My 80 PU and my 78 Rabbit both have SOLID bumpers with no shock adsorbers.
My 85 Cabrio did have em until I replaced them with Euro bumpers... If you
want to haul something, you can't have a shock adsorber there...

At 09:57 7/15/98 -0400, DavidM wrote:
>David Marshall wrote:
>>
>> Check out my parts page at http://parts.volkswagen.org I have a complete
>> Vanagon bumper that is made from drilling pipe ( 1/4" wall ) and mounts
>> directly to the frame.  It is effectively a class three hitch.  It takes
>> all standard trailer tungs and if someone runs into the rear of your
>> Vanagon I pitty them!
>>
>Are you sure this is an effective bumper? To be effective it should have
>some 'give'. If it is too strong, an impact might damage the frame and
>result in even worse damage.
>Back when cars had to have the 5 mph bumpers (my 1982 Toyota Corona
>does, so did my 1979 Fiat X1/9), the bumpers were attached to the frame
>with shock-absorbers. After an impact, the bumper was undamaged but the
>shock-absorbers were compressed and had to be replaced.
>
>

-- David Marshall, Quesnel BC, mailto:david@volkswagen.org --
   -- 78 1.8L VW Rabbit, 80 2.0L VW Caddy, 87 Audi 5KQ  --
   --  85 1.8L VW Cabrio, 88 1.6L VW Syncro Double Cab  --
   --   Volkswagen Homepage http://www.volkswagen.org   --
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