Chrome bumper or not?

[Kit Sullivan]

You have nailed the description exactly!

The body-colored bumper and hood/fender trim give the car a more up-to-date contemporary look, while the chrome bumper and hood/fender trim give it a more "classic", albeit "older" look.

The forward-ness of the Mach 1's trim and style is what makes it still a great looking car today, while the heavy chrome front end screams "vintage".

I like them both!

 

[protouringstang73]

I really like the look with the 73 bumper on yours, fits it better than a chrome bumper would do.. It actually looks well done when it's not supposed to be on a 72 Mustang..

 

[rpmcarter]

I think a chrome bumper looks out of place on any 71-73 Mach 1.

As a last ditch effort I would paint a chrome correct-year bumper to at least look somewhat correct.

Just an additional thought: I wonder how difficult it would be to make a fiberglass replica of a 71/2 eurethane bumper, a "shell" that would cover and attach to a standard 71/2 bumper?

That way you would not have to fab up any mounts.

seems quite a few months ago you stated they didnt come with chrome so I can see your point that it looks out of place......:s

 

[Kit Sullivan]

Yeah, 71-73 Mach 1s did not come with chrome front bumpers, so to me any 71-73 Mach 1 looks out of place with a chrome bumper. And by that I mean it is very obviously not "correct" as far as what was produced from the factory. But that doesn't mean it doesn't look good! I like it both ways, but I tend to lean more towards what is factory-correct in appearance for some reason I can't really explain. All the mods and deviations from "correct" that are on my car I have tried to make look as "correct" as I can, even when they obviously are not.

Case in point: my black trunk stripe has a "429 RAM AIR" decal on it above the right tail-light. Definitely not "correct", but I think it looks like it should have been there from the factory, so...I stuck it on there.

I also modified an old crapped-out set of wheel centers to have a red horse (instead of the correct chrome-colored horses)

These are two very-obviously not-correct choices, but...I like 'em that way.

 

[mrmach1]

Yeah, 71-73 Mach 1s did not come with chrome front bumpers, so to me any 71-73 Mach 1 looks out of place with a chrome bumper. And by that I mean it is very obviously not "correct" as far as what was produced from the factory. But that doesn't mean it doesn't look good! I like it both ways, but I tend to lean more towards what is factory-correct in appearance for some reason I can't really explain. All the mods and deviations from "correct" that are on my car I have tried to make look as "correct" as I can, even when they obviously are not.

Case in point: my black trunk stripe has a "429 RAM AIR" decal on it above the right tail-light. Definitely not "correct", but I think it looks like it should have been there from the factory, so...I stuck it on there.

Yeah Kit but it's your car and a little thing that makes it so. Individuality in our cars is the owners right. I have no problem with modifications as long as they're not irreversible. I personally love our cars the way ford built them but thats just me and I guess part of my obsession with history.

 

[rpmcarter]

Yeah, 71-73 Mach 1s did not come with chrome front bumpers, so to me any 71-73 Mach 1 looks out of place with a chrome bumper. And by that I mean it is very obviously not "correct" as far as what was produced from the factory. But that doesn't mean it doesn't look good! I like it both ways, but I tend to lean more towards what is factory-correct in appearance for some reason I can't really explain. All the mods and deviations from "correct" that are on my car I have tried to make look as "correct" as I can, even when they obviously are not.

Case in point: my black trunk stripe has a "429 RAM AIR" decal on it above the right tail-light. Definitely not "correct", but I think it looks like it should have been there from the factory, so...I stuck it on there.

I also modified an old crapped-out set of wheel centers to have a red horse (instead of the correct chrome-colored horses)

These are two very-obviously not-correct choices, but...I like 'em that way.

wow... power windows and NOW I learn the original chrome and bumper on my original equipment car is all wrong. :s

 

[Kit Sullivan]

All '71 "05" body-code cars (Mach 1) came with eurathane "spoiler/bumpers" and body-colored hood and fender trim.

No original-equipment '71 Mach 1s came with chrome front bumpers or fender/ hood trim, excepting a possible "factory freak", but that would need very extensive documentation to authenticate.

 

[rpmcarter]

this is a very sad day, now I have to pay a ton of money to convert mine to urethane bumpers and extensions. Hell mine may be a sportroof car and somebody put a fake Mach I serial number on it.

 

[Mister 4x4]

Oh brother. Don't change a thing, Dana. You can still be a member of the 'chrome bumper Mach 1 club' just like me.

