Front bumber installation

[Benz02]

Hey all,

I've been trying to get my front bumper back on my early '71. This has not been as easy as I hoped. The two rails extending from the body are different lengths, and one was tweaked but I've managed to get it back to where it needs to be with a sledge hammer and a vice. I also ordered some new bolts from tiilux, which look authentic, but are way too short. The result is that on the fenders where the wraparound sections are--they scrape the fenders and body. This is the reason I took it off in the first place, because it chewed my fenders up. I've filled all that and painted it, but good grief what a pain to fit it. The edges of the wraparound sections seem to sit so close to the body it's scary. I'm currently in the position of having to keep undoing the rails, tweaking them a bit, reinstalling, only to find that it's still not quite right cuz the wraparound sections rub on the body. Hoenstly, I don't even want the bumper on there, but I'd rather know that some insurance adjuster won't try to screw me for not having it. Does anyone know a simpler way to do this without the constant install, uninstall/tweak, try-it-again approach??

Thanks,

Benzo '71 verona

[DukeRimmer]

Do you have the spacer blocks between brackets and bumper? Rubber grommets between ends and fenders?

[Benz02]

Yes, there are spacer blocks that also secure the over-riders. And there are rubber spacers for the corner bumper bolts, but I think those bolts are just too short. I bought some slightly longer ones and it's now feasible to attach and still have clearance for the bumper, however it's just been a slow process of attempting to get everything to align.

[DukeRimmer]

Sounds like a matter of wrestling bent brackets back into shape. Best of luck!

[Delia]

It's not an exact science like newer cars.

Here's the "old school way:"

Assemble all the bumper bolts "finger tight," including where the brackets bolt through the body.

It's really important to leave the bolts that connect the three section together a bit loose to let the sections "open up" so they don't scrape up your fender.

Then, tighten up the bolts to "almost tight enough" and take a good long look at how the bumper sits. Is it level? Sometimes you have to take the car outside and study it to see if it's "right."

I've used a floor jack padded with a board to tweak the height. Stick the board under the low corner and jack up the car enough to make things level, but not enough to get the front end off the ground.

If you're happy with it, go around and tighten up all the bolts.

Delia