Bumper question

Andy CobraII

New Member
Aug 13, 2003
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Getting ready for paint. I dropped the rear bumper and removed
the heavy rebar support section. There is a thin metal section that
attaches the urethane to the heavy support. The urethane is bumpy in
some spots like rust has formed underneath. My question is.

Do I try to peel the urethane bumper from this thin metal sheet or will
I end up ripping it? Is there a good way to do this. Lots of rust but bolts
are intact and I think it can be saved.

thanks for suggestions
andy
 
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I swear that I just read a thread covering the removal of the cast-in reinforcement from the urethane...but I can't find it. "Oldtimers" disease is a pain. :)

Anyhow I recall (I think) that it was a real pain to remove the cast-in reinforcement from the urethane, and an even larger pain to reinstall. I seem to remember a suggestion to have more than one person available when reinserting the metal.

Just because its not easy doesn't mean that its not worth doing!!!

With new bumpers not available and nice used bumpers rare and expensive, someone has to be the first to figure this out. I just don't see the fiberglass bumpers as being an option except for racecars and modified cars.

If you'll take lots of pics of each step, and post here, I'm sure you'll get lots of suggestions. Some on them may even be usable! :)

Seriously, I would get the removable reinforcement parts off, then clean the visable part of the cast-in plate as best you can. Next start spraying a rust remover in the cracks and use a couple of wide-bladed scrapers to ease the plate out of the urethane. Sandblast the reinforcement plate, paint with something very durable, clean the urethane, then find a glue to bond it all together again.

The main thing will be to have a good surface to work on, be careful not to bend either the plate or the urethane too far, and walk away when you get too frustrated.
 
I just peeled my urethane off the cast-in reinforcement, and would suggest that you leave well enough alone. A couple of bumps won't match the heartache that you will find underneath that plastic. In short I am now looking for a whole new bumper (rebar and covering). I am seriously considering making the rebar and using a fiberglass cover, they are cheep.
 
I'll post some pics

Thanks for the suggestions. I am thinking I should leave alone. But I will grab
some pics saturday. I have been going through car trying to clean up any nasty rust before paint job. I trust your experience. To be honest I never thought about the bumper, or how hard they are to come by until I saw all the rust. Like everything with this car, it's a PITA to find/fix things.

andy
 
Fixing Bumper

Had no idea bumpers rusted out and are difficult to find (like most II parts).
After looking around internet, I think I probably have a pretty good set. The
rear is the worst and I think I will leave alone and not try to peel away. I wirebrushed and coated with rust neutralizer, then I will prime. Let the body
shop sand and paint urethane.

thanks
andy
 

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I would think that unless you are into/willing to do some major work on these, you would be better off to just grind or sand the high spots down flat than to do this?.

The bumpers on these cars are one of my biggest peves, I hate the way they hang over the ends and I was planning to cut/chop a section out each side and rebond/weld the bumper so it fits flush to the body side