Once upon a time, the automotive bumper acted as a one of the defining features in automotive design, adorning your front and rear end as proudly as a hood emblem or brand badge. From the first day man started driving, he also started running into things necessitating some sort of primitive protection, not only for the vehicle, but also for whatever he or she happened across.
As the first and last thing to be seen (or felt), auto makers spent considerable time on these components both for their cosmetic and structural importance. As a matter of fact, there may be no other part on car that is as closely associated with popular culture as the bumper, with exception, of course, for the "back seat." It is on the bumper, for example, where you rest your foot while chatting up your friends. It is also where you display both your confidence and contempt for politcal causes, the female profiles, gun control, ducks, business issues, your "other" vehicle and sometimes even urination habits through an unlimited supply of bumper stickers.
The bumper serves the unique responsibility of creating a small buffer between the diabolically opposed acts of driving and stopping and thus, finds itself quite literally in the middle of every accident, collision, and mishap, both large and small. Some spend their lives pocked, scratched and scuffed, adorned with the battle wounds of urban parking, while others are kept squeaky clean and dent-free jumping into action only once or twice in their lives to fend off an errant shopping cart or aggressive trash can.
Unlike older vehicles were bumpers stood out from the rest of the vehicle in a shiny chrome finish like a coat of arms in front of an advancing army, in modern vehicles, the bumper has been somehow shamed and exists hidden from view, covered by acres of plastic that suggest that it isn't even there. Yet car companies continue to spend countless man hours designing, building and testing them so that they are ready to lead the defense, no matter what life might place in your path.
And because not all cars are created equal, the National Institute for Highway Safety has been testing them and overseeing their standard regulation for nearly four decades. The are an exhaustive bunch covering everything from individual design to analysis of SUV vs. compact collision. To visit the NIHS site on bumpers, which contains links to dozens of articles on bumper duty, please click here.
A legacy of newer automotive materials where plastic is at the leading and trailing edge of auto design is the problems and expense of repairing the single most commonly affected car part. Popular Mechanics did a piece this time last year on how to repair plastic bumper covers. The idea was that many, many vehicles drive around with beaten and battered bumpers because not only are they the literal buffer between stopping and going, their value is also typically in the grey area where repair expense is near or equal to the average insurance deductible. This means that many people will just live with it rather than make a claim or pay out of pocket.
While the level of difficulty is listed as "moderate" only those with previous bodywork experience and necessary tools need apply. While the average Joe may hunt down some dry ice, plunger or air spray can to remove small dents from metal panels, they don't have professional grade painting equipment on-hand. If you are the type or are looking for a challenge, feel free to give it a try by clicking here.
With some 42 million travelers expected to take to the roads this fourth of July, the bumper is bound to see some play. Drive safe.
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Posted by: Anders | August 08, 2008 at 07:26 AM