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[Mike]

Can anyone give a detailed account of converting the large rubber bumpers to an earlier chrome style with overriders?  I have seen great photos of this with a front air spoiler and grill.  I understand the rear is a straight exchange, undo and re-bolt.  But.....the front requires  side valences added with accomodations for lights?  A grill added? And some grinding of a support bracket?  Anyone have a photo-log of 'their' changeover?  Detailed explanation would be greatly apreciated for this new Spitfire owner!  Thanks! 

[wily pathan]

Mike, oddly enough i'm doing just that now. my '79 is gaining a set of '76 bumpers and it's not all that involved, but keep in mind that you will need to cut down the steel brackets for the urethane absorbers on the ends of the frame to conform to the '76 contour. you can leave the bottom on for mounting foglights. the grille comes off with the rubber cover, and there's no provision for adding a grille. the center absorber comes off easily and leaves a nice clear opening for radiator cooling air. i'm also retrofitting an upright style rad to my car in place of the missing laid-down unit. just for fun, compare the weight lost by removing all that rubber!

Curt Lee from Charleston South Carolina (second Spitfire in 15 years)

[wily pathan]

in case anybody was keeping up, i removed the rear bumper assembly from the '79 and found that the mounting points are nearly identical. i will have to add a spacer to the rear body-to-bumper points to make up for deleted bracketry i chose not to install. otherwise, the scheme i have for the tail is to strip the black paint from the trim and license plate lights and polish them up, then paint the tail inset section semi-gloss black to contrast the white body. i plan on removing as much paint from the chrome trim as possible.

[av8rshane]

Has anyone put a 71-73 rear bumper on a later model spit. They look great with no overriders?