Bumper

 The old bumper was always rusty and bits rusted away even. Despite layers of rustoleum on the outside, they never stopped the rust eating away from the eds and insides. But not large sections have dropped off. Time to do something.

... and that's the good side.

It was a strange story. After months of research I'd narrowed it down to two options that were both going to cost me about £1000. Import a new one from China or get the old one rebuilt in the UK. I'd identified T and G Promech as a company in Poole willing to take to on and T&J tubes who would bend up sections of the 60mm diameter tube. There are only a few companies witht he capability to put custom bends in 60mm tube - and most of those are not interested in a small job. Technically it is called rolling rather than bending and uses different tooling compared with putting in a fixed radius bend.

The day before I set of to Poole, with a wallet,  got a call to say that someone was selling a reasonably good bumper - coincidentally also in Poole. So the plan  changed.

1) New bumper from Grant:

2) Replace rusty bottom tube with 30mm stainless 2mm wall thickness. This was bent by  T&J tubes in Poole

3) Weld on the bottom tube: thanks to Frabrichine in Buckingham

4) .....Scratch head and wonder what to do next - decide to go for powder coating

5) Blasting the metal bumper at Russell Services Weedon

6) Powder coating at Spectrum Powder Coaters in Daventry. Zinc Primer plus red RAL 3000 topcoat

7) Clean and spray the plastic panels: satin black from the Peter Bassett stores

8) Fix panels with stainless M5 flange screw - there are over 80 fittings required.

9) Plastic bungs in the end of each tube.

10) Job done.

Cost:

 Stunning result:

Looking Good