Author Topic: Bumpers (Read 14386 times)

JamesL · « **on:** December 14, 2015, 21:20:13 »

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.

Naj ✝︎ · « **Reply #1 on:** December 14, 2015, 21:36:32 »

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

Benz Dr. · « **Reply #2 on:** December 14, 2015, 21:56:14 »

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?

JamesL · « **Reply #3 on:** December 14, 2015, 22:09:53 »

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

Scottcorvette · « **Reply #4 on:** December 15, 2015, 07:41:49 »

Which chrome platers are you using?

jameshoward · « **Reply #5 on:** December 15, 2015, 09:40:07 »

Quote from: JamesL on December 14, 2015, 22:09:53

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

JamesL · « **Reply #6 on:** December 15, 2015, 18:51:51 »

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

iftykhan · « **Reply #7 on:** December 15, 2015, 20:24:19 »

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

tel76 · « **Reply #8 on:** December 16, 2015, 08:58:25 »

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.

iftykhan · « **Reply #9 on:** December 16, 2015, 16:44:00 »

Thank you Eric.
I will look into this early next year and report back.

JamesL · « **Reply #10 on:** December 16, 2015, 21:29:15 »

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

iftykhan · « **Reply #11 on:** December 19, 2015, 08:50:44 »

Thanks James, very useful.

JamesL · « **Reply #12 on:** January 06, 2016, 15:41:26 »

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.

stickandrudderman · « **Reply #13 on:** January 06, 2016, 17:52:19 »

What would you hope to achieve?

JamesL · « **Reply #14 on:** January 06, 2016, 18:04:47 »

Lugging less dead weight around. Though in the scheme of things...

kampala · « **Reply #15 on:** January 06, 2016, 22:02:31 »

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

stickandrudderman · « **Reply #16 on:** January 06, 2016, 22:45:16 »

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!)

JamesL · « **Reply #17 on:** January 07, 2016, 11:36:48 »

No need to apologise, Stick
I'm a huge fan of my snake oil

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.

Pinder · « **Reply #18 on:** January 10, 2016, 02:46:28 »

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.

Mike K · « **Reply #19 on:** January 10, 2016, 08:29:00 »

Quote from: JamesL on January 07, 2016, 11:36:48

........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

jameshoward · « **Reply #20 on:** January 10, 2016, 08:58:04 »

Your memory, James, is superb!

Quote from: jameshoward on December 15, 2015, 09:40:07

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

JamesL · « **Reply #21 on:** January 12, 2016, 20:03:03 »

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!

Jonny B · « **Reply #22 on:** January 14, 2016, 23:07:45 »

Picture??

iftykhan · « **Reply #23 on:** January 19, 2016, 20:25:33 »

Thanks James will def look them up.
As per Jonny's post, it would be great to see the fruits of your labour.
Ifty

RobSirg · « **Reply #24 on:** January 21, 2016, 12:09:13 »

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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Author Topic: Bumpers (Read 14386 times)

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