 

[Kit Sullivan]

Heck, the cost to convert your bumper and fender/ hood trim to be correct would surely be miniscule and no tall weeds for a high-stepper like yourself.

I say do it right away! Be sure and post lots of pics once you get it looking right!

 

[Mike429cj]

this is a very sad day, now I have to pay a ton of money to convert mine to urethane bumpers and extensions. Hell mine may be a sportroof car and somebody put a fake Mach I sferial number on it.

So what is your car a Mach 1 or a Sportsroof? I always assumed from the picture it was a Sportsroof because there is no visible Mach 1 decal on the side.

I like the urethane bumper look the best but nobody ever built their car to please me. Now about that fake VIN#, I can have some of my friends in the auto theft division check that out for you if you like. I have witnessed how fast they can take a car apart looking for confidential VIN numbers. Not a pretty site but some crooks are pretty good at what they do these days. Joking of course, I know your car is not stolen, you probably just drive it like its stolen!

Mike

 

[1-Mach-1]

I knew a few people back in the day that made the same mistake that I did, parting with their original Mach-1 urethane bumpers.

Some were helped along back then, by a certain local Mustang parts dealer who recommended getting a low maintenance chrome bumper...Of course he always would selflessly take your old cracked urethane bumper in trade...

I always figured I'd find one in better condition than the one I let go, although little did I know it would take twenty odd years to get one.:s

 

[Kit Sullivan]

Ted Erhardt, are you out there?...

 

[Mister 4x4]

I knew a few people back in the day that made the same mistake that I did, parting with their original Mach-1 urethane bumpers.

Some were helped along back then, by a certain local Mustang parts dealer who recommended getting a low maintenance chrome bumper...Of course he always would selflessly take your old cracked urethane bumper in trade...

I always figured I'd find one in better condition than the one I let go, although little did I know it would take twenty odd years to get one.:s

I still have mine, and I'm sure I'll refinish and reinstall it someday. The original intent was for the painter to include it in the paint job... but, among the other bone-head mistakes made, he used standard primer on it - which immediately cracked, of course. Rather than suffer through the rest of the folly, I just took it home and ordered a chrome bumper.

It was a tactical decision I don't regret, as I am really happy with the look on mine (were it a darker color, I might think differently). Yes, it is indeed a Mach 1 (VIN confirms it), but a chrome bumper hasn't hurt it a bit, IMHO.

We're still all about building them how you like, after all - be that faithful restoration, restomod, race car, or something in between. So, let's just get back to talking about how cool Thin Lizzy's car is going to look no matter what he does to it.

 

[Thin Lizzy]

The original intent was for the painter to include it in the paint job... but, among the other bone-head mistakes made, he used standard primer on it - which immediately cracked, of course. Rather than suffer through the rest of the folly, I just took it home and ordered a chrome bumper.

That's what's up with mine. The painter used a standard primer on it and there are stress cracks on the surface. I'm getting it resprayed properly next month, so it should look better. If it still cracks after that, I'll get a 71-72 chrome bumper.


So I'm a bit slow here, just realised the Mach 1 has colour coded urethane bumpers on the front and chrome bumpers on there rear. What was all that about? Why didn't they make them both colour coded? The front looks modern and the rear looks classic.

My wife recons I should put a chrome bumper on the rear of mine. She doesn't like the look of it at the moment. I recon it looks ok, what do you think?

 

[luxstang]

I like the painted rear bumper.

It's true that the Mach1 had a urethane up front and a chrome one in the back but that was common with cars at that time.

First thing that comes to mind are the Challengers and 'Cudas. Both could be ordered with a rubber bumper up front but they would have a chrome rear bumper.

Firebirds and GTOs had complete rubber noses with rear chrome bumpers.....

 

[Thin Lizzy]

Doesn't sound like there was much thought to it. It's not consistent.

Still maybe I should get a chrome bumper for the rear.

 

[mrmach1]

Doesn't sound like there was much thought to it. It's not consistent.

Still maybe I should get a chrome bumper for the rear.

I know what opinions are and everybody has one. So here's mine I would absolutely buy a chrome bumper for the rear. I wouldn't think twice about that.

 

[Mister 4x4]

Well, I've said it before and I'll say it again: I think your car looks awesome and I wouldn't change a thing (except to maybe repair the bad areas on the front bumper).

Just my opinion.

 

[Jim and Jutta]

The urethane front bumper for my 71 is hanging in the garage, I recently put a chrome bumper on it and like the look. Not correct for a Mach1 but it's "period correct" and I like it, that's all that should matter to any owner.

Jim