Anyone ever seen non 5-mph bumpers for the XJ-S? Under the current front bumper there are places in the sheet metal for turn signals. I would love to get ride of those monster end weights and put on something a bit more lithe.

John
1977 XJ-S

 

I agree the 5mph bumpers are ugly. I converted both my front and rear for free. If I can figure out how to post pics I will. Once you figure out how to pull them off it is pretty easy. I suppose this will work on the XJ6 as well. If there is interest I will share more info.

 

Very interested. Please post photos and more information. Thanks!

Did you just remove the bumpers, or did you replace them with something else?

John
1977 XJ-S

 

I've heard of, but never tried, drilling holes the energy absorbers/bumper shocks and collapsing them, allowing the bumper to move inward about 2-3".

<shrug>

Cheers
DD

 

I had an 84 XJS back in the day. I never got over the pure uglyness of those bumpers. It was like the Jag engineers were so mad at the 5 mph standard that the set out to give us the most horrid solution they could come up with.
All this was before the internet was matured and I couldn't get info on a solution. I was able to get a wonderfull set of European head light assemblies installed for around $300, if I recall.

 

Doug-

Got it pretty close. You re-use the stock bumpers. I put my car on the lift tonight, tomorrow I will get some pics for you. It totally changes the appearance and looks right.

 

email me for pics athomas@zeiss.com

 

Got the photos. Thanks! I've posted them up for you. Now how did you do it?

 

Looks great. Big improvement ! So.....how did you do it?

Cheers
DD

 

Nicely done dude. Wish I had thought of it back in the day.

 

inquiring minds want to know...what did you modify?

 

@dickvoodoo, please post up the details of what you did. The car look much better.

 

So here is the scoop on sucking in the 5mph bumpers:

I'd recommend starting with the rear as access is much easier. Remove the chrome bumper surround first. Three bolts each side from inside the trunk, and two in the center underneath. Then loosen or remove the rubber cover for the main bumper. Unbolt the bumper and take it off.

Now you will be left with two pistons sticking out from the back of the car. Go into the trunk and find the backside of the pistons under your carpet. You'll see a 17mm nut on both sides. Remove the nut and push out the piston shaft.

Once out you'll see another 17mm flange nut on the back of the piston assembly. Remove that nut. Finally you can unscrew the piston from its carrier by turning it out from the end where the bumper attaches.

Now you have the bare piston. You'll see that is threaded only a few inches. You are going to now thread it down as far as you can go. You'll need a 10mm die with 1.0mm pitch.

Look at the photo and you'll see one piston assembled complete with the full length threading. The other is it the piston assembly apart before the threading.

Once you thread it down then clean it up and put it back together. The piston will now go in another few inches. Now just reassemble as you took it apart.

One note is that the threaded shaft now sticks out the backside much farther. Cut it off to make room and clean up the area. I'd recommend waiting to cut it off until it is back on the car.

Another suggestion while the bumper is off is to drill some major holes in the aluminum bumper. You'll never see them when the rubber cover is on, and it drops few pounds off the end of you car.

I hope this makes sense. Thanks for the tutelage Aaron!

 

Sorry, but "creativefilmcars" is doing a better job than I on documenting the conversion. It was easier for me to explain to him over the phone.