Retro Front Bumper Fit Problems

[Brads70]

Yours looks great I'd be happy with that ! 

[B5 Six Pack]

My 88 year old Dad has been in the hospital, and so I wasn't able to spend any time on the Cuda for awhile. I got back to it yesterday and was able to get the look that I was after. The bumper brackets on the car have only two holes for mounting to the frame. I guess this makes them 1970 -72 brackets. There is an additional threaded hole in the frame of the car ( 1973) that is not used. It is located to the rear of the brackets that are installed. The front bumper is a 1970 style and I suspect it is a repo. It is in new condition and is not very thick. It can be twisted a fair amount towards the ends. This is an important fact. I don't know how thick an OEM 1970 bumper would be in comparison.
From my previous posts, you will understand that I didn't like the way the ends of the bumper drooped forward when viewed from the side. The bumper needed to roll top side towards the rear of the car. The angle of the bumper bracket tabs ( where the 4 chrome bumper bolts attach) needed to be changed. I accomplished this by cutting the tabs part way with a cut off wheel such that they could be grasped with a large pair of channel locks and bent to a different angle. The idea was to weaken them enough so that they could be tweaked to a different angle, but still be strong enough to remain in that position when I reinstalled the bumper to check the fit. It took three tries to get the brackets set where I liked the look of the bumper. I then mig welded up the cuts in the brackets. The brackets were never removed from the car. Attached pictures show a before picture of the droopy bumper ends, the cut and welded bracket tabs and the final results. I'm not sure why this was necessary to get the look I wanted. I don't believe the bumper ends on a 1970 model drooped as bad as my bumper did. Perhaps it was just an unfavorable "stack up" of repo parts. I previously had tried lowering the aft end of the brackets where they bolt to the frame, but this did not twist or roll the bumper ends at all. Some wedge shaped shims installed where the chrome  bumper bolts go might accomplish the same thing as my method, but I think you'd be lucky to find the right ones, and making them would be far more time consuming.

[anlauto]

Looks better for sure, but I don't think they were like that from the factory

[750-h2]

Looks great now!

[750-h2]

I'll email the Plant manager at keystone who runs this line and see what he says.

@MoparDave do you have an update on the Challenger Keystone rear bumper?  I also see on Ebay they are selling 1970 Challenger AMD rear bumpers that are triple plated in the USA.  Are these any good and do you sell them? Thanks

[MoparDave]

I'll email the Plant manager at keystone who runs this line and see what he says.

@MoparDave do you have an update on the Challenger Keystone rear bumper?  I also see on Ebay they are selling 1970 Challenger AMD rear bumpers that are triple plated in the USA.  Are these any good and do you sell them? Thanks

the 2 vendors that show them are just drop shippers. I Matts out of CA has the AMD listed but those are back ordered. the Partm** listing has the keystone bumper listed
AMD does NOT use the same chromer as LKQ. they have there own chrome in Taiwan.
As for LKQ they really don't recognize the issue with the challenger rear as a major problem. They will exchange them and waist time all day long from what it seams.

[Brads70]

I'll email the Plant manager at keystone who runs this line and see what he says.

@MoparDave do you have an update on the Challenger Keystone rear bumper?  I also see on Ebay they are selling 1970 Challenger AMD rear bumpers that are triple plated in the USA.  Are these any good and do you sell them? Thanks

the 2 vendors that show them are just drop shippers. I Matts out of CA has the AMD listed but those are back ordered. the Partm** listing has the keystone bumper listed
AMD does NOT use the same chromer as LKQ. they have there own chrome in Taiwan.
As for LKQ they really don't recognize the issue with the challenger rear as a major problem. They will exchange them and waist time all day long from what it seams.

If someone ever gets their act together and builds a quality "straight" rear Challenger bumper I'm in for another one. Keep me in mind. 

[750-h2]

Thanks @MoparDave. Sad when this late in the game a nice Challenger repro rear bumper is still not available. I guess I will be hunting for a nice OEM core.

[Squire Edgar]

I just saw this thread and the problem with Challenger rear bumpers, I just received a new reproduction 72 for Christmas.    Where are the bumpers not straight. I looked at mine and it looks like it curves down about where the taillights are on each side.  Is that the normal problem areas on these repros?

[Brads70]

I just saw this thread and the problem with Challenger rear bumpers, I just received a new reproduction 72 for Christmas.    Where are the bumpers not straight. I looked at mine and it looks like it curves down about where the taillights are on each side.  Is that the normal problem areas on these repros?

Yep your right on the money they are bowed......

[PatO]

I went through this very same thing a few months ago. First one I received was bowed in the first picture below. It was a keystone bumper. Dave at Roseville was able to get me the last or near to last AMD he had as in the second picture. I'm sure this sort of thing is a time waster for a lot of people.  I have to hand it to Dave, he was able to take care of it for me. That's why I will continue to shop at Roseville Moparts.

[Squire Edgar]

I just saw this thread and the problem with Challenger rear bumpers, I just received a new reproduction 72 for Christmas.    Where are the bumpers not straight. I looked at mine and it looks like it curves down about where the taillights are on each side.  Is that the normal problem areas on these repros?

Yep your right on the money they are bowed......

Well crap, good thing I saw this thread before putting it on.

[750-h2]

I went through this very same thing a few months ago. First one I received was bowed in the first picture below. It was a keystone bumper. Dave at Roseville was able to get me the last or near to last AMD he had as in the second picture. I'm sure this sort of thing is a time waster for a lot of people.  I have to hand it to Dave, he was able to take care of it for me. That's why I will continue to shop at Roseville Moparts.

So the AMD rear bumpers fit well?  How is the quality of the chrome compared to the Keystone bumper? Thanks

[PatO]

Yes, the AMD bumper fit well and to my eye, I didn't notice really any difference in the chrome. I'm 100% pleased with that bumper.

@Squire Edgar

Have you tried to fit the bumper you received?  I was under the impression that the curved bumper is a hit or miss sort of affair. Maybe test fit it just to make sure?

[750-h2]

@MoparDave, What can you tell us about the Challenger Goodmark rear bumpers? Apparently they are plated in the USA.