Stand by...
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'73 Pop-top Westy, found sitting in a field for 10+ years, cleaned up, rebuilt furniture, reloved. Original 1.7 block/fully polished crank, 93mm 1.8L balanced AA pistons & cylinders, new 1.8L balanced rods, HAM 42/36 heads, Scat C25 cam & lubalobe lifters, Dual HPMX40s, R2C filters w/ Outerwears pre-filters, functioning thermostat & flaps, Pertronix Flamethrower III, 4-1 exhaust w/ Cherry Bomb 2" turbo muffler & OEM heater boxes, averages about 19-22ish on the highway.

[MikeyM73]

Ok, here we go. In looking at it more closely and mocking it up and because I don't have the OEM exhaust, I can see how I could probably fit them outboard of those notches in the bumper IF I had the OEM exhaust. Since I don't, if I can mock up the left side and it looks good, great. I can cut the exhaust pipe and extend it about 4 inches if needed and that should allow me to install both of these bad boys to the outside of those notches and the guards should clear the lights. I think.

At this point I think I'll ping my son-in-law to see if he can make brackets off the old ones but make the bottom hook part shorter, the same depth as that notch in the bumper, and the angle to match the notch.

OR.. I could just make it easy on myself and drill the bumper and install a long carriage bolt. This would allow me to place it exactly where I want it. But I heard there is a factory spec that these were placed at - 17" from center of bumper outward for the fronts but not sure of the rears.

Thanks,
Mikey
_________________
'73 Pop-top Westy, found sitting in a field for 10+ years, cleaned up, rebuilt furniture, reloved. Original 1.7 block/fully polished crank, 93mm 1.8L balanced AA pistons & cylinders, new 1.8L balanced rods, HAM 42/36 heads, Scat C25 cam & lubalobe lifters, Dual HPMX40s, R2C filters w/ Outerwears pre-filters, functioning thermostat & flaps, Pertronix Flamethrower III, 4-1 exhaust w/ Cherry Bomb 2" turbo muffler & OEM heater boxes, averages about 19-22ish on the highway.

[busdaddy]

Hmmmm, that exhaust doesn't look that intrusive to guard mounting, but maybe you have a bunch of mixed parts going on with the guards too. Here's some pics of White74westy's bumper with guards on it, maybe it'll offer some clues: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_search.php...t_dir=DESC
_________________
Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.

Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

Слава Україні!

[MikeyM73]

Thanks BD.. that actually helps alot. I think I have an "other than '73" exhaust side bumper bracket. I seem to recall that from long ago when I got the brackets. Oh well, the driver's side would mount fine, I'll just need to figure out something for the exhaust side. Either make a bracket with the offset little hook tihngies to suit my bumper or different bracket.

Mikey
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'73 Pop-top Westy, found sitting in a field for 10+ years, cleaned up, rebuilt furniture, reloved. Original 1.7 block/fully polished crank, 93mm 1.8L balanced AA pistons & cylinders, new 1.8L balanced rods, HAM 42/36 heads, Scat C25 cam & lubalobe lifters, Dual HPMX40s, R2C filters w/ Outerwears pre-filters, functioning thermostat & flaps, Pertronix Flamethrower III, 4-1 exhaust w/ Cherry Bomb 2" turbo muffler & OEM heater boxes, averages about 19-22ish on the highway.

[MikeyM73]

So... easy solution... make new brackets. My son-in-law and I checked it out and he can duplicate the OEM brackets in his shop, cut them and bend them to hook into the small indentations in the bumper plus add some reinforcement to the center section of the brackets so they won't easily bend. Then drill the bolt hole and tack weld a nut to the face of the bracket just like OEM and that should allow me to mount them right in between the hatch and exhaust. Perfect. I'll post up pics when complete.

Mikey
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'73 Pop-top Westy, found sitting in a field for 10+ years, cleaned up, rebuilt furniture, reloved. Original 1.7 block/fully polished crank, 93mm 1.8L balanced AA pistons & cylinders, new 1.8L balanced rods, HAM 42/36 heads, Scat C25 cam & lubalobe lifters, Dual HPMX40s, R2C filters w/ Outerwears pre-filters, functioning thermostat & flaps, Pertronix Flamethrower III, 4-1 exhaust w/ Cherry Bomb 2" turbo muffler & OEM heater boxes, averages about 19-22ish on the highway.