74 Super bumper shock mod (geting rid of the weight)

[super vw]

As some of you know, the front and rear bumper mounts on a 74 super have them 5mph bumper shocks built into them... making them real heavy (maybe 5+ pounds each). to me i dont plan in bumping any one, and if i do... it would be over 5MPH. so i have been looking for ways to modify them or totaly get rid of them all together.
What i thought about first was to huck them out and fab up a whole new bumper mounting bracket. well, i realy didnt want to do all that so i was looking at the orignal shocks and noticed i had to get the mounts to come out at an angle, the mounts are kinda ramped out from the body. AND then noticed there was four welds long the shock itself holding it to a ramped bracket... got to thinking, why not cut the welds and use the original brackets? well i did this last night and it came out well.
So my plan is to buy some tube or pipe at 1 3/4" in dia (same as shocks) thats a fairly thin gauge but not sheet metal thin, then weld them onto the brackets. then modify the ends to accept the original end ("U" shaped brackets.
This mod should eliminate the weight of the heavy shocks, and still allow you to use the stock fender gaskets for the bumpers. maybe even drill holes in the pipe or tube to further lighten it and to allow it to smash in durring a crash (instead of the body)

What do you guys think of this? Ill go to the store tomorrow to see what i can find as far as materials go and maybe start on it if i find what i need.

Anyways, heres a pic of the stock bumper shock(front)