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Euro front bumper without valance?

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 4:42 pm
by captain awesome
So I'm contemplating getting some Euro bumpers for my 84 633. I prefer the look without the valance for the front which seems the opposite of most. What car do I need to scavenge parts from to get the "non" valanced cars? Or maybe the valance just unbolts and voila?

Example pics:
Image

Image

Re: Euro front bumper without valance?

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 8:03 pm
by tschultz
Both models look like the early valance, aka 1978-1981 628CSi.

I don't know if the early 635CSi valance is the same or different, but it is part of the bumper and sits behind the airdam on the 1978-1981 635's.

Re: Euro front bumper without valance?

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 8:24 pm
by captain awesome
tschultz wrote:Both models look like the early valance, aka 1978-1981 628CSi.

I don't know if the early 635CSi valance is the same or different, but it is part of the bumper and sits behind the airdam on the 1978-1981 635's.
I've never seen any of them in person, I'm wondering if the later would look fine without the dam or at least similar enough to the early models. I'll keep looking for pics in the meantime.

Re: Euro front bumper without valance?

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 9:15 pm
by wattsmonkey
I've got a front valance from an '83 Euro 628CSi which looks like this. It's pretty rare over here too, apparently being the part you need to attach the Alpina B9 front spoiler.

There weren't many 628s made in any case, with lots of them being specced with the 635 front apron (so no valance).

Like you, I think this looks great, especially with no rear spoiler either - very clean.

Re: Euro front bumper without valance?

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 9:29 pm
by captain awesome
If I can find one that would be great, but If I can modify the later model with the larger valance and create something similar I would be equally happy.

I think that coupled with the later model Euro rear bumper would be the cats pajamas.

Re: Euro front bumper without valance?

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 9:50 pm
by captain awesome
I also wonder depending on the inner structure of the valance if it could be trimmed to achieve a similar look? I would think some bracing or rigidity would have to be added back in, but altering something that's less rare seems like a better option. I didn't have time to create a gif, but a quick photoshop to show what I was thinking.

Image

Re: Euro front bumper without valance?

Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 4:21 pm
by Alpinacsi

Re: Euro front bumper without valance?

Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 4:24 pm
by Alpinacsi
I posted the non spoiler valance as used on the 5/82 and later models. Very difficult to find here in the US but parts are available new.

Re: Euro front bumper without valance?

Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 7:10 pm
by Ralph in Socal
Sorry Derrick but I think it's Fugly. I have one and wish it was an actual full front airdam but that's how it came to me.

Ralph
635 euro front.JPG
635 euro front.JPG (295.66 KiB) Viewed 6936 times
Just as fugly on a nice white car as it is on a crappy blue car. Looks like a severe overbite for the poor shark.

Re: Euro front bumper without valance?

Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 7:14 pm
by captain awesome
With the plate mount removed I think it would look swell. If you ever decide that bumper is just too ugly let me know. I'd gladly take it off your hands if the price was reasonable. Let me fix your ugly problem for you.... :D

Re: Euro front bumper without valance?

Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 9:19 pm
by Brucey
the looks are of course subjective, but that you benefit from some kind of spoiler/air dam at the front is not; BMW put it there to improve the car's aerodynamics.

I am given to understand that without it, the handling may become somewhat evil at high speed, because the result is otherwise front-end lift.

The small lip spoiler added to the early front bumper assy is not a complete solution to the aerodynamic issues. Deleting the lower lip from the '635' air dam looks like another good way of generating front end lift, too.

cheers

Re: Euro front bumper without valance?

Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 2:50 am
by captain awesome
Maybe if I just painted the lip black?

Re: Euro front bumper without valance?

Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 8:47 am
by Brucey
there's always more than one way to skin a cat.

Also it would be fair to say that the aerodynamics are unlikely to cause any real trouble at legal highway speeds.

cheers

Re: Euro front bumper without valance?

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 2:17 pm
by captain awesome
I've got to locate a bumper first. Oddly enough when I first got the car the diving boards didn't bother me. Now they stick out like a sore thumb.