A bumper by any other name is a guitar

[582LTR]

A friend of mine, who I would normally accept Land Rover wisdom from, told me that the very early Series 2s still had the Series 1 bumpers with the reinforced plate around the starting handle hole. He isn't sure when this ran out. Does anyone know how long they kept the reinforced starting hole or whether this was not normal and just happened to be the case for his early ones.

Thanks

James

[gcc130]

Series 1 bumpers are not as deep in profile as Series 2, I don't think they were ever fitted to series 2's, but would be happy to be corrected.

[Wittsend]

This doesn't answer the question, I quite like the starting handle escutcheon on the s1s so I made one for my 2A Foxy out of some 1/4" steel plate ....

[gcc130]

It does in that I'm pretty sure a Series 1 bumper won't fit onto series 2 dumbions, whether the starting handle escutcheon was carried over onto series 2 bumpers is a different question.

[Calum]

It does in that I'm pretty sure a Series 1 bumper won't fit onto series 2 dumbions, whether the starting handle escutcheon was carried over onto series 2 bumpers is a different question.

I've seen quite a few S1s with S2-onwards bumpers so I would guess they do fit? The dumb irons are the same width and distance apart.

[w3526602]

Hi,

I have rebuilt a couple of S1s onto S3 chassis ... everything fits fairly easily, apart from the bulkhead (firewall), and even that might fit if S1 outriggers were specified for the S3 chassis.

I got round that problem by building my own bulkhead from 50 x 50 x 3mm RHS and 3mm steel sheet. My second version was built by the apprentices at the Ford Axle Plant in South Wales, using my original drawings. (£200 cash)

Memory suggests that the S2 front bumper is physically bigger ((deeper)) than the S1. The S1 bumper looks flimsy by comparison.

Alan may have a photo of FEU254 in his files, which will show the lack of vents on the bulkhead, the macho bumper, and wider LWB rims. Being a 1957 S1. it has an 88" wheelbase.

602

602

[Peter Holden]

Having had a S1 with a S2 bumper fitted in the past I reckon you could go the other way.  The starting handle hole will be in the correct place

Peter

[582LTR]

Thank you for the replies, the breadth of knowledge and experience always makes me smile.

My question is one of trying to seek authenticity. During part of the whole of the 58MY, were the bumpers used those similar to the S1 with the reinforcement around the starting handle hole, or did they use the more familiar bumper without the reinforcement plate.

Regards

James

[biloxi]

A S1 bumper won't cover the width of a S2.
.W.

[582LTR]

A S1 bumper won't cover the width of a S2.
.W.

Thank you, so my next question is whether the early S2 bumpers had a different width but still retained the strengthening plate, similar to the S1.

Regards

James

[gcc130]

UAA392 the third home market 88" restored by Dunsfold has standard series 2 bumper with no escutcheon.
Looking through James Taylor's Series 2 & 2a Specification Guide none of the pictures have bumpers with escutcheons.
I still think series 1 and 11 dumbions are different therefore it's possible to fit S2 bumper to a S1 but not visa Verda. Unfortunately my Series 1 is not here at present to measure.

[GlenAnderson]

The bumper on my 1959 built 109", when I first acquired it, was likely the original. That didn't have a reinforcement plate or I would have kept it as I have always quite liked it as an example of how engineers designed the Series 1.

[Peter Holden]

Our 59 SWB came to us in 1963 and so likely has its original bumper, there is no escutcheon on that either

Peter

[582LTR]

Thank you all for the replies. I will take it that they didn't then.

Now to just find a bumper

Regards

James

PS. Does anyone have any of the old photos from the old forum of the oldest exported Australian 58MY, I used to have them and can't find them. That, I would have thought, would be more definitive. I'm not convinced that the Dunsfold LR has the right front lights so now questioning their accuracy.

[582LTR]

Publicity photos without so I'm stopping questioning. Again, thank you.

James