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Features The Nerf Bar

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by Ryan, Sep 29, 2011.

  1. simon g-s
    Joined: Mar 1, 2009
    Posts: 116

    simon g-s
    Member

    Tried em out in MDF first. Flame cut, ground, sanded, polished and chromed these, front and back. Not trad but I liked them.
     

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  2. ^^^^^^ Wow! Not often do you see a Fiat, Simca ? with fenders. I like the nerfs......
     
  3. I hope people don't mind me bringing this back to the top. I was thinking something like this for my 36 5 window.
    Can anyone tell me the size of the round rod and flat bar on this type of nerf bar?
    Thanks
     
  4. Simple.........
    [​IMG]
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  5. I love nerf bars! I made these for my truck this summer...
     

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  6. [​IMG]
    I really like these.......Rus Daily, in the red shirt, built them and everything else cool on the car.
     
  7. NickJT
    Joined: Jul 17, 2012
    Posts: 640

    NickJT
    Member
    from S.E. PA

    Thanks. I'm getting some great inspiration from this thread. I'll be doing some kind of nerf bars for mine over this winter.
     
  8. Last ones I looked at seriously were 1 3/4" X 1/4" flat stock, and 5/8" rod.
    I found the nerfs in your post on that evil auction site for around $165-170 a pair in stainless. So, I'm thinking, hey! I can go to the store and buy the metal to build my own for about $30.
    Then I started talking to the chrome people around here who wanted $150 each!!??!! to chrome them! And stainless will come closer to matching the trim on my 47....
     
  9. Don's Hot Rods
    Joined: Oct 7, 2005
    Posts: 8,319

    Don's Hot Rods
    Member
    from florida

    We had a lot of fun making the nerfs for my Son's rpu and it was actually pretty easy. He used (I think) 3/4 inch solid round stock and made a simple jig to hold the metal in alignment. I heated it cherry red with the torch and he bent the steel around the fixture. He had to use a hammer on some portions of the bend to get it to exactly conform.

    Here is the jig and the first piece of round stock in it.

    [​IMG]

    Then I heated it with the torch and he started the bending process.

    [​IMG]



    We kept clamping it down to minimize distortion and continued the bending.

    [​IMG]


    This is the final hoop shape, after welding the ends together to make it one continuous piece.

    [​IMG]

    For the brackets he cut and shaped flat stock and two round pieces for the crossbars.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]



    And after welding it all together this is how it came out.

    [​IMG]


    He still hasn't had them chromed as it will cost about $ 300 for the one on the back and another $300 for the front one, so he just polished the metal and clear coated it for now and it has been holding up pretty well for 2 years. In hindsight he thinks he should have done it out of stainless steel as he could have just polished them when done.

    Don
     
    Last edited: Nov 18, 2012
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  10. 32 hudson
    Joined: Mar 5, 2005
    Posts: 778

    32 hudson
    Member

    Hey thats cool Don. Thanks for the pics and insperation to try building my own someday.
     
  11. scrap metal 48
    Joined: Sep 6, 2009
    Posts: 6,079

    scrap metal 48
    Member

    I put these on my old coupe just before I sold it...
     

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  12. Amazing what some of you think are nerf bars. Post #124 is the only NERF BAR that I've ever known to be a NERF, BAR. Not a nerf bumper.
     
  13. 117harv
    Joined: Nov 12, 2009
    Posts: 6,589

    117harv
    Member

    A google search says that nerf bars are fitted to the sides of stock cars to prevent wheel rubbing and body damage, when I raced dirt track we called them rub rails.

    The ones in post 124, I allways heard them refered to as T bars. I guess we are all wrong and right. I guess the name depends on the time frame and geography.
     
  14. Well in Ca. post 124 was a nerf. Anything more was somethin' else.
     
  15. Marty Strode
    Joined: Apr 28, 2011
    Posts: 8,796

    Marty Strode
    Member

    These are a couple more of mine.
     

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  16. Marty Strode
    Joined: Apr 28, 2011
    Posts: 8,796

    Marty Strode
    Member

    One more.
     

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  17. scrap metal 48
    Joined: Sep 6, 2009
    Posts: 6,079

    scrap metal 48
    Member

    The nerf bars in post #124 are also upside down.....
     
  18. fab32
    Joined: May 14, 2002
    Posts: 13,985

    fab32
    Member Emeritus

    I think one of the biggest mistakes made when building "nerfs" is having too big a space between the top and bottom bar if your incorporating a horizontal oval into the design. The best looking ones (IMO) have tighter spacing between the upper and lower bars.

    Frank
     
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  19. Karl stark
    Joined: Nov 12, 2008
    Posts: 166

    Karl stark
    Member

    OK. So bumpers are for the front and rear and nerf bars are for the sides. I guess this setup combines the best of both worlds.
     

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  20. raprap
    Joined: Oct 8, 2009
    Posts: 768

    raprap
    Member
    from Ohio

    I made the nerf bars for my '40 about twenty years ago. I saw a design and modified it to fit my purpose. The serpentine cure is very important if you are following the curvature of the splash panels. I have had mine on the back, then the front with fog lights attached, then back to the back.

    I now have them back in front and adusted low for one reason. To keep the peaked nose of my '40 from hitting those damn parking stops!
    My nerf (crash) bars are 3/8" thich solid steel and powder coated silver. the attaching area has 2- 1/2" holes drilled and grade 8 3/8" bolts with star washers and thick body washers attached. This allows mw to angle or raise & lower these nerf bars about an 1.5".

    Several years ago, I was coming back from a show and a few of us were pulling into dinner. Normally, I would stay way clear of those parking stops but I was tired and after hearing a thud, I immediately slammed on the brakes and backed up. I just knew I crunched the nose of my '40. The thud was really loud and was transferred straight through the car. When I got out, I was amazed to see the nose chin of my '40 was un-touched. The whole underside of those 3/8" thick nerf bars were ground clean. They did their job and know make me really aware of pulling in too much.

    Raprap
     

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  21. raprap
    Joined: Oct 8, 2009
    Posts: 768

    raprap
    Member
    from Ohio

    Here's another shot
     

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  22. The nerf bars in post 124 are not upside down, they can go anyway you want. I would prefer them to be the way that they are shown so people don't keep hitting their chins on them at car shows. But I'll leave that up to whoever is building the car.
     
  23. raprap
    Joined: Oct 8, 2009
    Posts: 768

    raprap
    Member
    from Ohio

    I'm originally from Northern California and I have to agree that I always thought these "nerf" bars were a customizer's piece that really has no purpose other than looking kool!
     
  24. We need to get this thread going again. I'm building mine for my 31 tudor, and have had to scrap two sets so far. Trying to make something that looks right and doesnt look like an afterthought.
     
  25. motoandy
    Joined: Sep 19, 2007
    Posts: 3,334

    motoandy
    Member
    from MB, SC

    Model A rear Nerf
     

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  26. That is an awful way to treat a hot rod.
     
    Last edited: Apr 23, 2013

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