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Originally Posted by mapleton cruiser can i get some feedback on this bumper design. likes and dislikes. |
Overall, I like the design. I'd like to see it from a 3/4 and a profile, too, just to see how the bars wrap around the body. I like the lights in the bumper, and it looks like - from your website - pick up points would be located where you'd normally expect them to be, correct?
There are some concerns, however - but not necessarily over your design, but the general bumper design that I see developing. Because I've only got the one picture of your bumper and can't tell if it's going to go down the same path, I'll use other bumpers to demonstrate what I like and dislike and what I feel are issues that should be addressed. Because these bumpers are made by companies that have been around, I'm not going to focus on the strength or thickness of the bumpers - I haven't seen them all in person, and can't attest to the FJC bumper, but I have seen (or used!
) their other bumpers and feel reasonably confident that they will function as well as their other products do - but rather on the asthetics. Yeah, it's superficial, but the bumpers are all more or less created equal as far as fitness for purpose.
Brush Guard/Bull Bar
This is what Toyota is offering. It's not attached to the bumper, as near as I can tell:
I like the way this piece looks and the way it fits in with the idea and design of the FJC. The steel on this isn't nearly as thick as what you're proposing, but what I do like about it is that is still has the character and design of the FJC carried through (the hoops that go all the way around the turn signals, the extra bar across the top, and the thicker center posts). What I think they missed - again, in my opinion - is bringing out more of the character of the FJ - the lights and the silver plastic grille.
I think Bentup did a better job - although I'd personally like to see another bar on top of the center of the Bentup that matches the hood duct on the FJC, and instead of the 'wings' that come out around the turn signals, see something more like the bruch guard from Toyota with the complete wrap-around hoops.
Which brings me to my next point...
Bumper
In my opinion, the Bentup is a bit too 'thick' or 'tall' for the FJC. It looks more like a wall than what I think a bumper should look like. I really like the direction you're going with less of the unbroken straight line across the front. Yours looks - for whatever reason - more like a OEM bumper than an aftermarket one ... although, to be fair, the ARB is the most 'OEM' looking of all of them.
This may be because of the way they broke up the center lines, used curved surfaces rather than sharp angles, and the light inserts seem to be part of the vehicle. Overall, though, I'm not a big fan of the ARB for the FJC - and I'm certain that it has everything to do with they way they've executed the bullbar; the thickness of the tubing, the way it hides the grille and the tubing that doesn't follow the turn signals. It really looks like they took their product from another truck and bolted it up to the FJC. It doesn't look like it was made for the FJC.
Design
One of the only other things that I notice is the way the ends of the bumpers all 'finish.' I'm going to use the AllPro bumper because it's the best example, and the silver paint really sets it off to show what I'm talking about
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If you look at the ends of the bumper, you can see what I'm talking about
: the angles are different than the FJC's. They don't match any bodyline, the black plastic fender, or follow the line from the fender - extending it down to finish the bumper. In fact, it extends past the bodyline of the fender. It makes the bumper look ... I dunno, "aftermarket" seems to be the word that fits the best. Like the bullbar on the ARB, it doesn't look quite like the AllPro was made specifically for the FJC - although I know that to not be the case.
While some of their products are over the top, I like the design and the integration that the Road Armor bumpers show. The angles all compliment the rig, the finishes at the end of the bumpers follow the logical line of the wheelwell, and most of them just plain look right.
It's a shame that the guy who designed all their bumpers is no longer with the company, as I would really like to have seen what they came out with, but I think that there's still ... an element that's missing from the current crop of bumpers.
65-fj45
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