74 Five MPH Front Bumper & Shocks
None of this is accurate!
Early ‘74’s started out with shock mounted bumpers, from August of ‘73 (model year ‘74 production) until ~December of ‘73 all of the ‘74’s had front mounted shock bumpers. These cars had only 1 mounting bolt for the shock mounts on each rail. That shock mounted bumper is totally different than the ‘73 bumpers, and because of the single mounting bolt these cars can not be switched to a standard bumper bracket without adding mounts to the frame.
In December of ‘73 there was a production issue with the shock mounted bumpers, and production was changed back to non-shock mounted bumpers. Those cars have both mounting locations, the single mounting location for the shock mounted bumpers AND the 2 bolt mounting location for the non shock mounted bumpers. The non-shock mounted ‘74 bumpers are also different from ‘73, both the brackets and mounting holes on the bumper itself are different. They bolt up to the same standard mounting location, but you can’t mix and match ‘73 and ‘74 bumpers and brackets even for the non-shock mounted bumpers.
Shock mounted front bumpers were not reintroduced again until the ‘75 model year.
This is my ‘74, with a June ‘74 production date. It had a non-shock mounted front bumper from the factory.
Nice work! Getting rid of the shock mounted bumpers makes a huge weight difference.
I actually was able to sell my ‘74 non-shock front bumper and brackets and even the shock mounted rear bumper. I didn’t ask much and the shipping on most of it was pretty substantial, and I did that a few years back so just shipping now would probably kill most deals.
None of this is accurate!
Early ‘74’s started out with shock mounted bumpers, from August of ‘73 (model year ‘74 production) until ~December of ‘73 all of the ‘74’s had front mounted shock bumpers. These cars had only 1 mounting bolt for the shock mounts on each rail. That shock mounted bumper is totally different than the ‘73 bumpers, and because of the single mounting bolt these cars can not be switched to a standard bumper bracket without adding mounts to the frame.
In December of ‘73 there was a production issue with the shock mounted bumpers, and production was changed back to non-shock mounted bumpers. Those cars have both mounting locations, the single mounting location for the shock mounted bumpers AND the 2 bolt mounting location for the non shock mounted bumpers. The non-shock mounted ‘74 bumpers are also different from ‘73, both the brackets and mounting holes on the bumper itself are different. They bolt up to the same standard mounting location, but you can’t mix and match ‘73 and ‘74 bumpers and brackets even for the non-shock mounted bumpers.
Shock mounted front bumpers were not reintroduced again until the ‘75 model year.
This is my ‘74, with a June ‘74 production date. It had a non-shock mounted front bumper from the factory.
Nice work! Getting rid of the shock mounted bumpers makes a huge weight difference.
I actually was able to sell my ‘74 non-shock front bumper and brackets and even the shock mounted rear bumper. I didn’t ask much and the shipping on most of it was pretty substantial, and I did that a few years back so just shipping now would probably kill most deals.
