This section covers the MGA front bumper assembly and all related fittings, the three-piece chrome-plated bumper, the ridged tapered overriders, the bumper iron support, the number plate mounting hardware, rubber sealing components, and the complete chrome-finished and zinc-plated UNF hardware needed to assemble the complete front bumper system. The MGA front bumper is one of the car's most visually prominent components, combining chrome-plated steel with black PVC and rubber detailing to produce the distinctive period-sports-car front-end appearance.
The three-piece front bumper
The MGA front bumper is a three-piece unit, with the chrome bumper blade split behind the overriders at each side. This allows the bumper to sit flush to the curvature of the front of the car, with the overriders hiding the join lines. The bumper is chrome-plated, approximately square in cross-section with a centre ridge running its full length. The front bumper cross-section is identical to the rear bumper, only the length and the mounting arrangement differ.
The front bumper has a starting handle hole in the centre toward the top, a period detail reflecting the car's compatibility with hand starting. Bumpers were painted silver grey on the inside surface from factory.
Overriders, ridged and tapered
MGA overriders are chrome-plated steel, of ridged design, tapering toward the bottom. Each overrider mounts on a black PVC moulding and is bolted through the joined-up centre and corner sections of the bumper directly onto the bumper springs behind. The overriders both decorate the bumper and protect the chrome blade from light impact damage. Four overriders are fitted to the complete car (two at the front, two at the rear), and are typically ordered as the total car set for comprehensive restoration.
Bumper iron, internal support
The MGA front bumper iron is the steel structural support that sits behind the chrome bumper, providing the mounting face for the bumper blade and carrying the loads through to the chassis-mounted bumper springs. The bumper iron is painted black internally and is not normally visible once the bumper is fully assembled. The bumper iron connects to the chassis-mounted bumper springs via structural bolts, forming the complete load path from the chrome bumper blade through to the chassis rail.
Bumper fitting kit and chrome bolts
The MGA front bumper fitting kit provides the complete set of factory-specification fasteners for mounting the bumper assembly. Chrome bumper-fixing bolts (with nuts, standard length) are the three visible chrome head bolts that secure the bumper blade to the bumper springs, the only visible fasteners on the complete assembly.
Chrome bumper-to-body bolts (with chrome heads, nuts and washers) connect the bumper iron through the body panel to the bumper springs. Additional UNF fasteners include 3/8 UNF hex-head bolts (2 1/2" length) with plain and locking spring washers; 1/2 UNF plain large washers, locking spring washers, and plain zinc nuts (for the heavy-duty bumper spring fixings); 5/16 UNF locking spring washers; 1/4 UNF pan-head screws (1/2" and 5/8" lengths), plain zinc nuts, and locking spring washers. A large 7/16" x 3 3/8" bolt is specified for the major bumper structural fixing points.
Welting strip and sealing grommets
Welting strip, overrider to bumper (per metre) is the rubber welting strip fitted between the overrider and the bumper blade, sealing the joint against water ingress and preventing metal-to-metal contact that would damage the chrome. Ordered by the metre for custom-length fitting. Rubber grommets (sealing bumper iron through body) fit where the bumper iron bolts pass through the body panel, sealing against water ingress and road spray entering the body from the front.
Number plate mounting hardware
A front number plate backing plate was originally hung from two brackets below the front bumper. Two different types of rear backing plate were listed, a wide shallow type for UK-market cars, and a narrower, deeper type to suit North American plates; some export cars may have had no backing plate at all. Number plate brackets (L/H and R/H) are the handed brackets that secure the backing plate to the bumper. The backing plate supplied matches UK-market specification.
Ordering considerations
For complete front bumper restoration, the three-piece bumper, overriders, bumper iron, fitting kit, and welting strip provide the core components. Chrome bolts and UNF fasteners should be ordered together to ensure consistent finish across the assembly.