73 vs 74 front bumper...and CA bumpers?

[paulvm]

Hey all. I’m brand new here. My 74 spider is finally on the road after 25 years. I know...sad. But I’m thrilled to have it running.

Somewhere in those years I lost the front bumper during a move.

So I recently bought one from a guy who swears it’s from a 74 also. But it doesn’t remotely fit. Here are the issues and variables.

1. My mounting brackets don’t line up with the mounting studs on the bumper. The holes are closer together. Both on the bracket itself, and center to center on the L and R brackets.

2. The flat mounting surface is too big and it hangs below the bumper and keeps it from sitting flat on the mounts.

3. The new bumper seems to be at least an inch too long. The ends are mounted on these angled brackets with a rubber kind of sleeve that bolt right to the body. When I bolt one up, the other end is sticking at least an inch too far out on the other end.

4. The new bumper has much more slender rubber bumpers than the rear of my car. The ones on my back bumper are big chunky things about 5-6” long. So they don’t really match. I’m thinking the original front bumper on my car also had the chunky bumpers. Hence the bigger mounting brackets.

Did California cars have different (and bigger) bumpers than the other states in 1974?

He swears his is also a 74 and I believe him.

I can modify the front frame mounts to work. But the bumper will still be too long. I don’t get that part and not sure what to do. Were there difference in the front bodywork of 73 vs 74 or even CA cars?

Thanks for any insights anyone has. Forums are the best!

[baltobernie]

Can't help with specifics regarding your car, but bumpers in California and Maryland changed in 1974, the remainder of the US in 1975.