I am cleaning up a rear bumper to paint and put on my hatch. This came off of a 1980 4WD STD Hatch. There are two holes that look like mounting points for a tow bar or something. Check out the gnarley construction of this bumper-

 

 

 

 

I can't say for sure if this is stock or if somebody rigged this up (I THINK it is stock for the 4WD hatch bumpers of that year). It looks like a steel fence post!

Those receiving nuts are 19mm and about 18 inches apart. They are not actually welded to the bumper, those washers under them are free spinning.

The fence post is welded to the mounting brackets as well.

does anybody know why those two bolts are welded in there? They don't seem to do anything but attach the nuts to the fence post (gotta love the shade tree lingo).

 

Weird because the bumper brackets they put on 2WD hatches in 1980 were much more substantial, they had an extra mounting point about 6 inches into the car instead of the surface mount you see here (and I do know that was stock difference).

 

Anyone know anything? I figured Subaru made a snow plow, maybe a tow bar too.

 

And just so nobody suggests it- these are NOT the holes for the rubber bumpers that came on the same bumper.

From the pics it looks pretty home made... I haven't noticed those nuts before.

 

The fence post is a nice touch (:

The bolts were used to fill the gap between the post and the nut. If they had had a metric tap they could have made a threaded tab that would have done the same thing. Its hard to tell what they may have had mounted, push bar, spare tire mount, etc.

Ed

The bolts were used to fill the gap between the post and the nut. If they had had a metric tap they could have made a threaded tab that would have done the same thing. Its hard to tell what they may have had mounted, push bar, spare tire mount, etc.

Ed

 

 

Spare tire mount- best idea ever!

I can't say for sure if this is stock or if somebody rigged this up (I THINK it is stock for the 4WD hatch bumpers of that year). It looks like a steel fence post!

It's rigged, and that's a steel sign post.

why would you think a stop sign post welded into a bumper was stock??

 

or is this some attempt at a joke that flew over my head??

why would you think a stop sign post welded into a bumper was stock??

 

or is this some attempt at a joke that flew over my head??

 

It was a joke, see it was followed by pointing out that it was a fence post.

It's also green.

okay.

I thought it was a strange thing to think that was stock.

 

 

now I just kind of feel silly.

that's alright, in general my jokes aren't that good.

that nut welded to the back of it, is for hiding a spare key up under the bumper. you can push a bread bag twist tie into the bolt and out the other side and then twist tie your spare key to it.

What I am really waiting for is somebody to jump on here with "Holy Crap that's the bumper I welded 25 years ago!"

why would you think a stop sign post welded into a bumper was stock??

 

or is this some attempt at a joke that flew over my head??

 

Well, Subaru was going to put a big "STOP" sign on the back of the car, but opted for brake lights instead, at the last minute

 

*hides*

Well, Subaru was going to put a big "STOP" sign on the back of the car, but opted for brake lights instead, at the last minute

 

*hides*

 

yeah big honkin Dodge RAM truck behind me, at a stoplight turning left to get on I-80 east near Omaha, I am in my Hatchie, light is red we are stopped, light turns to green left arrow, and he about rear ends me during my normal acceleration 1st gear to second gear, cause he is starting to haul speed and I am trying to get going into 2nd gear as i look at my rearview, he is about hiting me, then i get to 3rd.......stupid tailgater.