Pagoda SL Group
W113 Pagoda SL Group => Body, interior, paint, chrome, and cosmetic items => Topic started by: JamesL on December 14, 2015, 21:20:13
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I recently whipped my bumpers off to take them to my local chromers
They weigh a ton! I didn't know they weighed so much. Fortunately, none of the bits clunked me on the head as I was removing the 17mm bolts.
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Something will when you try to fit the front one back on your own ::)
You may want to make a couple of studs (i.e. buy extra bolts; cut heads off) that you can screw in instead of the bolts (temporarily) to help you hang the bumper up in place.
talk about special tools!
naj
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We just completed this job on front and rear bumpers where I had the originals chromed; this is the way to go - forget repros. We used stainless hardware to mount them and they didn't turn out too bad. You can expect a certain amount of work trying to get the front bumper on straight and even due to bent brackets which is fairly common on our cars.
One thing I wasn't too impressed with: I used a repro front bumper joint cover. Not what I had in mind. If you have perfect bumpers with original hardware, it might be OK, but how often does that happen?
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Thanks Dan/Naj. So what you're saying is, in time honoured and wholly inaccurate fashion..."refitting is the reverse of removal". ::)
I am assuming I dismantle what I have and remove the brackets to take just the bits I want shiny to the chromers - or is that asking for a whole heap of (extra) alignment trouble later
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Which chrome platers are you using?
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Thanks Dan/Naj. So what you're saying is, in time honoured and wholly inaccurate fashion..."refitting is the reverse of removal". ::)
I am assuming I dismantle what I have and remove the brackets to take just the bits I want shiny to the chromers - or is that asking for a whole heap of (extra) alignment trouble later
James - it's not that bad. You just need to work out more.
Do remember which way around the brackets go, though; otherwise you'll end up working out more than you'd like. When I got my originals back from the platers (and I agree fully with Dan about that being the way to go) I painted the inside with non-ferrous primer a few times (special red stuff from Hammerite) then applied a coat of undercoat (white stuff from Hammerite) and finished them off spraying them with the almost correct eggshell colour in Plastikote (because I had a can of it laying around). Came out very well indeed.
Scott - if you're interested, I used a plater in Belgium. He's outstanding and a few restorers use him in the UK also. Naj also has a good plater in the UK that I think he'd be happy to recommend.
JH
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I take it back... the shiny bits are nowhere near as heavy as the brackets!
Think I shall try and get some new ironmongery before it all goes back together. It's earned a rest after 45 years
Scott: London Chroming on the Old Kent Road
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James
I need to rechrome my front bumper so would be interested to hear about the service your plater provides.
Maybe you could post some photos once done.
I have been recommended a company over in Hampshire by a friend of a friend but would prefer to use a plater used by one of our group.
Also, approx costs would be very useful.
Ifty
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Ifty,
Check out Marque Restore in Coventry, I have used them for several years, they do a very good job (also they will carry out repairs on the item if required), as is usual with re-chroming companies they are a little slow.
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Thank you Eric.
I will look into this early next year and report back.
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Ifty
London Chroming are 3.4miles from me according to a well known search engine but despite the convenience, I did look around here and elsewhere first. Here's a prior thread
http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=15814.0
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Thanks James, very useful.
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Given the weight of the mounting brackets, I was wondering if there's any benefit in getting some made up in something a little lighter than 1960s pig-iron
If I prang the car, the "value" is in the chrome and bodywork behind it and it's not as if said pig-iron would prevent damage to either.
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What would you hope to achieve?
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Lugging less dead weight around. Though in the scheme of things...
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I recalled that GGR had made bumper brackets to lighten the weight. Here you go -----
http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=15521.msg129342#msg129342
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GGR's car is one big experiment, and a nice one too, but shaving a few grams from the bumper mounting brackets is going to benefit you about as much as adding snake oil to your fuel.
(Sorry James!) ;D
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No need to apologise, Stick
I'm a huge fan of my snake oil ;D
Anyway, brackets wire-brushed and sprayed over with some Hammerite. SLS have sent over the ironmonergy and the finished bumpers are in the boot of the car. I shall put them back together over the weekend
Ifty
Now known as Capital Chroming but still on the Old Kent Rd/same location. The work looks really good. Though the insides of the bumpers are finished in rough chroming rather than a spray/paint finish. I seem to recall they "should" be a sort of beige/primer colour.
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I personally think the bumpers on these cars are very light. try removing a rear bumper on a 71 buick Riv. I would not do that with the car on a lift.
