general lee push bar question

[oldsnofear]

Just wondering how the pushbar is mounted on a 69 charger? any pics? thanks

[professor-patrick]

Don't have any pics right now, but I typically either weld them to the frame just aft of the bumper mount, or weld a bracket to the same place and bolt them on.  Additionally, a small bracket from the lower center of the bumper at the license plate mount to the back of the bottom bar to keep it from oscillating back and forth.

[Mike DC]

Yeah, that's the deal.

The old TV-car pushbars were actually welded onto the chrome bumpers.  The wider ones were also welded to the subframe rails down underneath.  (The crew had originally tried bolting on the pusbars in season#1, but the pushbars kept breaking off whenever they got hit hard.)


People's replica GLs these days virtually always have some type of bolt-on arrangement.  The pushbars that are being sold for GL replicas these days are usually built with a bolt-on setup in mind. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

The 2005 movie cars' pushbars were different from either of the types in the old TV series.  The movie setups didn't work as well though.   

   

[THE COLONEL]

This is how I have mine mounted on The Colonel.  I would suggest doing it this, because will will be very happy in the end. 

There are two holes under the bumper to where the liscence bracket will bolt on. You need to fabricate a plate.  I got mine from Bob and Jamie Smith, and they probably still sell them.  If you buy the push bar from them, the last I knew they had the plate already on there.   This plate will line up with the licence plate braket holes so you can bolt the plate to the car. You want to make sure that the plate, sticks out from under the bumper just far enough, to clear the meeting middle point of the bumper. For example, just look straight down from the bumper, and make sure you see the plate sticking out. Now if you get a plate from the Smith Brothers, you won't have to worry about any of that, because it will already be the correct size you need, and lined up for a perfect fit. Anyway, if you just get the plate you will weld the plate to the bottom bar of the pushbar. Make sure you line it up to make it how you want it to sit on the car. You will only get one shot at it. If you mess up the welding point, you will probably have to make a new plate, or get another one.

Once you have it lined up, you will then need to line the arms up under the frame of the car. The arms should be right on the spot to where there are existing holes for you to use on the frame. Once you put the arms under, you will see the holes you need to use. Now there will only be one hole, so you will have to drill through the other side of the frame, on each side, and drill through the pushbar to get it all lined up. Then all you do is have to get two bolts, 2 washers, and 2 nuts, and bolt it on under the car. I would suggest doing this first before the welding of the plate. This will most likely give you the correct height of the pushbar, and be able to line it up much better for the plate.

Once you get it bolted on under the car, and the plate is welded onto the bar, and that bolted on under the bumper, you can have a 600 pound woman sit on that thing, and it won't go anywhere, and none of it is hurting the car. A bigger plus is you can have it off in five minutes!

Here is a pic of the plate that is attached to the push bar, and bolted inot the licence plate braket exisiting holes.



Here is a pic of the holes that you will line it up with under the car.

[oldsnofear]

COLONEL THANKS FOR THE PIC'S DO YOU KNOW HOW TO GET A HOLD OF BOB AND JAMIE SMITH? PS NICE CAR!!

[Mike DC]

   
The Smiths' pushbars are the ultimate in terms of accuracy for the old wide-style pushbars. 

They're literally using the same fabricating jig setup that the original TV-series pushbars were built with in the early 1980s.  It was found in the bushes where the mechanics' workshed had been at the old DOH filming site.
   
 

[THE COLONEL]

   The Smiths' pushbars are the ultimate in terms of accuracy for the old wide-style pushbars. 

Mike is dead on about the push bar.  They are the best.

here is the link to the Smith Brothers:  http://www.smithbrosrestorations.com/