[KenB]

My prior '73 had the bumper guards.
Back in '90, on a sunny weekday afternoon I was stopped at a redlight, and watched in my rear view mirror as an idiot (likely high) not pay attention and rear end me (though he was finally braking at the end).

His "friends" car, i.e. he doesn't have the insurance papers or registration with him of course ( '78-'82 G-body, think it was a Monte Carlo, POS) had bumper, front valence, grill and radiator damage. My car (also a POS), you couldn't tell so easily that the bumper had been hit, but his car submarined and bent the rear lower valence up and somehow the rear fiberglass panel was cracked.
The photos show other damage (hit while parked) and years of not-so-benign neglect in Michigan winters. Of course, in a no-fault insurance state, the car was totaled. I bought it back, drove it three more years, then let it sit for a long time. Sold it in 2003, and a local guy fixed it up.

To think, I had always wanted to take the bumper guards off, but never got around to it.

Later
KenB