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........Though the insides of the bumpers are finished in rough chroming rather than a spray/paint finish. I seem to recall they "should" be a sort of beige/primer colour.
That sounds correct, mine are the beige/primer colour on the insides.
Best,
Mike
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Your memory, James, is superb! ;D
When I got my originals back from the platers (and I agree fully with Dan about that being the way to go) I painted the inside with non-ferrous primer a few times (special red stuff from Hammerite) then applied a coat of undercoat (white stuff from Hammerite) and finished them off spraying them with the almost correct eggshell colour in Plastikote (because I had a can of it laying around). Came out very well indeed.
Scott - if you're interested, I used a plater in Belgium. He's outstanding and a few restorers use him in the UK also. Naj also has a good plater in the UK that I think he'd be happy to recommend.
JH
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All back together. Yay
There was a question posed elsewhere about reinstalling, and the odd comment above. So...
Rears are easy, as long as the brackets are the right way up...
For the fronts I did the following (did this alone and on the floor so tried to minimise weight while bolting)
Put the brackets back on the car - finger tight bolts...
Put the bumper on the left hand (battery) side. Again, finger tight
Support the other side (on an Amazon box) and attach the middle coach bolts, being sure to put the cover clip in place before tightening the nut underneath (I started using nyloc nuts but they were too tough to attach to the round headed coach bolts so went to spring washers)
Loosely attach the bumper to the bracket
Align
Tighten. Struggled a bit getting the far left "bracket to bumper" bolt in place due to lack of room but got there in the end.
They look goooooood!
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Picture??
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Thanks James will def look them up.
As per Jonny's post, it would be great to see the fruits of your labour.
Ifty
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Guys - I was in two minds whether to hijack this post or start a new one. (I chose the former)
I would like to know what the correct alignment is for the rear bumpers. I tried multiple searches but could not find a suitable answer - maybe using the wrong search words? Surely this topic has come up before?
I recently (coincidently) decided to remove my rear bumpers to paint the irons and replace the rusty bolts with new hitensile bolts. As my car sits on a car stacker I was sick of looking at the rusty bolts and faded irons. Looks great now and I took care to replace them back to their previous position, but I now feel their previous position was not that good.
I appreciate some information or directing me to a useful post. Some rear and side photos perhaps?
p.s - I took the previous advice and cut the heads off the rusty bolts and used them to secure the bumpers in place temporarily - it worked a treat (although not essential on the rear) and I will do the same on the front bumper later.
Thanks
Rob
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Some time ago Mike Hughes wrote about the alignment of the rear chrome strips on the fenders. However he also covered a cunning way to align the bumpers before doing the chrome strip alignment. Given that the bottom of the chrome strip should align with the bottom of the bumper it may help.
Quote from Mike
"The trim strip should be aligned horizontally, so that it appears from the side to be a continuation of one horizontal line, from the rear of the front wheel arch straight through to the rear bumper. The problem seems to be that when you view the car from a 3/4 front or rear view however (especially from substantially above!), the taper of the body tends to make it look like it is "off" somewhat. The descriptions given by the other responders seem to cover the proper alignment. Be aware that there is some play to the adjustment of the rear bumpers themselves, which are attached by only two bolts. You might try removing your rear strips, making a chalk line with a builder's chalk string, and then aligning the bumpers to the line before resetting your rear strips.”
Hope it all makes sense
Garry
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Thanks Garry - that helps.
Hopefully my chrome strips are not skewed.
I was also wanting to know where they should be positioned in the rear panel. Should they directly sit over the corresponding contour? Mine are currently showing a gap of about 10mm between chrome and panel contour line.
This photo looks quite good from Solbekk
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Rob,
I think if you set them by Mike’s method then they are both on the outer side going to be set at the same side trim height and from behind would then be opposite and horizontal to each other and the only adjustment that will vary will be the gap between bumper and panel. I do not have a “correct" figure but would think if you can get an even 10mm then that would be a good setup.
Garry
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I try to get them evenly spaced from each side of the rear quarters while at the same time following the curve on the tail panel. Curves are on the outer sides of the license plate area.
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Thanks Garry and Dr.,
I think I have enough to go by now. I wasn't sure whether the rear bumper line followed directly over the tail panel contour (curves) or whether it was just off to the side. Mine are current off to the side and are not evenly spaced. I will do the adjustments to hopefully get the line and level all correct.
Regards
Rob