AMCO Bar or not? What are your thoughts?

 

Hi Eric,
I personally like them on the front and back. It can save you from getting a dinged bonnet. Do what you like, its your car.

 

I vote no. The front looks better without it

 

I had the front pair on when I bought the car in 1989. In 1994, when I did the paint strip and repaint, they came off with the bumpers for rechroming. When I was putting the car back together, I decided I liked the front better without them. I left the mounting holes in, just in case I changed my mind. There are little chrome 'buttons' available (box stores, hardware stores) that fit in the holes. 27 years later, I still like the way it looks. I kept the Amcos, safe in storage. But like others said... your car, your preference.

 

Eric,
I like it better without the AMCO bar, but it really is your preference as others have suggested.
When my wife was driving the 68 FHC to college, it had the front AMCO bar. Someone backed into it in the parking lot and put a dent on the front of the bonnet without damaging the AMCO bar. So in this. case, the bar did not protect the front of the bonnet. Maybe it was a pick up truck truck with a high bumper. A regular car would have hit the bar and protected the bonnet. But this is all low speed parking lot stuff. In my opinion, in a driving accident, the bar will not protect the front of the car. Also, as I recall, the front and rear AMCO bars were not original from factory, they were aftermarket accessories available through MGMitten.
When the 68 FHC restoration is completed it will not have AMCO bars. Just my $.02.
Bill.

 

Anything more than a very light tap will probably bend the bar itself and/or the bumper it's attached to so I'm not sure these really offer much protection. I'm not a fan of them but I do think they look OK on some car colors, IMHO mostly on lighter colors when they tend to be less prominent than on darker colors. FWIW I think Valerie's plan is the best - don't mount it but keep the holes intact so you can put it on later if you change your mind.

 

As a UK owner not familar with them, I have to say I don't like the look of them personally. Look a bit like someone taking a set of "Roo" bars from an SUV and sticking them on a graceful old classic.

 

My vote is no. The car looks so much better without them.