I wrecked our van at the beginning of the month and I may have convinced my mother to let me make real bumpers for her it. Its her van and that's the only reason it doesn't have better ones now. The plastic bumpers on these van are horrible. The lightest touch with tweak them.

Since I have a tendency to over-do things, I could use some ideas for making a lightweight but strong bumper. Right now I don't have the ability to do it out of aluminum, plus I don't really like the idea of using aluminum for a bumper. Seen too many pics of them after hitting deer.

Remember, this is a minivan. There aren't any aftermarket suspension products that I can throw under it to compensate for the added weight. I just wanted to put this out there and see if I could get some ideas.

Here's some before and after pics:
Before

After



I've since gotten a new headlight and its 100% drivable. Didn't hit hard enough to puncture the radiator or bend anything major.

 

I say something post-apocalyptic. This Aerostar happens to be unibody so Id say make something that almost looks like hat it already has(as far as leaving the hole in it lik the oem) and like bumperettes that go in to a grille gaurd and then some attatched headlight gaurds.