'73 Dart Swinger Bumper help needed!!

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Hydehunter

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I can't get my frt bumper to align up with my bumper brackets. I have the full metal y-type bumper brackets along with a re-bar brace that attaches to the braces. Per my shop manual the '73 uses this type bumper assembly. My R+L bumper brackets and rebar all fit together nicely and bolt to the car but when I try to mount the bumper the holes don't align up. I bought all these parts at different times at swap meets so I have something wrong somewhere. This bumper is a 8 hole model. Anybody have a idea if perhaps the bumper looks correct for a '73 Dart or do I have the incorrect braces + re-bar?? Not sure what to do next.Thanks

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you've tried each bracket on both sides? (although I am nearly positive they will only fit in their correct locations)
 
I don't know how much help I will be but on my 67 dart I left the bracket bolts a little lose until everything was lined up and then a slowly tightened them all up.
 
I just did a Google search for 1973 dodge dart front bumper - then clicked the Images link - there are a few decent pictures that might help
 
I have tried to keep the braces sorta loose but that doesn't help. Another member says I may have a '75/'76 bumper and it's holes will not match the braces. Any other thoughts??
 
yea - what I said - it appears that you don't have all the parts.. I think there are a couple of goofball (weird) brackets that go on behind the bumper guards..
 
This is my 73 bumper if it helps you any, and since I recently had the brackets off to slot the frame bolt holes to move the bumper closer in I can tell you that mine had exactly what you have in your picture and no other parts.
In the pic it looks like maybe your outer bolt holes for the bracket are one right above the other? (hard to tell at the angle of the pic)
The holes on my 73 are offset top and bottom for the outer bolts and one right above the other for the inner bolts where the bumper guards used to be.
BUT, the bumper and brackets holes still line up without the guards on.

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but you don't have the bumper guard thingymebops either... what I am thinking is OP is trying to line it all up using the upper inners too
 
I've seen several '75-'76 Dart bumpers for the shock absorber style brackets being represented as the '73-'74 versions for the regular bumper brackets. (For some reason, the OP pics are not coming up on my computer.)

* The regular brackets attach to the bumper directly, with or without the reinforcement plate in between.

* The "shock absorber" brackets attach to a VERY heavy, full width reinforcement that is bolted to and pretty much fills the inside/backside of the bumper. They use 4 studs & nuts.

The bumpers do not interchange. I have both, but not sure when I can dig them out for a side-by-side photo comparison.
 
Have we tried bolting the brackets to the car first...loosely. without the bumper. and then holding the bumper up to the brackets?

Fyi this is probably irrelivent...but my 74 had the round shock style brackets. Not ones like u pictured. I still have the original 74 bumper. If u need me to dig it out and measure mounting holes, or photograph the rear mounting studs.
 
Johnny Pace said:
Have we tried bolting the brackets to the car first...loosely. without the bumper. and then holding the bumper up to the brackets?

Fyi this is probably irrelivent...but my 74 had the round shock style brackets. Not ones like u pictured. I still have the original 74 bumper. If u need me to dig it out and measure mounting holes, or photograph the rear mounting studs.
Click to expand...

Johnny,
Was your '74 a Dart Sport or a Dart Swinger/Custom? All of the '74 Sports and Dusters I've ever seen had the regular bumper brackets. I haven't seen enough '74 Swingers/Customs to be sure. '75 & '76 all had the shock-style brackets.
 
ScampMike said:
but you don't have the bumper guard thingymebops either... what I am thinking is OP is trying to line it all up using the upper inners too
Click to expand...

My brackets line up exactly with those holes and the guard bolt went through the top holes and corresponding holes in the brackets with a nut on the back.
 
Locomotion said:
Johnny,
Was your '74 a Dart Sport or a Dart Swinger/Custom? All of the '74 Sports and Dusters I've ever seen had the regular bumper brackets. I haven't seen enough '74 Swingers/Customs to be sure. '75 & '76 all had the shock-style brackets.
Click to expand...
My dart is a swinger, and a 74. Still have the car. Lol. I never would have thought a sport and swinger would have different mounts, but I also wouldn't have figured the brackets changed between 73 and 76.
Clearly im a learnin something new.

However, for 100 percent certainty, my 74 swinger came with the shock type bumper mounts. I replaced the oe bumper with a fiberglass unit. Thats why my oe is not on the car.

Again not positive if im adding anything here, just offering up a 74 bumper, from a swinger, if it helps the op for reference.
 
Locomotion said:
* The "shock absorber" brackets attach to a VERY heavy, full width reinforcement that is bolted to and pretty much fills the inside/backside of the bumper. They use 4 studs & nuts.
Click to expand...

This is what MY 74 (swinger) has. so there must be some crossover of year, or "tail style"
 
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