Hey Ultra,
I keep thinking some one else will ask you other then me.

What's the reason for the black painted rear bumper an any plans to paint the front one black also ?

As, I am sure you have a plan some where on your list of to do's that is way down on the list.

Orich

 

My original dealer step rear bumper met it's demise when the previous owner had the truck. When I bought the truck 4 years ago, it didn't have a rear bumper on it.

Since the time I bought the truck, it's not had any means to attach a trailer to it. I'll eventually install a Draw-Tite type receiver hitch but, I haven't decided between running one that mounts below the bumper or, one that's hidden.

If I run a hidden hitch, I'll have to cut an opening in the bumper, behind the license plate, and run a spring-loaded license plate mount that will flip down when pulling a trailer. When not pulling a trailer, the plate will be up and conceal the receiver hitch opening in the bumper.

I also have an idea in my head (if it will work with what I have in mind to do), to modify the bumper with scallops towards each end for clearance for some exhaust tips. This will place a major portion of the tips of the exhaust up into the bumper and look much better than them hanging out completely below the bottom of the bumper.

If I make these changes, it didn't make good sense for me to buy a chrome contour rear bumper and start cutting on it. The painted contour bumper was much cheaper.

 

I knew you'd have a plan, a long range plan. My "To Do" list is long, but lucky me, I've misplaced the list, so don't have much to do, until I get back to Baja, and the 'List" is glaring at me. I try to be organized, but I can only take one step at a time any more. My idea now, is to just work on my truck, with your list, and see how that turns out.. Baja

 

I don't usually write down an actual to-do list. I just usually make a list in my head of what I plan to do, hunt the wrecking yards for the 'core' parts, rebuild/refurbish them and then put them on.

I guess since I've been put 'on-the-spot' about the rear bumper, I'll go ahead and let the cat out of the bag on my idea for the exhaust cutouts.

I'm not very familiar with Dodge trucks but, I think in 2009, they had an optional rear bumper with cutouts (or, scallops) for clearance of the exhaust tips. I THINK there are possibly two different versions of this cutout design, where in the last two or three years it was revised. If there is a revision, the latest version looks the best to me. --I haven't been able to look at one up close to check it and its dimensions out to determine if they could be grafted into my rear bumper (?).

Anybody here have a late model Dodge Ram pickup with the exhaust cutouts in the rear bumper that could give me the dimensions of them? --overall height to the peak and width?

The Dodge rear bumper exhaust cutouts look like this.

 

That is way cool looking amigo, I like it a lot. Makes my old piece of 4" pipe look a bit "Country". Wondering though, just how strong are these new bumpers? Seems to me, that some strength has usually been sacrificed, in the name of computer engineering, and economy. Can't deny the suave look though. You might need to wear some Hollywood Shades, to be as cool as your truck, with one of these bumpers.


Baja

 

If I could find a damaged late model Dodge rear bumper (hopefully without the exhaust cutouts themselves being damaged), I would just cut out the cutouts from the damaged bumper then, transfer them over onto my black contour rear bumper and weld them in, grind the welds smooth and either repaint the contour bumper or, have it chromed.

I don't step on my rear bumper and the load of a trailer would be channelled through the receiver hitch and into the frame rails, so again, no load or stress on the bumper itself.

 

Granted those scallops look way cool, but I wouldn't do it. Somewhere years ago I heard/read that Ford NEVER puts the exhaust out back of a truck because of the air turbulence. This turbulent air "can" hinder (to a degree) the exhaust from coming out of the tailpipe. Even when you install one of your fuel erected V8's I don't think you're going to drive your Bump like your Mach 1 but...................
My $.02.

 

I took notice when dodge starting doing the exhaust scallops. Nice touch. Nice to tuck the pipes up higher more out of site too. I've temporarily installed turn downs on my truck until the box is back on. I've already bought a chrome contour bumper. Not sure if I'll go out back or in front or back of the rear wheels.

 

Not to say there isn't any degree of fact on turbulence vs. exhaust exit placement but, given the fact that the government has steadily forced the automotive industry to meet tighter and tighter fuel requirements, I think if it was a great enough factor, all modern vehicles, or at least all modern trucks, would come with side exit exhaust to get maximum advantage towards meeting the ever increasing fuel mileage requirements.

....on the other side of that, my F100 is my hobby/project vehicle and not my DD. If the truck only got 5-10 MPG, I would probably have a problem with that. If it got 15-20 MPG, I would be perfectly fine with it. I think a fuel injected 302 or 351W could easily get 15-20 MPG and the turbulent air around the exhaust opening would have little impact on it. --if I turboed the small-block, ambient, turbulent air around the truck's exhaust opening would be even less of any potential issue.

 

Could be Steve. I've just assumed Dodge did it for sales. Rather than worry about the turbulence I think they want to catch buyer's eyes. But I do think your idea would/will look killer.
As a matter of fact, you ought to do it on it's own thread. You might just start a new fad.

 

I don't mind someone doing something similar that I've done but, this is something radically different than installing a C-2 PS pump (for example) from an '82 Ford pickup onto a '69 F100.

I didn't really want to bring it up, yet, because I haven't figured all the details out --if it's even possible but, I was put on the spot about the rear bumper.

Some times you just like to have a unique feature/modification on your vehicle that no one else has done or thought about.

If everyone knows about something radically different you're doing, you start seeing others doing the same thing. Eventually, it just looks like you copied what others had done, when you may have actually been the one with the original idea to begin with. --know what I mean, Vern?

 

Yep. Sure do. I think that's why Jackson hasn't announced what his plans are for his valve cover yet. I wonder where young Prince (2) has been, come to think of it.

 

At the time I converted my cargo light to also double as a 3rd brake light, I only knew of two people that had done it --me and the guy I got the idea from.

However, I posted how I converted the cargo light (here in this same thread) but, from the jump, I also gave credit to Coupe5oh for being the original one to figure it out.

 

That's because you too are old school. You understand "respect". Not being in the "me" world like so many now-a-days.

 

2X on that one Jeff. And to Steve, your posting your mods to your truck, lets others, some with less inventiveness, follow your lead. That alone is a form of respect. I'd take it as a compliment amigo, and you know (as well as some of us), that you did it first, or 2nd. Thanks for sharing your talent. You get the credit, from those of us on this forum.


Baja