Pagoda SL Group

W113 Pagoda SL Group => Body, interior, paint, chrome, and cosmetic items => Topic started by: rico_vancouver on July 08, 2014, 16:51:18

Title: Removed the bumper guards... yay!
Post by: rico_vancouver on July 08, 2014, 16:51:18
Another thing I did last week, was remove the North American bumper guards. Yes, there are those purists that will say that on our NA-spec cars, they belong there, but mine had worn out the liners/gaskets, and I felt that they needed to go. I had always planned on taking them off, but years of apathy put it on the back burner. Lately, we've been driving it down to our summer cabin in Point Roberts (a unique bit of the USA accessible only from Canada), and I end up staring at the ugly bumper guards all day when we're hanging out on the patio.

I always had it in mind that I would simply plug the holes with chrome carriage bolts. I haven't found any locally yet, but I saw some 5/16" stainless ones at Home Depot, so I picked them up. I used my dremel with 2 levels of polishing; first was the wire brush, then the polishing attachment. I also used some chrome polish, and now they are very shiny. I used rubber washers on the back to shape/form to the curvature of the bumper and help keep the nut tight. Unless you come up close, you can't really tell. When I come across a place that has some chrome carriage bolts, I'll eventually swap them out... probably another 15 years from now.
Title: Re: Removed the bumper guards... yay!
Post by: 49er on July 08, 2014, 18:12:53
Looks good Rich, the bumper guards were only the the later 280s so you have brought your 250 back to it's original condition:-) I never cared for them either but I guess they might have helped in a very minor "bump"

John
Title: Re: Removed the bumper guards... yay!
Post by: KevinC on July 08, 2014, 20:43:17
Its a great look. Seems like your dog is enthused, too!
Title: Re: Removed the bumper guards... yay!
Post by: Raymond on July 13, 2014, 11:39:07
I agree it is a good look.  However, shortly after getting my car many years ago, I came out to a parking lot to find one of the bumper guards tilted back.  Someone in a taller vehicle had backed into it.  Had the guard not been there, it would have been the grille and paint or headlamp was dinged.  I was able to pull the guard back into place...almost.
Title: Re: Removed the bumper guards... yay!
Post by: jeffc280sl on July 15, 2014, 03:27:17
Had my front and rear bumpers removed and the holes welded and the dethroned.  I like the look very much
Title: Re: Removed the bumper guards... yay!
Post by: GGR on July 15, 2014, 20:30:30
Looks nice, especially that you don't have the side markers. So now you are left with finding a pair of euro headlights! Didn't they have them in Canada anyway?