It certainly looks impressive, -but, if you were say backing up in a standard bumper Rangie, . and you hit a low wall square on, you would hear all the bumper breaking up etc.
On your bumper Pete, there (possibly) is no room for any deformation. It's possible, that you could buckle your chassis under the axle. Ie break the cars back' if you were rear ended, or hit a stump. When backing up. I remember older jags with slim rubber bumpers over metal bumper bars, had crash cans behind the bumper, to absorb such impacts, and we're changeable. I don't know if the Rangie has these though.
I don't need to tell you of the merits/demerits of the monocoque chassis against the older separate chassis. - but just throwing a metaphorical 'log' onto the modification campfire talk.
P.s. That weld round the upper skirt to bumper looks very neat, was that mig or tig?

The original bumper bolts to holes through the rear panel, the panel is a triple skinned 4" deep box section with sleeved holes, it is also designed to resist impact, not to provide the pulling forces a winch can produce, there are also two large brackets that form part of the tow bar fitment, these are designed for pulling... 8mm plate has been used flat against the rear panel to joint all the mounting points together to provide the necessary strength for the winch.... The bumper bar is designed to withstand a certain force before bending, then another force for total destruction, the rear of the FF must be designed to withstand this force without bending or it would share some of the impact and deform to a lesser degree, just because the crash bumper is the first thing hit does not mean it takes the brunt of the impact, it is the design of it that allows it to deform....

My new bumper won't deform and absorb impact at lower speeds but it will withstand the impacts and not deform, as long as the force doesn't reach the minimum needed to deform the crash absorption of the rear of the monocoque then the FF won't bend... There will be a fraction of a difference between old and new as the old bumper would absorb some of the impact and not transfer it to the shell but this will be a minuscule amount of force... The 8mm plate will spread any impact to a much wider area, some 1500 x 230mm as opposed to two small areas around 150 x 150mm plus it transfers force through the tow bar mounts...

Trust me... It'l be fine......

P.S. It's all mig welding but I have to say it wasn't me who did that one.... my mate is much steadier on his feet than me and can weld in a straight line.....  Pete

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2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

Just looking at your pics again. You have done a really good job. Just to add a comment, for other members to note: I was discussing towing a car with someone, an the topic of towing 'eyes' came up. (Little loops at front and rear of all cars these days?) these are just for strapping a car to a flatbed, or for removing from crash scene/ditch. Not for towing your wife home, coz she left the lights on etc. you can tear a boot floor open trying to tow a car home on these.


Looking forward to next picture slideshow Pete. And that super shiny tailgate with a big ol' Tonka toy wheel on!

Just another update to keep the thread together... plus more detail and pics of the front bumper construction...

Got the rear winch sorted, picked up a broken old one, (paid �10 for it ) stripped it down, fixed it and repainted it, should be OK for a while...

New, modified tailgate fitted....

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Very nicely done!

Thanks...

Video of the silly loud exhaust since I took the rear box off

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Being the tight git that I am I decided to sort it with second hand parts, well, some of it, found a rear box from an Audi S4 that was smaller in every direction than the original one, best bit was it's less then 3 1/2 inches top to bottom and it's made of Stainless Steel...

Went to an exhaust place I know and persuaded them to let me use their bender and stretcher so knocked up a few bits and bobs...

When you cut off the rear box you end up with this...

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Impressive work mate! Following your thread with great interest  L322 Vogue 2003

Nice one, very impressive and top notch work.

I read your thread from the beginning in one evening. Really impressiv. Really good job.
I'm curious what comes next.

Thanks chaps, JurgKonrad, that took some dedication, well done... as for what's next I'm half way through a twin pump set up for the EAS, fitting both pumps inside the sub woofer box to keep them out of the bottom of the boot in case she goes swimming again, I also want to move the windscreen washer bottle so I can remove the sides of the front skid plate and free up more space to get the front wheel on obstacles... plus another 101 other jobs I have in mind.... nothing as dramatic as the last few months though....  Pete

__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

Have only just stumbled across and read through this thread what a great build and now looking like a serios off roader fantastic fabrication work  2010 RR 4.4TdV8 Vogue
1993 Defender 110 Ex Military soft top

Pete, are you sure your name's not Hannibal? or Face? (Those younger than 45 won't understand that)

Im younger and remember them

Rosso_NI, Thanks, glad you enjoyed it...

mzplcg wrote:

Pete, are you sure your name's not Hannibal? or Face? (Those younger than 45 won't understand that)

Hi Pete

IIRC you have a mechanical thermostat right? I sometimes get a CEL flashing when under load but the only fault that ever shows for me is thermostat current. Either that or 'no comm with ECU' until I clear all faults. 2004 L322 V8