The 1500 rubber bumpers consist of polyurethane mouldings bonded to steel armatures with rivets and clamping plates. The bumpers were introduced as a response to US Federal impact regulations, which required bumpers to withstand a 5mph impact without damage to the safety-related components of the car. The polyurethane moulding absorbs and deforms under impact, then returns to its original shape, a significant engineering advantage over the chrome blades they replaced, though one that divides opinion on aesthetic grounds.
Front and Rear Bumper Construction
The front bumper assembly includes the polyurethane moulding, steel armature, clamping plates, rivets, a bumper support, and spring brackets that bolt to the chassis to provide the required impact absorption. The front bumper also incorporates integral mounting brackets for the front indicators, which are housed within the bumper moulding rather than mounted separately on the wings as on chrome-bumper cars. Overriders with pads and seals are fitted to the front spring bar. The rear bumper carries brackets for the number plate and number plate lamps, with a separate number plate support available in standard, reproduction, and stainless steel.
Replacement Components
Steel armatures, clamping plates, rivets, spring brackets, and all mounting hardware are available individually. The rivets that bond the moulding to the armature are consumed during removal and must be renewed whenever the bumper is rebuilt, approximately 26 rivets for the front and 28 for the rear.
The original bumper mouldings themselves have limited availability as new items, so careful refurbishment of serviceable existing mouldings is often the preferred approach. A damaged moulding that has torn or split can sometimes be repaired with a specialist flexible filler and repainted in satin black.
Bumper Painting
The mouldings require painting, the original factory finish was satin black, though some owners choose to paint them body colour for a more integrated appearance. A flexible paint system must be used, as conventional rigid paint will crack and flake as the polyurethane flexes in normal use and under minor impacts.
Chrome Bumper Conversion
A chrome bumper conversion is available for owners who prefer the visual proportions of the earlier chrome-bumper cars. This conversion replaces the rubber bumper arrangement with a chrome-bumper-style front end while retaining the 1500's mechanical specification beneath.