I’m just getting around to getting my bumpers re-plated on my 68 E Type, but before I do I’ve been test fitting the various pieces to the front and rear. My question is, does anyone know what the correct mounting hardware for both front and rear should be? Specifically, were there any shims or spacers used on this model. My bonnet is original and has the 3/8” brackets mounted from the inside like other 4.2 Series 1 models. Also, should the mount point near the wheel well of the front bumper be flush with the inside bumper edge — like the front mount point? Mine are bowed out slightly.
Here is photo of underside of my front LH bumper on my Feb 68 FHC. All of my mount points look like this with the big bolt and one washer. The rubber trim has a lot of “patina” so my hunch is have never been off the car or maybe only once a very long time ago. I do see some rubber between the bolt bracket and body. Sorry that my camera is not very good at close up lower light in my garage.
David
68 E-type FHC
D_Barnes — Thanks for the great photo reference. There appears to be no spacers with the bumper flush against the bonnet, with only the rubber “buffers” separating them. Do you have any gap on top between the rubber trim and your bonnet?
I just researched this question for my 1967 FHC as the bonnet is now in primer and I am about to test fit the front bumpers this coming week. For each side, the spare parts catalogue shows one wedge shaped spacer at the front mount, BD20663, and one round spacer, BD20893, at the side mount, so 4 total spacers for the front bumpers of two different types.
–Drew
It is a good idea to test fit, as you are doing. Your objective is to achieve an even gap of 1/4" between the body and the edge of the bumper, for which you may need to add spacers. You do not want the top edge of the bumpers to touch the body, even at the mount point near the wheel well. You also want the orientation of the bumper blades to be perfectly straight, in line horizontally with the body, so that they neither droop downward nor tilt upward - fitting the overriders will help.
Achieve the best possible fit, use a felt tipped marker to indicate where the bumper edges are too close to the body, remove the bumpers, grind the edges where marked to achieve that even 1/4" gap end to end. Then send them off for replating. You may find that the gap may be slightly wider than 1/4" in places - a little epoxy compound (like JB Weld) can be used to build the edge out a bit after replating such that when fitted the black bumper seal is touching the body evenly end to end with no gaps and no place where it is squeezed out of shape.
Drew, I bought those front wedge spacers and didn’t use them. They tilted the bumper too much so I substituted plain washers.
Like Nick, I didn’t use the wedge shaped spacers. Just a bolt with a lock washer and the rubber spacer/pad between the bumper bracket and the body. the rubber pads are nothing special about 1/8" - 3/16" thick and maybe 1-1/2" square with a hole in the middle for a bolt. If you could find a rubber ground strap like you used to see hanging from cars and trucks back in the day you could make your own.
You may notice that some front bumpers have a noticeably droopy appearance. I suspect this is because the wedge washers were not put back on the bumpers after a respray. None of my bumpers on my old 69 E-Type and my current one had any spacers on the bumpers front or back and they unfortunately contacted the body and caused some nasty gouges on the 69. (I don’t have the spare parts catalogues for all the E-Type series so spacers may only apply to some of the Series 1s.) All the internal bumper brackets on both my cars were bent outward, probably by the painter, but this did not fully resolve the problem. I intend to put both the wedge and flat spacers back on my bumpers after the respray. YMMV.
–Drew
1 Like
Jparagin look close at my top photo and you can see a little daylight between the top edge of the bumper trim and bonnet in one area. Probably would not be there though if the rubber was new instead of probably 50 years old. I cannot see much gap on any of my bumpers though when viewed from the top
David
68 E-type FHC
I see what you mean, David. Looks like mine has a similar fit as yours on the right side, but a larger gap on the left (too large for the rubber trim to mask). I suspect there was repair done on the bonnet at some point in time and the original contour under the headlight was compromised. I may have to improvise. Thanks for your feedback — your reference has been very helpful.
Jim
68 Jaguar E Type OTS
Thanks, Nick. Great tip regarding the extension of the bumper with JB Weld. Good to know that this option is available after I’ve I get in the ballpark.
Jim
68 E Type OTS
Thanks for the advice, John. This is all good info to have.
Jim
68 E Type OTS
Drew, I once worked with a guy who would say, “If it looks right, it is right.” I think that theory might well apply here, regardless of what shims and/or spacers might be required to get the right result.
Jim
68 E Type OTS
1 Like
I’d say no reason to suspect that unless you’ve found other evidence to support damage. If your gap is too large in the center of the blade that is a very common problem. Are either or both of your blades droopy? When viewed from the side with the car, level, with a full tank, do they stick out parallel to the ground or do they slump downward? If so that can be resolved by using this shim on the inner mount between the mount and the body. The contour faces the body and the fat side hangs down. It can be ground if it’s too thick.
https://www.sngbarratt.com/us/#!/English/parts/f66a9084-8cce-44e3-aa05-1d41f7c242be
By pitching the blade up it closes the seal gap. The side effect may be that the ends are now too close, so you then have to judiciously grind back the edge at the ends until the gap is reasonable all the way along the blade. This is definitely something you want to do before getting it plated.
Jim, Oh, sure. I agree. I just like to consult the spare parts catalogue to make sure I have all the right nuts, bolts, etc. The outward bend on my bumper brackets helped them fit like Jaguar intended so they didn’t look bad. I bent the brackets back into place and am going to use the original spacers when I reassemble, but that’s just what I like to do.
–Drew
Drew, you just mentioned the outward bend on your brackets. Mine look like they also have been leverage out versus flush with the bumper profile.These are the the bumper mount points closest to the wheel well on the front bumpers. The front mounts are flush. This might explain why adding the shims positions the bumper too far from the bonnet. Do you think they were delivered that way?
I doubt my car and bumpers came with the brackets bent, but have no way of knowing for sure. I don’t think the assembly line was given to adjustments of this sort and my car was repainted many years ago with a number of things not done properly.
–Drew
Erica, thanks for the tips for achieving proper bumper/over rider attitude. FYI, I did order a few items from SNG Barrat after visiting the link. Thanks for your input!
Jim
68 E Type OTS
Sigh, Something else for me to wonder about. 
I never thought about droopy bumpers. What do they look like?
Are these droopy. I’m wondering because the flat section on the bottom of the over riders slants downward slightly in front. Should it be parallel to the floor?
Sorry for triggering your OCD. 
Nah that blade looks near perfect to me. The over riders themselves look at least 95% percent perfect. Don’t go by the bottom face but rather the front curve. On average it is perpendicular to the ground. There unfortunately is no up/down adjustment facility for them.