Why does almost every car have this line?
Discussion
I've noticed that almost every car you see on the road has a diagonal line running up from the wheel arch to the back light, like this:
Surely there must be another way to fit a plastic bumper to the back of a car, or are the designers just really lazy now? The Porsche 928, the first car with integral plastic bumpers, doesn't have the line there so it must be possible.
Surely there must be another way to fit a plastic bumper to the back of a car, or are the designers just really lazy now? The Porsche 928, the first car with integral plastic bumpers, doesn't have the line there so it must be possible.
The rear bumper panel is separate so it can be replaced after a bump. Also it wouldn't be possible to stamp out both rear quarters and the rear in one piece using present day machinery.
The dividing line on my car is horizontal,as we're a lot of cars at the time.
Also, on that Golf, have you noticed how it runs parallel to the back of the door, and continues above the light to the back window?
The dividing line on my car is horizontal,as we're a lot of cars at the time.
Edited by Super Sonic on Thursday 14th May 20:20
Also, on that Golf, have you noticed how it runs parallel to the back of the door, and continues above the light to the back window?
Edited by Super Sonic on Thursday 14th May 20:27
All cars panels around wheel arches have that pressed line nowadays Presumably it’s the way the panel are pressed in the production process and it’s cheaper to do it that way.
Gone are the days of beautiful curves and flowing rolled edges
Even very very expensive cars seem to suffer the same fate!
As far as the line to the rear bumper panels again it’s to keep the cost of replacement down and because they are made of plastic to conform with safety regs ?
Gone are the days of beautiful curves and flowing rolled edges
Even very very expensive cars seem to suffer the same fate!
As far as the line to the rear bumper panels again it’s to keep the cost of replacement down and because they are made of plastic to conform with safety regs ?
hmg said:
As far as the line to the rear bumper panels again it s to keep the cost of replacement down and because they are made of plastic to conform with safety regs ?
Bit of both. My Elise has a clam-shell and hence no line there. Someone reversed into it at walking pace five months ago and I still don't have the car back.
At a guess, because it has evolved as the most cost effective location for transitioning from metal body to plastic bumper.
Not just for production, but also accident repair.
Using a 50 year old design to make a counterpoint just reinforces the point that the design has evolved because it doesn't make sense to have metal behind the wheel like the 928 does.
Think about the differences in the primary functions of the metal body and the plastic bumper and it's not hard to see why the transition occurs where it does.
The location behind the wheel is not part of the passenger cell and by making it part of the main body potentially means a minor fender bender then damages the metal bodywork/survival cell rather than a plastic part designed specifically to absorb impact and be easily replaced.
Common sense really...
Not just for production, but also accident repair.
Using a 50 year old design to make a counterpoint just reinforces the point that the design has evolved because it doesn't make sense to have metal behind the wheel like the 928 does.
Think about the differences in the primary functions of the metal body and the plastic bumper and it's not hard to see why the transition occurs where it does.
The location behind the wheel is not part of the passenger cell and by making it part of the main body potentially means a minor fender bender then damages the metal bodywork/survival cell rather than a plastic part designed specifically to absorb impact and be easily replaced.
Common sense really...
I could've sworn the back bumper on my car was fitted as per the picture in the OP but no;
And I've only owned it for over two years! (And yes, it's filthy, and yes, that's a scratch and yes, that's a rust bubble and the fuel cap doesn't shut properly, it's eighteen years old and was made in Birmingham!!)
And I've only owned it for over two years! (And yes, it's filthy, and yes, that's a scratch and yes, that's a rust bubble and the fuel cap doesn't shut properly, it's eighteen years old and was made in Birmingham!!)
kambites said:
Super Sonic said:
Isn't Elise gfrp moulded by hand rather than pressed steel?
I believe it's machine-laid rather than hand-laid, but yes it's GRP. But then both the wings and bumpers on a lot of mainstream cars are plastic too, these days.
It was my understanding the series 1 was hand laid the series 2 was not.
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