Help with bumper cover repair

[SVOinDC]

Ok Gents-

I would like to repair the torn bumper cover before Carlisle. Two options I dont want to do right now are:

1. buy a new bumper cover
2. take it to a body shop.

Your thoughts on how to repair this would be of much help.

Cheers!

[gbeaird]

We did both! We got a repro cover from 50resto (not cheap, but fit well) and while they were painting our 2R car, had them repair the tears in the front and rear covers. The repairs look good, but we haven't had any day-to-day wear on them yet.

Because it is a repair, I probably would NOT do it on a dd if you want to keep it 'perfect'. It will eventually come back, after road vibrations, heat, cold and bumps have their way with it. If you're putting a dd back together, I'd get a new repro unit, and store your repaired factory original. But that's my opinion.

Gene Beaird,
86 2R SVO, G Stock,
Pearland, Texas

[SVOinDC]

Gene,

Its a weekend play toy. At some point I will get a repro cover, just want to try to make this work right now (i bought a couple new guns recently, if I spend too much on the car the wife will beat me like a drum).

[Pat_in_L.A.]

... if I spend too much on the car the wife will beat me like a drum).

Bruises will heal.

[Meotchh]

Go to your local body shop supply store & they should have the proper epoxy to use to mend that minor tear in the plastic.

[SVOinDC]

Bruises will heal.

Yea but it is the long, deep continious cuts I am more worried about!

[SVOinDC]

Go to your local body shop supply store & they should have the proper epoxy to use to mend that minor tear in the plastic.

Make sure you have plenty clamps available to hold the piece together while the epoxy cures. During clamping you will want to use some sort of reinforcement on the back side to keep the shape.

Most of the available 2 part epoxies are easy to sand smooth after they cure. Some will require sanding once they tack up.
Look for products by: Evercoat, 3M, SEM to name a few.

For fixes that do not require soo much strength, a mixture of tiny bits of ABS plastic stired in with MEK will creat a paste that will bond to some plastics well.

Ok I got a two-part flexible bumper epoxy deal, plus a sticky mesh-like Bondo deal that I was thinking about putting on the back side of the cover as somewhat of a brace. After that, I will mix the epoxy and spread away, using whatever I can find to keep the tear pushed together until the epoxy sets.

[roberto2000]

Place a piece of wood on the backside and clamp it all over to keep the part where you will want it to be after completion and filler-up

[SVOinDC]

Place a piece of wood on the backside and clamp it all over to keep the part where you will want it to be after completion and filler-up

Thanks, will do

[Meotchh]

Sand & prep the surface well. Sem makes a great cleaner to prep the surface.

[NinjaBOY]

Most used car lots deal with bumper repair guys that come out to their lots and do minor repairs on the car on-site. In fact, Rich Mora knows someone who just started doing this because he lost his regular job. I'd contact a used car lot owner you may be familiar with and ask him who he'd recommend. They will do the plastic welding and spot-paint the bumper so it looks like it never happened.

[Raven855]

I have one of the aftermarket covers, and I am not happy with it. I have spent hours trying to make it fit the 1B. This is the closest I have been able to get it...

[SVORob]

I have one of the aftermarket covers, and I am not happy with it. I have spent hours trying to make it fit the 1B. This is the closest I have been able to get it...

I have 2 OEM that look the same in the same place. Drivers side fit is better.

[roberto2000]

Tony you have to cut that one open at the top
spread it open to where it has a continuous gap along the hood
then fill the cut line with epoxy and sand it smooth and re-shoot with paint

[Raven855]

I have 2 OEM that look the same in the same place. Drivers side fit is better.

Tony you have to cut that one open at the top
spread it open to where it has a continuous gap along the hood
then fill the cut line with epoxy and sand it smooth and re-shoot with paint

This is my ignorance. I assumed that coming out of the original mold that the fit would be alot closer. In painting these cars I have learned alot and part of that was use original parts and not the aftermarket, like on the fenders. I just figured that they would fit better. Now I know. The original just had a small tear and I should have just fixed it. Thanks for the lesson guys.....Time for more paint and the epoxy!